c. 1730-85: MASTER 1766
Born probably around 1730. in the principality of Baden, Martin Carlin was the son of Trouper (Carlin, carpenter in Fribourg-en – Brisgau. Nothing is known of his apprenticeship or when he came to Paris, except that by 1759 he was settled there in the company of other C ierman and Flemish cbenistes such as the Oeben and Vandercruse families. On 26 February 1759 he married Marie – Catherine Oeben, Jean-Frangois Oeben’s sister. Roger Vandercruse and Oeben attended the wedding as witnesses. The contract reveals that (Carlin was still a day – worker living on the quai des Celestins. The proximity to the Arsenal and Oeben s own workshop suggests that he must have worked for the latter, particularly as (Carlin’s name appears among the creditors at the time of Ocben’s death in 1763. He was owed the sum of ‘515 livres still owing from 1.734 livres for the supply of furniture and related merchandise’. The links between the two cbenistes were strengthened by the fact that Oeben had married Vandercruse’s sister, who was a friend of Carlins (Vandercruse became guardian to (brlin’s children on the latter’s death). At the time of his marriage. Carlin’s assets together with those of his wife were valued at the relatively modest sum of 7(X) livres.
As early as 1763 the couple were living in the Grand-Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine at the sign of ‘la Colombc’ where Carlin is cited in the inventory taken after Oeben’s death. Carlin was working at the time as an independent craftsman. He soon began supplying furniture to the marchand-mercier Simon-
Philippe Poirier, no doubt on the recommendation of Roger Vandercruse who already worked for him. The first piece of furniture by Carlin decorated with porcelain plaques, the bonheur-du-jour in the Bowes Museum. can be dated from the plaques to 1765. On 30 July 1766 Carlin became a master ebeniste. Over the next twelve years, from 1766 to 1778, he made porcelain-mounted furniture for Poirier, certainly after designs provided by Poirier and using mounts and porcelain plaques also supplied by him. These are almost always small-scale pieces: small tables, gueri – dons. music-stands, jewel-cabinets, bonheurs-du-jour and secretaires en cabinet. They amount to eighty pieces, almost a third of Carlin’s known production.
After 1775 the production of porcelain-mounted
furniture decreased considerably. Carlin still made a console-desserte (421 ] for Daguerre in 1784 as well as a commode a encoignures which would later belong to George IV (dated around 1783-84). Between the years 1781 and 1783 he also perfected a small rectangular table with a shaped plaque on the front (of which there are examples in the Frick Collection. Wallace Collection. Huntington Library and Wad – desdon Manor). Only a dozen pieces of porcelain furniture were produced after 1778. At this period furniture in Japanese lacquer was very fashionable, and Carlin produced sumptuous pieces for the mar – chands such as the sons of Darnault. An early group, comprising a commode-secretaire and two encoignures, was bought from Darnault by Mesdames (the aunts of I-ouis XVI) for the Chateau de Bellevue in 1781 (now in the Louvre, the commode reveneered in ebony). But the finest group, also made up of a commode and two encoignures (420), was not delivered by
Damault for Madame Victoire at Bellevue until after Carlin’s death in 1785. These well-documented pieces of furniture confirm the theory that the lacquer (also the mounts in many cases) was supplied to the ebe – niste by the marchand who had received the commission. Their valuable Japanese lacquer panels came in fact from a chest belonging to the Due d’Aumont which was sold to Darnault in 1782 for 2.449 livres when his collection was dispersed. The commode itself was sold on to Madame Victoire for 6.500 livres and the encoignures for 5,400 livres.
Carlin also made lacquered furniture for Daguerre. The commode b encoignures in the Louvre, formerly the property of Mme de Brunoy (419). was certainly sold by Daguerre; it is almost identical to certain examples by Saunier [441] who was also working for Daguerre at that time.
Carlin died on 6 March 1785. His three children were still minors, two daughters and a son. Simon
Carlin. Roger Vandercruse took charge of their education. Less than a year after his death, his widow married the ebeniste Caspar Schneider.
Carlin had two successive addresses in the same street. The first, identified by Salverte. is on a piece of furniture incribed ‘M. Carlin, grande-rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine in the large gate near the Charonne fountain’. This was no. 59. At the time of his death he was actually living at no. 127 in the same street in a house called ‘Saint-Esprit’ or *La Colombe’ opposite the Foundling Asylum.
