The second son of Mathieu Criard. Sebastien-Math – ieu. was born in 1732 and married Marie-Louise – Antoinette Gubillon on 20 September 1761. They each received a dowry of 6,(XX) livres. Before 1762 the
couple were settled in the rue du Roule. in the parish of Saint •( Jermain-IAuxerrois. In 1764 Criard rented a shop with outhouse in the rue Froid Manteau. where he later set up a business as a marchand-mercier. At that time he is variously described as ‘marchand – mercier’, ‘marchand-ebeniste’ or ‘maitre-ebeniste’. Mis business must have flourished, as in 1768 Sebas – tien-Malhicu was able to acquire a house in the rue Traversiere in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine for the sum of 8.(XM) livres.
On the death of his wife in 1777, Scbastien – Mathicu’s financial situation was precarious. Large debts amounting to 28.877 livres forced him to sell his house in the rue Traversiere. part of which he had already let, but where he still had a business and a workshop fitter! with four work-benches. The inventory taken on 11 April 1777 after the death of his wife mentions (>() pieces of furniture, including 14 commodes. 2 carcases of encoignures, 7 tables. 1 bureau and 3 small secretaires. The stock would appear to have been of |хюг quality; it was barely worth 930 livres and Sebastien-Mathieu was declared as having
‘no cash’. He stated that ‘he had not kept a record book of his commercial transactions as over the previous few years he had sold all his work for cash ‘ It seems likely therefore that he did not sell to a very affluent clientele, but rather to more humble people, or to other dealers such as Hericourt (whose name is mentioned in the inventory). Sebastien-Mathieu then moved to the rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine and died in the rue Cerutti in February 1796.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Inventory taken after the death of Mathicu Criard’s wife. Jacqueline Godelart. 2 April 1768 (XXVII1-408)
Inventory taken after the death of the wife of Antoine – Mathieu Criard. Marie-Suzanne Chevallier. 23 July 1777. Arch. Nat. Min. Cent. (XXXV-797)
Inventory taken after the death of the wife of Sebastien – Mathieu Criard. Maric-Louise Antoinette Ciiibillon. 11 April 1777. Arch. Nat. Min. Cent. (XXVIII-462) Genevieve Altai: master’s thesis for the University of Paris IV in 1987: Mathicu, Antoine-Mathicu ct Sebastien – Mathieu Criard, etudes d’une famille d’ebenisles du XVIlle siecle d partir des documents d’archivcs
Denis
