I've been looking around through the collections of the antiques shops in Versailles today, when in a small shop I spotted a pair of very fine encoignures from the 18th century. I was looking for this type of furniture recently, because I thought I could use two of them to refurnish the small Prints Cabinet which we are bringing step by step to its former glory. The pair seemed fine and of a quality worthy of Versailles, plus the marble and faux marble used in the shelves was reminiscent of the one from the fireplace of the cabinet. I was very surprised though when, inspecting the back of the pieces of furniture, as you should always do, I spotted written on them the very mark ("CV") of the palace of Versailles! This encoignures, more than worthy of featuring in the collections of the palace were in fact artefacts which had been part of these collections during the Ancient Regime! I'm not entirely certain yet, but it is even highly probable that these two encoignures were indeed made for this very room in the first place. The name of their maker (no doubt very gifted) is unfortunately unknown for now. I got twice lucky to find the pair too, because quite frequently, elements of furniture that work in pair get separated over time and it is not always possible to reunite such fine examples of the craftsmanship of the Age of Enlightenment.
This is the second pair of high quality encoignures you can now see (in pictures at least!) in the rooms of the palace. You'll be as lucky as me if you can manage to see the originals!
Encoignures in the Prints Cabinet on the First Floor of the South-East Pavilion of the Secretaries of State.
Quite amazing craftmanship indeed!
ReplyDeleteCould those have been made by Pierre-Antoine Bellangé as one of his early work?
Or possibly by Bernard Molitor I would imagine.
It is quite surprising that such fine pieces do not bear a maker's mark.
Really Monica, I am quite amazed by your knowledge of 18th century French furniture craftsmanship! I am far from being as knowledgeable myself, and I'm sure I would learn a lot from you. It is absolutely possible for our encoignures to be from one of those two masters. I would have to know if these guys had a mark with which they would sign their work. Do you get to go in the Duchess'apartments? If not, I would be more than happy to show you those pieces of furniture as well as the next we might acquire later!
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure it could be an original Molitor!
DeleteThe pointy legs covered with brass, the acajou wood (if it is indeed acajou), the brass strips, the marble top ... all point to classical molitor's style and craftmanship.
You can find all those detais also in that "table de salon".
http://www.anticstore.com/table-salon-47669P
It would be worth investigating those piece of furnitures more closely, possibly with a magnifying glass.
That would be an amazing find if they are signed!
I do have my entrées in Madame the Dutchess apartments, most of the rooms anyway.
Monica, we found two estampilles, one under each encoignure. They read : B. MOLITOR. Seems you could have been right! Please check the last photos on the blog. I would like to know : is it the way Bernard Molitor signed its creations? Do those marks seem genuine to you? (We found the signatures underneath a protective layer of wood we removed during the restoration of the furniture.)
Delete