The inventory after his death was drawn up on 20 April 1785 by the ebenistes Leleu and Nicolas Petit and the casters Andre Ravrio and Joachim Provost.
They itemized a prosperous concern with assets valued at 12.000 livres and no debts. The workshop was fitted with seven work-benches, five with their tools, and contained stocks of wood – mostly tulip – wood and bois jaune. amaranth, bois satine and mahogany, as well as ‘nine bundles of hollywood in sheets’. They found thirty pieces of furniture in the two workshops in various stages of completion, valued altogether at 4,500 livres. The most important piece was a lacquer commode valued at 1,500 livres [420]. the one which Darnault supplied to Bellevue, with its mounts described as ‘original models, prepared and chased, ready to be gilded’. Other valuable pieces of furniture included an ebony bureau plat with four drawers and its serre-papiers, valued at 700 livres, and a plum-pudding mahogany bookcase with glazed doors, valued at 350 livres. The remaining slock comprised a secretaire in plum-pudding mahogany with columns decorated with gilt-bronze drapery mounts, seven oval or circular marquetry tables, two mechanical tables with ‘fitted drawers for toiletry’, a trictrac – table. eight tapering legs veneered in tulipwood and two encoignures still to be fitted with lacquer panels. The workshop also contained stocks of bronze mounts as yet unchased or gilded to be mounted on furniture (450 livres of ‘unsorted bronze casts’) valued at 735 livres. as well as a number of bronze models.
The records mentioned at the end of the inventory confirm that Carlin worked exclusively for the mar – chands-merciers. There is no mention of* private clients but a thick stack of bills alludes to furniture supplied to Daguerre (24 sheets written on both sides) for a total of 3,117 livres. The name of the ciseleur – doreur used by Carlin is quoted as’S. Prevost ciseleur’ to whom (Carlin owed 679 livres ‘for professional services carried out by him for Sieur Carlin’. These were the only debts in his well-regulated financial affairs.
Carlin’s output consisted mainly of luxury furniture; besides the eighty porcelain-mounted pieces of furniture representing about a third of his known work (see Appendix), there were also pieces in Japanese lacquer and pieces in mahogany or marquetry. Among the veneers, tulipwood was the most highly favoured and was sometimes used in sunburst motifs with a refinement particular to Carlin. The supports of gueri – dons were often veneered in a spiral pattern. The design of the marquetry does not make use of flowers but rather of abstract arabesques or geometric motifs;
lozenges, pointed trelliswork, octagons with florets and interlaced ovals. Between 1780 and 1785, towards the end of his life, Carlin used plum-pudding mahogany, as is indicated by various mentions in the inventory made after his death and by the existence of such pieces, bureaux plats and a secretaire en cabinet bearing his stamp.
On the lacquered pieces of furniture (Carlin used ebony to frame the lacquer panels, unlike Weisweiler who used mahogany. Certain stylistic characteristics are worth pointing out: the raised feet are almost always in octagonal section with bronze fluting. The low feet are often toupie feet. Carlin often designed his furniture with a central break-front, emphasizing it on the lower edge of tables with a curvilinear frieze, sometimes with gilt-bronze balls. Sumptuous mounts, certainly supplied by the marchands-merciers, are of
14051 Secretaire en cabinet in frieze of gilt-bronze drapery is
‘plum-pudding’ mahogany characteristic of Carlin’s work,
stamped Carlin, c. 1780. The ISale Galerie Charpentier, Paris)
identical typ>es. Festoon drapery was often used (405) as well as a small frieze of bayleaves mounted on the edge of table-tops. Garlands of fruit and flowers attached to tied ribbons form the frieze on numerous commodes (408). Fringed lambrequins, derived from Boulle. are found on a number of bureaux plats in lacquer. Identical busts of vestal virgins are found on a number of commodes and secretaires (in the Ojjeh/Clore Collection (414]. the Riahi (Election, the I)uc dc Vendome’s secretaire sold in Paris on 4 December 1931, now in a private collection (406]. and a lacquer commode in the British Royal Collection).
The main part of Carlin’s output consisted of small pieces of furniture, in particular, an infinite variety of tables – writing-tables, toilet-tables, work-tables, music-stands, gueridons, tea-tables, trictrac-tables, often with applied precious materials. Only a few
secretaires a abattant are recorded, but above all. Carlin introduced a new type of secretaire, in the form of a cabinet raised on a high table. This design, which perhaps derived from the late seventeenth-century Spanish varguenos. seems to have been invented by Carlin or the dealers for whom he worked. He designed a number of variants of this piece and it continued to be produced by his successor. Wcisweiler, for the dealers.
