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A small fine Transitional ormolu mounted tulipwood, purplewood, fruitwood and marquetry breakfront commodeMade by Pierre Macret, third quarter 18th century image 1
A small fine Transitional ormolu mounted tulipwood, purplewood, fruitwood and marquetry breakfront commodeMade by Pierre Macret, third quarter 18th century image 2
A small fine Transitional ormolu mounted tulipwood, purplewood, fruitwood and marquetry breakfront commodeMade by Pierre Macret, third quarter 18th century image 3
A small fine Transitional ormolu mounted tulipwood, purplewood, fruitwood and marquetry breakfront commodeMade by Pierre Macret, third quarter 18th century image 4
Lot 145*,TP

A small fine Transitional ormolu mounted tulipwood, purplewood, fruitwood and marquetry breakfront commode
Made by Pierre Macret, third quarter 18th century

21 November 2023, 13:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £8,320 inc. premium

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A small fine Transitional ormolu mounted tulipwood, purplewood, fruitwood and marquetry breakfront commode

Made by Pierre Macret, third quarter 18th century
The brèche violette marble top above two drawers sans traverse simulating three drawers inlaid with flowering branches, the canted angles with gilt bronze filled fluting headed by neoclassical chutes and rosettes, on square tapering legs and sabots, bearing three stamps for ..MACRET, together with traces of a fourth obliterated stamp, 84cm wide x 44.5cm deep x 89cm high, (33in wide x 17.5in deep x 35in high)

Footnotes

Provenance
Christie's, London, 12 December 1985, lot 149;
Bernard Baruch Steinitz, Paris.

Literature
Pierre Kjellberg, Le Mobilier Français Du XVIIIe Siècle, 1989, ill. p. 541.

Pierre Macret, ébéniste suivant la Cour from 1756.

Macret was born in 1727, married at the age of 20 and in December 1756 became marchand-ébéniste privilégié du Roi suivant la cour et conseils de sa majesté, replacing the widow of Latz. The records of the marchand-mercier Lazare Duvaux reveal a debt of 1169 livres to Macret by December 1758. At the same time he worked with the marchand Darnault. Newspaper advertisements reveal that he worked in the rue Saint Honoré in the hotel d'Auvergne, close to Saint-Roch, in 1763.

The marquis de Marigny, Directeur des Bâtiments, bought 1890 livres worth of furniture from him in 1770. In 1771 Macret changed his status and became marchand-mercier in Paris. He was fournisseur ordinaire des menus-plaisirs du Roi from 1764 to 1771. In accordance with his new status he chose a more comfortable house in the rue Saint-Honoré, in April 1772. It was a strategic choice, his new home being close to Dulac, Poirier and Granchez, which furthered his business.

Shortly before 1772 he delivered 1222 livres worth of furniture to the Dauphine Marie-Antoinette, and the marquis de Monconseil, father of princesse d'Henin, had ordered furniture valued at 4690 livres.

Macret's works are exhibited in many museums including the Nissim de Camondo, Paris; the Château de Versailles; the Cleveland Museum of Art; Hillwood House, Washington D.C. and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

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