MASTER 1748: ACTIVE UNTIL 1783
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he date of birth of Adrien I>elorme is unknown. He belonged to a family of Parisian ebenistes. vvho added a second name, de Lorme or Delorme, to their surname of Faizelot. He was the oldest son of Francois Faizelot-Delorme (1691-1768). who was settled in the rue Tiquetonne and specialized in furniture in Chinese lacquer or pseudo-Chinese lacquer. Adrien in his turn produced furniture in Chinese lacquer of a pronounced rococo character, as can be seen in the commode in the Rijks-
museum in Amsterdam. Later on he specialized in marquetry pieces, developing his own idiosyncratic style of flowers in bois de bout on a ground in a light- coloured wood, almost yellow, with the darker grain placed in chevrons. A whole series of tables and a commode are recorded, so close in style to the work of В. V. R. B. (in form and mounts) that the possibility of a collaboration between the two ebenistes must be considered. Delorme’s reputation as a craftsman in marquetry was such that he is mentioned in contem-
I164J Commode stamped Delorme: the zebra-striped veneer of light wood и characteristic of him; houwer, the form and mounts are typical of В. V. R. B. who mujt have made the carcase. (Palais Calliera, Paris. 18 June 1964. lot 184)
porary almanacs as ‘one of the most adept and renowned in the production of marquetry’. He moved to the rue du Temple where he was both eb£niste and dealer. In 1768 he was elected adjudicator to his guild in the place of his father who had just died and who had exercised this function since 1766. On his retirement in 1783 a public auction was held of his stock which comprised ‘a quantity of commodes, encoig – nures, serre-papiers and bureaux decorated with gilt – bronze mounts and tops of marble or alabaster’ (Annonccs, ajfiches et avis divers, 28 February and 29 April. 1783).
Delorme’s two brothers were also ebenistes; the elder, Jean-Louis. received master in 1763. used his father’s establishment in the rue Tiquetonne from 1768 to 1780 and specialized in the restoration and resale of Boulle furniture. Thus his stamp is found on a low bookcase in the Wallace Collection and on an armoire at Versailles. The second brother. Alexis, became a master in 1772 and specialized in the sale of furniture in the rue Saint-Denis until 1786.