His porcelain-mounted jewel-cabinets were of a type created earlier by В. V. R. B. in marquetry for the marchands-merciers. while his bonheurs-du-jour appeared in about 1765 at the same time as those by R. V. L. C.. Pioniez and Topino. The lighter pieces of furniture made by Carlin were almost always designed for women. The names of his clients are known from sale catalogues from the end of the eighteenth century
December 1931, lot 99); another is illustrated in Connaissancc dcs Arts, October 1953, p. 36. (Archiivs Galerie Fabre, Paris)
/407/ On 30 December 1773 Poirier sold to Mme du Barry ‘a secretaire with French porcelain with a green border, richly decorated with mercury-gilded gilt-bronze mounts, 2.640L’
which probably corresponds to the example illustrated here, as the plaques with green border are dated 1773.1Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Kress Collection)
(408] Commode in Japanese lacquer by Carlin, c. 1770-75. Mme du Barry, who had a number of pieces by Carlin, bought from Poincr on 16 May 1773 ‘a superb commode I decorated] with old lacquer of
the finest quality, the central panel with rnagots and rich mounts… 4.246L’ which could well refer to the example above. (Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco)
or the confiscations of the Revolution. Mme du Barry bought numerous pieces by Carlin mounted with porcelain or lacquer through Poirier, as did another courtesan. Mile Laguerre, who owned a commode in pictra-dura [415). a lacquer secretaire [410] and a porcelain-mounted example. The Duchesse de Mazarin owned a trictrac-table with porcelain plaques by him. Louis XVI’s sisters-in-law. the Comtesse d’Artois and the Comtesse de Provence, also had secretaires or jewel-cabinets with porcelain plaques as did the Duchesse de Bourbon. Marie-Antoinette’s sisters. Maria-Carolina. Queen of Naples and the Duchesse de Saxe-Teschen also collected this type of furniture; the former bought (through Daguerre) a porcelain – mounted table previously commissioned by Poirier for Mme du Barry (401) and the latter had a whole series of porcelain-mounted furniture at I^ackcn. bought from Daguerre who provided Carlin with the designs. Drawings for these, now in the Metropolitan Museum, are the most significant records concerning Carlin available today (see Introduction, pp. 5.
38-39).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
F. de Salverte: ‘Documents inedits sur les t4*5nistes Martin Carlin et Cl. Jacob’. Bulletin de la Society de ihistoire de I’art franqais, 1928. pp. 84- 111 (in which Salverte published the inventory taken after Carlin’s death).
Patricia Lemonnier: Les commodes de Martin Carlin*. L’Estampille, July 1984. pp. 6-19
(412) (below left) Small commode with octagon marquetry stamped Carlin, c. 1766-70. (Sotheby’s Monaco, 21 May 1978, lot 154}
(413] (below right) Chevron marquetry as found on work by the Oeben brothers is less frequently found on Carlin’s work. Commode stamped Carlin, c. 1766- 70. (Sotheby’s Monaco, 13 February 1983, lot 504)
1414] (right) Commode d vantaux stamped Carlin, inscribed ‘Poirier marchand rue St-Honori d Paris’. Here Carlin uses marquetry of ‘interlaced hearts and bsenges’ on a waxy
bois sating ground. The mounts in the form of i<estal virgins appear on other commodes and secretaires by Carlin. (Christie’s New York, 6 December 1985, lot 54)
/416/ This secretaire en cabinet stamped Carlin was made for Mile Lagucrre, who owned sumptuous pieces mounted with porcelain and pictra-dura. It appeared in her sale in 1782. (Christie’s London, 9 December 1982, lot 74)
1417} This small table stamped Carlin combines Japanese lacquer and pietra-dura; the top is composed of specimens of various types of marble. (Archives Galerie Fabre, Parisl
1418} Carlin made several examples of this luxurious type of niftht-tablc with marquetry which is also mentioned in the inventory drawn up after his death. Table stamped Carlin. c. 1765-70. (Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco}
APPENDIX I
EXCERPT FROM THE INVENTORY TAKEN AFTER CARLINS DEATH In the workshop Л bookcase veneered in plumpudding mahogany 5 pieds in length. 17 pouces in depth and 3 pieds in height, with columns on the front with inlaid brass fluting, the doors ready for glazing: the aforesaid is ornamented with framing and mouldings ready for gilding, estimated at the sum of 350І.
