Regency - Louis XV period violetwood commode attributed to Jean-Charles Saunier

Exceptional commode d'apparat of tombeau form, strongly curved in violet wood veneer with rhombus fringes. Parisian Regency Louis XV period, circa 1740.

It opens with 6 drawers (2 large, 2 smaller at the top and a secret drawer in the center); oak structure; it is topped with a thick pink Languedoc marble molded in the shape of a "bec de corbin". Very richly decorated with chased and gilded bronzes, corner falls with heads of bearded satyrs terminating in lion-headed hooves, beautiful Rocaille handles and lock escutcheons. In addition to this extraordinary bronze trim, our chest of drawers is characterized by the play of curves and counter-curves (concave and convex drawers).

Our commode is not stamped, but is undoubtedly the work of a great Parisian master. A commode by Jean-Charles Saunier with a comparable bronze trim is on display at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, as are 2 others of similar design in major Parisian galleries. Attribution to Jean-Charles Saunier seems highly probable.

Jean-Charles Saunier, cabinetmaker. Paris. Mastered August 27, 1743. Son of Charles Saunier, the King's cabinetmaker and brother of Jean Baptiste Saunier, also a cabinetmaker, he kept his father's workshop on rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine. He was a member of his community's jury between 1750 and 1752. Jean-Charles Saunier is best known as the father of the great cabinetmaker Claude Charles Saunier, whom he trained to create high-quality Louis XV furniture with curved forms and rocaille decoration, such as our commode. After his death in 1765, Claude Charles took over from his father to become one of the greatest cabinetmakers of the Louis XVI period.

A rare amateur piece to find.

Superb piece of furniture in excellent condition: our chest of drawers has been fully restored according to the rules of the art, without any compromise in quality. The varnish has been applied in the traditional way. An apocryphal Coulon stamp was subsequently applied to the chest.

Length : 131cm
Depth: 64cm
Height : 84,5cm

Ref: 0692ZCP3MM