Lot 158: A LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED RED AND GILT JAPANNED BUREAU DE DAME MID-18TH CENTURY, STAMPED I. P. LATZ, REDECORATED

Jean-Pierre Latz (circa 1691-1754)

height 34 1/2 in.; width 23 in.; depth 15 in. 87.5 cm; 58.5 cm; 38 cm

mid-18th century, stamped <EM>I. P. Latz</EM>, redecorated

Jacques Dubois was one of the most important ébénistes of the Louis XV period. From his workshop on the Faubourg Saint-Antoine he produced pieces for a number of marchands merciers such as Léger Bertin, solely in the Louis XV style, and he is known to have often designed his own mounts. His furniture was of excellent quality and he produced luxurious pieces a great many of which were in Chinese or Japanese lacquer. On his death in 1763, the inventory reveals a number of pieces decorated in such a fashion, and also lists a large stock of ormolu mounts ? 432 livres pesant de modèles de bronze, prisés 1 080 L. This suggests that Dubois was anxious to protect his exclusive use of these models and stocked large quantities of unchased mounts which he kept available for use on his furniture and for supplying to the chaser and gilder.

A red lacquer commode by Dubois, possibly this lot, was included in the 1910 exhibition in Paris, La Chinoiserie en Europe and was described "Commode de forme chantournée à deux tiroirs en laque rouge et or, décor de paysages et d'oiseux, encadré de laque noir et bonzes dorés travail européen - Ep. Lous XV - Estampille de J. Dubois, app. à M.G". A black lacquer commode attributed to Dubois with nearly identical mounts and of the same shape as the lot offered here was sold Sotheby's New York, May 24, 2007, lot 236.