Л commode 5 pieds in length. 20 pouces in depth and 2 pieds 10 pouces in height, veneered in ebony with lacquer panels: the interior fitted with a strong-іюх with – I drawers all veneered in bois satin*?. 2 columns at the front in very rich bronze; the aforesaid is fitted with its mounts, serially designed ami chased, ready to be gilded, estimated at the sum of 1.500L The oak carcase of a small secretaire. 3 pieds 6 pouccs in height. 13 pouces in depth. 26 pouces in width, estimated at 301-
In the second workshop 3 circular tallies and an oval one with stretchers and tiers between the legs veneered in marquetry, fitted with their mounts ungilded, estimated all 4 together at 400L Plus a bureau (plat) of 5 pieds in length. 32 pouces in depth with 4 drawers fitted with locks; 4 octagonal tapering legs with 8 flutes in inlaid bronze, plus serre – papiers and stand, all in ebony decorated with its mounts fitted and roughly chased, estimated at 7001.
Plus 2 encoignures in oak of 29 pouces in height. 22 pouces in depth, the frames in ebony, with brass liands and pewter surrounds, estimated together at 1201.
Plus 8 ta|>cring kgs. veneered in tulipwmxi. fluted with 7 flutes in inlaid brass, estimated together at KMl.
Plus 9 inkstands veneered in tulipwood and fluted and 2 without flutes, estimated together at 241.
Plus an oval table with shelf in solid wood, the rest veneered, with its mounts ungilded, valued at 130L
Plus an oval bedside-table with 2
marble tiers; veneered in mosaic parquetry, estimated at 48І.
Plus an incomplete circular table veneered in tulipwood. estimated at 901-
Plus 2 mechanical tabkrs 30 pouces by 15 pouces. veneered in marquetry, the fluted legs inlaid in brass, the drawer at the front fitted for toilette, estimated together at 3361.
Plus a trictrac-table veneered in tulipwood. incomplete, estimated at 721.
Plus a secretaire in plum – pudding mahogany, the lower section with free-standing columns in front of canted corners, and fillets, the upper section also with 2 columns, all decorated wtih mounts roughly chased and the draperies chased liut ungilded, estimated at 4001. Item. 100 livres of old raw copper at 19 sols the livre. that is 95L
100 livres of oddments of bronze casts at 1 livre 45 sols the livre. that is 1701.
MX) livres of similar metal at I livre 40 sols the livre. that is 1701.
100 livres idem at l livre 10 sols the livre. that is 150L 100 livres idem at 1 livre 12 sols the livre. 1601.
100 livres of old raw bronze at 19 sols the livre. that is 95L 50 livres of assorted raw metal at 34 sols the livre. that is 85L Bits of assorted raw bronze estimated at 481.
2 table rims and 2 corner-mounts in the shape of drapery with fringes, that is 501.
Assorted small models, weight 28 livres. estimated at 100 sols the livre. that is 140L Circular table with decorative mounts, with its rim and su|>|xirted on 3 legs in solid bronze in the form of lion’s flaws, estimated at 1501.
3 vx4*s. one large and 2 small, all
4 at 361.
Tools as follows: a trepan, a hand vice, a drawing plate. 4 hammers, all estimated at 211.
A clock in the workshop estimated at 241.
A shovel and (icllows in poor condition, a metal stove fitted with 4 brass balls measuring 14 pouccs by 19 pouces. estimated altogether at 211.
Item. 20 livres of scrap filings at 15 sols the livre. The said quantity at the said price of 151.
And the said Sr. experts signed at the end of their appraisal and Mr Raffye at the end of his valuation
RAVRIO. PETIT. PROVOT. LELEU. RAFFYE. EIX>N. LARDIN
/4191 Closely simitar to certain pieces of furniture by Saunier who also worked for Daguerre, this commode’d I’anglaise’ stamped Carlin, confiscated from the Comtesse dc Brunoy during the Revolution, differs in details distinctive of Carlin’s work: the drapery frieze and the octagonal legs. IM usee du Louvre. ParisI
14201 (bottom) Commode іn Japanese lacquer stamped Carlin, bearing the marks of the Chateau de Bellevue; made under the direction of the dealer Darnault who supplied it to Madame Victoire in і 785for 5,5001.; it is described in the inventory taken on Carlin’s death (see Appendix
I) . The Japanese lacquer panels
came originally from two boxes bought by Darnault at the Due d’Aumont’s sale. (MusJe du Ijouvre, Paris)
APPENDIX II
LIST OK WORKS BY CARLIN MOUNTED WITH PORCELAIN илосьч
Jewel-cabinets
1) Metro|>olitan Museum of Art Kress Collection (attributed), the plaques with a green border dated between 1768 and 1770 Perhaps the one delivered by Poirier for Mmedu Barry in September 1770 at a cost of 1.800 livres.
