A French late 19th century ormolu mounted rosewood and Vernis Martin serpentine meuble d'appui in the Louis XV style
Stamped: 'T. Vincent'
The shaped moulded marble top with projecting eared angles, above one long and two short scrolled acanthus and foliate C-scroll embellished panel mounts to the frieze incorporating a long central secret catch-activated and spring loaded frieze drawer, over a rocaille, C- and S-scroll, floral and acanthus cast cartouche shaped mount, encompassing a moulded door surround inset with a Vernis Martin panel decorated with an 18th century fete galante comprising two small groups of courtly figures dressed in elegant attire, enclosing two adjustable shelves, flanked to each side by a similar cartouche shaped panel mount, interspersed with four shell, oak leaf, scroll and acanthus mounted keeled angles, with chutes terminating in rocaille, C-scroll and foliate clasps, over a shaped ovolo apron terminating in four square section cabriole legs each mounted with acanthus scroll sabots, the carcass top stamped: 'T. VINCENT', the panelled back with an old paper label bearing a now illegible ink inscription, approximately: 132cm wide x 53cm deep x 119cm high, (51 1/2in wide x 20 1/2in deep x 46 1/2in high)
Footnotes:
The present lot is stamped: 'T. Vincent' but, although several cabinet makers with the surname of Vincent are documented as working in Paris during the 19th century, unfortunately their Christian names remain unknown. However, individuals or firms bearing the surname Vincent appear to have been based at the following locations from 1839 onwards; 24 rue des Tournelles; 17 rue de la Croix in 1844; rue Jean-Robert between 1846 and 1850; 65 rue des Gravilliers in 1853; 22 rue des Tournelles in 1856 and 16 on the same road from 1860. It is not obvious whether these addresses are successive ones relating to one specific ebeniste called Vincent, or they perhaps represent a mixture of different businesses operating more or less contemporaneously, D. Ledoux-Lebard, Le Mobilier Francais du XIXeme Siecle, 1989, Paris, p. 616.

French 19th century meubles d'appui which incorporate Vernis Martin panels are often by or attributable to some of the most renowned cabinet makers of the period such as Henry Dasson, Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener, Francois Linke, Paul Sormani and Louis-Auguste-Alfred Beurdeley. And although it is not clear which Vincent was responsible for making the offered lot, it is evident that this particular work is of very high quality, and thus was undoubtedly executed by a firm of some significant repute within this particular field. These cabinets tend to be in either the Louis XV or Louis XVI style, and the above is clearly in the former vein.

Arguably the two most notable 19th century figures who produced some of the finest pieces of this type of furniture were Henry Dasson and Joseph-Emanuel Zwiener. Examples of such meubles d'appui which have sold at auction include: one by Henry Dasson, sold Christie's, London, 19 March 2009, 19th Century Furniture, lot 177; one by Zwiener sold Christie's, London, 14 November 2019, lot 563; another Zwiener version sold Christie's, New York, 17 October 2017, The Collector, lot 79; a model attributed to Zwiener, Christie's, New York, 24 October 2006, 19th Century Furniture, lot 491; another attributed to Zwiener, Christie's, New York, 22 October 2010, 500 Years: Decorative Arts Europe, lot 318; and also a further cabinet sold Christie's, New York, 15 April 2011, 500 Years: Decorative Arts Europe, lot 160.

A Dasson grand meuble d'appui with an impressive central classical scene in Vernis Martin is illustrated in C. Mestdagh, l'Ameublement d'Art Francais, 1850-1900, Paris, 2010, fig. 282, p. 240 whilst a narrower example by Zwiener appears in D. Ledoux-Lebard, Le Mobilier Francais du XIXeme Siecle, 1989, Paris, p. 645.
This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP Y
TP For auctions held in Scotland: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Constantine, Constantine House, North Caldeen Road, Coatbridge ML5 4EF, Scotland, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please refer to the catalogue for further information.

For all other auctions: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.
Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the UK, see clause 13.