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