2) Private collection. Paris (?); the plaques with a green border must have been made for the Comtesse de Provence at Versailles.
3) Metropolitan Museum of Art: Wrightsman Collection (attributed), one single plaque dated 1774; tin* plaques with a blue border.
4) Detroit Museum: Dodge (Collection, formerly in the Russian Imperial (Collection at Pavlovsk (stamped); the plaques with sprigged decoration, bought by the (Comtesse du Nord from Daguerre c. 1782.
5 and 6) Private collection.
Paris (stamped); one with plaques decorated with turquoise oeil-de-perdrix (422), the other with turquoise plaques.
7) Kress Collection (attributed), the plaques undated, probably of 1775.
8) Sale. Christie’s New York.
19 November 1977 (stamped by Schneider who completed it), about 1785 (the top may correspond to the example made for the Duchesse de Saxe – Tcschcn). (516)
Bonheurs-du-jour
9) Barnard (Castle: Bowes Museum (attributed), the plaques dates! 1765; therefore the earliest example.
10) Musee Nissim de (Camondo (stamped), the plaques
for the most part dated 1766.
11) Waddesdon Manor. Buckinghamshire [stamped), the plaques mostly dated 1766, with a green border; made for the Prince de Soubise.
12) Boughton House. Northamptonshire: IXike of Bucclcuch’s collection (stamped); plaques with a green border dated 1768
13) Kress Collection (attributed); the plaques dated 1768. with a green border; perhaps the one delivered to Mme du Barry by Poirier in 1768
14) Formerly in Ix>rd Astor of Hevcr’s collection (attributed); sale. (Christie’s. 29 June 1967. lot 95; plaques all dated 1769 except one dated 1768
15) Formerly in Lord Astor of Hevcr’s collection (stamped); sale (Christie’s. 29 June 1967. lot 95; the plaques all dated 1770 except one dated 1771
16) Waddesdon Manor (stamped); plaques all dated 1770 except for one dated 1771.
17) Huntington Library (stamped); several plaques dated 1771.
18) Huntington Library (attributed); some of the plaques dated 1771
19) Kress Collection (stamped); majority of plaques dated 1774; probably the one marie for the Comiessc d’Artois at Versailles.
Bonhcurs-du-jour with high superstructure 20-21) Museum of Arts. Philadelphia (one stamped, the other attributed); the plaques with sprigs of roses, one dated 1776. the other 1776-77 Secretaires d abattant
22) Kress (Collection (stamped); oval plaques with a green border, dated 1773; perhaps the one sold in 1773 by Poirier to Mme du Barry for 2.640 livres [407|
23) Waddesdon Manor (stamped); in sycamore stained yellow, the oval plaques with a ground of blue oeil-de-perdrix; around 1775
24) Royal Palace. Madrid (attributed); plaques in the form of medallions with a green border; the base stripped of its plaques; perhaps the one sold by Poirier to Mme du Barry in 1772 for 2.400 livres.
25) Formerly in the Victor de Rothschild (Collection (stamped); rectangular plaques by
(Commclin. c. 1775. Sale Sotheby’s. 19 April 1937. lot 400.
26) Formerly in the Alphonse de Rothschild (Collection (stamped); oval plaques with border in mauve oeil-de-perdrix, dated 1778; about 1789. Sale Sotheby’s. New York. 31 October 1986. lot 84 (402).
Secretaires a abattant with side shelves
27) Wrightsman (Collection. New York (attributed), with rectangular porcelain p! a<|ucs with a turquoise-blue ground dated 1776. and tolework plaques imitating porcelain, once belonging to Maria Fyodorovna, who probably bought it from Daguerre while in Paris in 1782. Previously it had belonged to Mile I-ague r re
28) J. Paul Getty Museum (stamped); rectangular plaques dated 1776 and 1777
29) J Paul Getty Museum (stamped); with central circular plaques signed by Pierre the Younger and dated, as well as the other plaques. 1775.
