Lot 43: A REGENCE ORMOLU-MOUNTED KINGWOOD AND TULIPWOOD BOMBE COMMODE

A REGENCE ORMOLU-MOUNTED KINGWOOD AND TULIPWOOD BOMBE COMMODE
BY ETIENNE DOIRAT, CIRCA 1730
The serpentine-fronted red and brown-veined marble top above two short and two long shaped drawers centred by a foliate and rockwork cast cartouche, the angles mounted with upswept oak leaves and flower heads, above a shaped C-scroll mounted apron, on foliate-cast scroll feet, stamped twice 'E.D. DOIRAT', the handles probably re-positioned
33¾ in. (85.5 cm.) high; 51½ in. (131 cm.) wide; 26¼ in. (66.5 cm.) deep

THE PROPERTY OF A LADY

Etienne Doirat (1675-1732) is recorded in the Grand-Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine at the time of his marriage in 1704. In 1726 he set up his workshop in the Cour de la Contrescarpe des Fossées de la Bastille, and in 1731 leased a store in the fashionable rue Saint-Honoré, one of Paris' foremost addresses for luxury retailers.

Interestingly, Doirat is the only important ébéniste of the Regence period, who stamped a good number of pieces he produced. This allows a firm basis for attribution of his production. It is further known that Doirat retained exclusive use of his models for gilt-bronze mounts.

The inventory following his death in 1732, published by J.-D. Augarde, 'IE. Doirat, Menuisier en ébène', The J. Paul Getty Museum Journal, Vol. XIII, 1985, pp. 33-52, reveals the diversity of his production, including not only commodes but also bureaux plats, bookcases, night-tables and encoignures. That inventory further mentions:
'100 livres pesant de modèles de plomb imparfaits servant aux garnitures tant pour commodes que pour autres ouvrages'.