BIRGKLE

1734-1803; MASTER 1764

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aving first worked as an independant artisan in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine. Birckle became a master in 1764. Established in the rue Saint-Nicolas. in 1785 he began working for the Garde-Meuble Royal, supplying it with regular con­signments of simple furniture. In January of 1787 he supplied for the Comtesse de Provence at Versailles ’2 commodes i’/z pieds long veneered in tulipwood with 4 drawers fitted with locks, decorated with ring – handles. capitals, gilded sabots, with white marble top at 132 livres each’. On 10 June 1787 he supplied for the Queen’s use at Saint-Cloud

no. 156) Л commode 4 pieds in length in mahogany with 5 drawers fitted with locks, decorated with a frieze of flutes and florets, (lilt-bronze sabots and capitals. Top in white veined marble. A semi-circular console. 4 pieds long in the same wood and matching the commode, and with 2 white veined marble slabs. For the 2 pieces 680L 4 commodes 3l/z pieds long in bois satine with 5 drawers fitted with locks, decorated with gilt-bronze ring-handles, escutcheons, sabots and capitals, the top of Flanders marble, at 120Leach. 480L.

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Birckle also made chiffonnteres; in 1787 he deliv­ered one in walnut ’for use in Paris’ and another ’of 4 pieds by 3 pieds’. veneered in tulipwood. for the Baron de Breteuil at Versailles. In 1788 he worked for the Dauphin at Meudon, to whom he supplied ‘3 secre­taires en armoire in walnut with tops in wood, and 6 small chiffonnieres called gueridons in walnut’ while at the same time restoring various pieces of furniture. In the same year Birckle supplied to the Garde – Meuble Royal, through the offices of Haure. various items which, considering the prices, must have l>cen fairly modest pieces of furniture:

— 13 writing-tables in mahogany. 546L

— 1 commode in tulipwood. 96L

— 4 commodes in bois satine. 500L

— 1 commode in bois satine. 216L

— 4 fire-screens in mahogany. 48L

— 2 commodes in tulipwood. 192L

— 1 commode in mahogany. 125L

— 2 secretaires in walnut. 120L

In 1789 he also supplied furniture at modest prices, chiffonnieres. writing-tables and secretaires for a total of 3.626 livres. At this time his address was in the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine. With the Revolution his consignments to the Crown ceased, although the ac­tivities of his workshop continued. It was taken over by his son and remained in operation until 1825.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Arch. Nat.. O’3646.0’3648.0’3649.0’3651 F. dc Salverte: Lcs Ebenistcs. p. 25

/367/ Commode with landscape marquetry stamped Birckle. c. 1775. lAder. Paris. 28 March 1984, lot 84)

Andre-Louis

Updated: October 10, 2015 — 4:50 am