30) Wallace Collection (stamped); with central circular plaque dated 1766 Consoles-dessertes
31) Formerly in the Lord Rothschild (Collection: sale Sotheby’s l-ondon. April 1937. lot 205; sale (Christie’s London.
29 November 1973. lot 105 (attributed): the plaques dated 1787
32) Kress Collection (stamped); the central plaque signed by Jean-Baptiste "Fandart, between 1775 and 1780.
33) Formerly in the Anella Brown (Collection (attributed): sale Sotheby’s New York. 23 April 1977. lot 204. Plaques dated 1776 and signed by Jean – Jacques Pierre.
14211 Console-table stamped Carlin, с. 1785; the porcelain plaques decorated round the edge in green oeil de perdrix are dated 1784. (Formerly in the Earl of llarcwood’s collection; Sotheby’s Monaco, 26 June 1979, lot 201)
34) Formerly in «he collection of the Lari of Harewood. then Wildenstem (Collection (stamped): sale Sotheby’s Monaco. 25 June 1979; the plaques dated 1784 and signed by Laroche. (4211 Trictrac-tables
35) Formerly in the Mannheimcr (Collection (?l. sold in Amsterdam in 1952, illustrated in (Сопгкишіпсе des Arts. October 1953 Perhaps the one supplied by Poirier in 1771 to Mmedu Barry.
36) Formerly in tire Lansdownc (Collection (stamped); twelve plaques dated 1775 Probably belonged to the Duchcsscdc Mazann. Rectangular laities and small bureaux
37) Gulbcnkian Museum. Lisbon (attributed), decorated with a turquerie scene after Leprincc; the central plaque dated 1771 anti signet! by Dodin; formerly in the possession of Mmedu Barry, then Maria*
(Carolina. Queen of
Naples. (4011 Bureaux plats
38) Waddesdon Manor (stamped), cat. no. 91. Several plaques dated 1766 anti signed by Noel, one inscribed ‘Poirier’. Together with a eartonnier also stamped, decorated with eight plaques dated 1780 and signed by Tandart.
39) J. Paul Getty Museum (stamped), sale (Christie’s London. 1 January 1983. lot 54 with Daguerre s label; some |>laqucs tlated 1778 Bought c. 1782 by Maria Fyodorovna alter her stay in Paris
(Com modes
40) Private collection. Switzerland (attributed); decorated with plaques (Minted with scenes alter Lane ret. Pater and Van Ідх> Supplied in 1772 by Poirier to Mrrve du Barry at Versailles
41) Formerly in the (irog (Collection (stamped), formerly Guy de Rothschild (Collection; plaques dated 1774-75 and signed by Lcvc and Meraud (430|
42) British Royal (Collection (stam|>ed); platjues dated 1783; a piece sold to George IV by Daguerre for (Carlton House before 1812.
Luge gu&ndons
43) Music du Louvre (stamped), the plaques dated 1774 and signed by Dodin, central plaque with scene of the Turkish (Concert after Van Ід»; supplied in 1774 to Mme du Barry at Louveciennes.
44) Royal Palace. Warsaw (attributed), depicting the story of Telcmachus; the plaque dated 1777 and signet! by Dodin; tin* table sold in 1780 to the (Comte d’Artois by the Sevres manufactory for 6.000 livres.
Small rec tangular tables with plaques in the shape of lambrequins
45) Waddesdon Manor (attributed); undated plaques signed by Vincent. According to Geoffrey de Bcllatguc. the table was marie after (Carlin’s death to be mounted with porcelain plaques ordered in 1790
46) Huntington Library
(attributed); with the marks for 1781. formerly belonged to the Elector of Saxony
47) Wallace (Collection. F 327 (stamped); the plaques marked
1783
48) Frick (Collection (stamped); the plaques unmarked but may lx* dated to 1781; formerly in the Duke ofAlba (Collection
49) Victoria and Alliert Museum: Jones (Collection (stam(x*dl. reputed to have been given by Marie-Antoinette to Lady Auckland in 1786
Small rectangular tables with porcelain tops
50) Kress (Collection (stamped); plaque unmarked but attributes! to Bouillat. about
1784
51) Musw du Louvre: (irog Bequest (stamped); plaque marked 1784. signed by Bouillat
Small work-tables en gufyidons
52) Wnghtsman (Collect ion (attnlnitcd). plaque dated 1784
53) Robert l. ehman (Collection (stamped).
