EBI-N1STE ACTIVE с. 1740-50
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he stamp ‘D. F.’ is found on a certain number of lacquer commodes, many of them with mounts struck with the crowned ’C which dates them between 1745 and 1750 (see Appendix). This stylistically homogeneous group is mainly composed of commodes in either Japanese or Chinese lacquer. with the same decorative arrangement of bronze mounts, in particular the motif of a double bracket on the apron, the same rococo corner-mounts and the same frames around the panels on the fronts. Some also have S-shaped mounts, divided at the top and forming handles.
Salverte’s hypothesis that the stamp ‘D. F.’ corresponded to a certain Jean Desforges would no longer seem tenable: there is no trace of a Jean Desforges. The only craftsman with this surname. Denis Desforges. is recorded between 1702 and 1720, much too early to be the maker of lacquer furniture. Moreover, no trace has been found of an £l^niste with
a Christian name beginning in ‘D’ and a surname beginning in ‘F. There remains, therefore, the hypothesis of a double surname, in which case a very plausible solution is that it refers to Francois Delorme-Faizelot, the father of Adrien Delorme. A master before 1735, he specialized in lacquer furniture. Established in the rue Tiquetonne in the quarter devoted to the sale of luxury goods, he sold furniture in chinoiserie vernis or in genuine Chinese lacquer.
The inventory after his death lists a number of lacquer pieces and carcases waiting ‘to have lacquer applied to them.’ The Delorme hypothesis is strengthened by stylistic evidence – the existence of a pair of lacquer commodes (Galerie Segoura), one bearing the stamp D. F. and the other that of A. Delorme who, becoming a master in 1748, worked alongside his father for twenty years. Furthermore, the Wright – sman Collection, New York (cat. vol. Ш, no. 295) has a commode stamped by Delorme, similar in design to
APPENDIX
LIST OF COMMODES STAMPED •n. F/
1) National Gallery of Art. Washington. Widencr Collection (stamped) in Chinese lacquer.
2) Houghton Hall. Norfolk; Marquis of Cholmondeley’s collection (stamped; mounts with crowned'( V) in Chinese lacquer, illustrated in La Matson franqaisc
du XVUle stick by Pierre Verlet. p 156.
3) Former Alphonse de Rothschild Collection. Vienna (attributed); sale Sotheby’s New York. 13 October 1983. lot 472; in Chinese lacquer (162].
4) Former Duchesse de Richelieu Collection (stamped; mounts with crowned С). sale Sotheby’s New York. 13 October 1983. lot 497; in red vernis Martin and gilding with black
borders (159).
5) Sale Sotheby’s New York. 9 November 1985. lot 351 (stamped; mounts with crowned ’C"); identical to the preceding one. with which perhaps it originally formed a pair.
6) Private collection; illustrated in Nicolay, I’Art et la maniere des maitres cbimstes (stamped; mounts with crowned ’C). former Gcnest d’Angouleme Collection; in Chinese lacquer.
7) Formerly in the Stieglitz Museum. St Petersburg (attributed); illustrated in Denis Roche: lx mobilitr fran^ais cn Russte. pi. xxii; in Chinese lacquer
8) Former Jossc Collection (stamped ’В. V R. B.’). illustrated in E. Molinier Histoire gfnirale des arts appliques a I’industrie, vol. III. p. 114; in Chinese lacquer and almost identical to the preceding one.
9) Sale Hotel Drouot. 20 April 1921 (stamped); in Chinese lacquer.
10) Sale Sotheby’s New York. 20 May 1987 (stamped); in
Chinese lacquer
11) Gulbenkian Collection. Lisbon (stamped), formerly in the Larcade Collection; in Japanese lacquer, very rich gilt – bronze mounts (160].
12) Private collection, formerly Galerie Didier Aaron (stamped); in Japanese lacquer, almost identical to the last, but with fewer mounts
13) Galerie Segoura (stamped), small commode in Chinese lacquer, a pair to another commode stamped ’Delorme’ 1161].
14) Sale Paris. Laurin – Guilloux-Buffetaud. 5 December 1980 (attributed)
15) Museum of the Legion of Honor. San Francisco (stamped) in Japanese lacquer; almost identical to the one in Lisbon but without handles
16) Former Mme Douine Collection (stamped; mounts with crowned ’C’). sale. Paris. Galerie Charpentier, 12 April 1946, with corner-mounts identical to the ones on the Lisbon commode
Adrien