/42*1/ (iuertdon with double tier and central stem, attributed to Carlin, c. і 780; the upper tier consists of a circular plaque surrounded by 6 small porcelain
plaques (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam)
/425/ Gudridon with pair of candle-holders, stamped Carlin.
The porcelain plaque is dated 1775; the marquetry with carnations is typical of R. V. L. C. to whom Carlin must hair subcontracted this piece.
/426/ Gufridon attributed to Carlin; with double tier and central stem, the plaque unmarked. ISotheby’s Monaco, 22 May 1978, lot 18)
Music ftands with a rectangular plaque
54 ) Waddesdon Manor (stamped): plaque unmarked. hut can lx – dated to 1775.
55) Jones Collection; stamped by Carlin and Pafrat. c. 1785 Candle-stands and *holders I ‘tables en marmottes’ I
56) Waddesdon Manor (attnlxrtcd): the platjue dated 1774 (or 1776) and signed by Nicquet
57) Formerly in the Deane Johnson Collection (stamped), sale. Sotheby’s. 9 December 1972. lot 905 (4251.
58-59) Museum of Arts. Philadelphia. 2 tables (one stamped, the other attributed); the plaques painted with roses and dated 1779.
Guhulons unth tuo shelves and central column
60) Jones (Collection (stamped by (Carlin arxl Pafrat); the plaque elates! 1775 but the table must have been completed by Pafrat after (Carlin’s death; the lower shelf inlaid with arabesques;
supported on 4 straight feet (427).
61) Rijksmu-scum (attributed); the top comprising one central circular plaque surrounded by six small circular plaques and six tra|X*zoidal plaques; supported on four straight feet (424).
62) Formerly in the Edouard de Rothschild (Collection (attributed), sale Sotheby’s Monaco. 22 May 1978. lot 18; the plaque unmarked; supported on four cabriole legs |426)
63) (Cleveland Museum of Art (stamped); plaque unmarked.
Oval tables
64) Frick (Collection (attributed): with porcelain top and undertier in tolework
65) Formerly in the Fribourg (Collection; sale Sotheby’s London. 28 June 1963. lot 1*8) (attributed)
Jardiniere
66) Museum of Arts. Philadelphia (stamped): the plaque undated, signed by Taillandier. Mmedu Barry bought a similar table in 1773.
Small circular tables ‘en auges’ or ‘en chiffonnieres’
67) Wrightsman collection (stamped), with two shelves with inlay of sunburst marquetry: plaques in segments of a circle dated 1771. ‘
68) Wrightsman (Collection (stamped); with small circular pla<|ucs set into the two tops: plaques unmarked.
69) J Paul Getty Museum (stamped), with a porcelain top dated 1773 and a lower tier with sunburst marquetry.
70) J Paul (Jetty Museum (attributed); with a porcelain top dated 1765 and a marble shelf
71) Formerly in the Edouard de Rothschild (Collection (stamped); sale Sotheby’s Monaco. 22 May 1978; the top and lower tier with sunburst marquetry; plaques unmarked [428|
72) Formerly in the Alix Lacarrl (Collection (stamped), sale Sotheby’s Monaco. 14 June 1981. lot 122; plaque’s unmarked
73) Niarchos (Collection (attributed), illustrated in Louis
XVI Furniture by Francis Watson
74) Robert Lehman Collection, New York
75) Music Nissim de (Camondo. cat. no. 133 (attributed): with a porcelain top and a lower tier with sunburst marquetry
76) Music du Louvre (stamped); Salomon de Rothschild Bequest, top of porcelain and lower tier of sunlxirst marquetry.
77) Grog Bequest (stamped), with porcelain top; the frieze is not mounted with porcelain plaques: ebony veneering.
78) Formerly in the Russian Imperial (Collection (stamped); sale (Christie’s. Geneva. 8 May 1973. with a porcelain top. the lower tier veneered with marquetry of lozenges and dots 1429)
79) Chefdcbicn sale. Paris. 13 February 1941. lot 112 (stamped).
80) Penard у Fernandez sale. 7 December I960, lot 129. with two shelves with marquetry.
14301 It would seem that Carlin made only four commodes with porcelain plaques. This one is decorated with oval plaque’s probably originally designed for a secretaire, dated 1774-75 and signed by Leve and Meraud.
I Formerly in the Guy de Rothschild Collection; Sotheby’s London, 24 November 1972, lot 331
Pierre-Harry
