A highly important and very rare Empire gilt and patinated bronze oak-lined mahogany console table attributed to the renowned ébénistes Jacob-Desmalter et Cie with bronze mounts attributed to the preeminent bronzier Pierre-Philippe Thomire, after designs by the architects and designers Charles Percier and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine and most probably supplied by the marchand-mercier Martin-Eloi Lignereux, the original rectangular Portoro extra marble top above a frieze ornamented with a central bronze mount comprising a pair of lionesses issuing foliate scrolls are drinking from a fountain, with further palmetted mounts at either end of the frieze above circular stiff leaf capitals on magnificent patinated and gilt bronze winged Egyptian female monopodia supports, each with beautiful faces beneath headdresses and hair in ringlets with tasselled drapery beneath their breasts on a lion paw foot, with a mirrored back on a shaped plinth

Paris, date circa 1805-10

Height 92.5 cm, width 143.5 cm, depth 46 cm.

The importance of this stunning console is not only due to its beauty, its quality and rarity but also that the winged female supports are made entirely of bronze rather than carved wood thus strongly suggesting that the work was made as a special commission. Like a number of comparable pieces, this magnificent console is not stamped but was undoubtedly created by some of the leading makers of the day. Based on the quality of the bronzes and comparison with other similar female monopodia supports these were almost certainly made by the preeminent Empire bronzier, Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843). When creating more important pieces Thomire very often worked in association with the leading firm of Parisian ébénistes, namely Jacob-Desmalter et Cie run by François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter (1770-1841) and his father Georges Jacob (1739-1814), who produced a number of similar consoles. Furthermore it is almost certain that the overall design was due to the architects and designers Charles Percier (1764-1838) and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine (1762–1853). Finally it is highly probable that the commission for such an important piece was due to the marchand-mercier Martin-Eloi Lignereux (c. 1750­1809) who is known to have supplied a number of similar consoles to the Imperial residences as well as equally influential clientele. Although the exact provenance of this magnificent piece is unknown, it can be safely assumed that it was made for a member of the Imperial family or an equally important client.

Among comparable examples one can compare the beautiful winged supports with those on a yew wood console in the Grand Trianon, Versailles, which was designed by Charles Percier and made by Jacob-Desmalter for Joachim Murat at the Palais d’Elysée in 1806. Another similar mahogany console table at the Grand Trianon, again by Jacob-Desmalter, after designs by Percier was delivered in 1809 for the Elysée. In the latter example the beautiful female figures also hold their wings upright but closer to their bodies and have softer drapes under their breasts, but as most examples discussed here terminate in monopodia lion paw feet. The Grand Trianon also houses a pair of Jacob-Desmalter painted wood console tables, one made for the Salon des Grands Officiers, the other for the Salon des Princes sous Napoleon I. The latter pair have semi-circular tops supported by three winged terms, which again compare with those on this console although the ornament around their pronounced breasts differs slightly and their wings are more stretched out.

Unlike most examples where the mythological supports are carved in wood, the examples here are of bronze and are thus particularly special. The quality of finish, detail and overall design bears great similarity with equally sumptuous bronze terms made by Pierre-Philippe Thomire supporting a bureau-plat by Adam Weisweiler (1744-1820), which made prior to 1812 is now in the Palazzo Reale, Naples. As here the facial features and ornate gilded breast ornamentation is highly detailed and of the finest quality, although there are small differences such as the shape of the wings and the specific details of drapery. One can also compare the present beautiful female supports with those by Thomire but with drapery around their waists and scrolled feet, adorning a console now in the Musée du Louvre. Furthermore a slightly earlier console, likewise by Thomire, was acquired by the Russian Tsar in 1799 and is now in the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg.

Like the comparable examples already cited as well as others listed under literature, the design for the supports is largely due to the inspiration of Charles Percier and his partner Pierre Fontaine, who adapted Greek, Roman and ancient Egyptian art to create a style that augmented and promoted Napoleon’s role as Emperor. In turn Percier and Fontaine had a profound impact on othe contemporary artists and craftsmen, especially after they published their Recueil de Décorations Intérieures, Paris, 1801-1812, which included a number of designs featuring similar supports including those for a cassolette, a table, a commode and for a tripod. In addition Percier and Fontaine were responsible for the design of related consoles executed by Jacob-Desmalter for Joachim Murat at the Palais d’Elysée in 1806 as well as the pair of consoles by Jacob-Desmalter formerly in the Marquess of Ailesbury’s collection (sold by Sir Charles Clore, at Chr Percier and Fontaine also designed a guéridon standing on related supports, which was executed by Weisweiler and the ciseleur-fondeur Feuchère for the Garde-Meuble in September 1811 (Ledoux-Lebard, op. cit., pp.86-7). One can also cite a pen and ink design by Charles Percier (now in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs) for a dressing table istie’s Monaco, 6^th December 1985, lot 52).

In addition to Percier and Fontaine, the overall design of the present console was one often associated with the marchand-mercier Martin-Eloi Lignereux who in 1804 supplied a closely related console table attributed to Adam Weisweiler to Thomas, 7th Earl of Elgin (sold by the 11th Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, Sotheby’s London, 12^th June 1992, lot 308). Lignereux also retailed a table, again attributed to Weisweiler, with comparable supports as here, which is now in the Museum of Decorative Arts, Budapest. A further closely related set of four unstamped consoles were also supplied by Lignereux to the Salon de l’Impératrice at the Palais de Saint-Cloud circa 1802-3 (D. Ledoux-Lebard, op. cit., pp.77-78). As a marchand-mercier, Lignereux played an important role in influencing and determining the tastes, fashions and designs of the day in his capacity as both a merchant of objets d’art as well as designer and interior decorator. In essence his role was to act as an intermediary between the makers and the clients by commissioning pieces directly for the former and advising the latter. It was not uncommon for a marchand-mercier to request that a piece of furniture could be adapted to satisfy the taste of a particular client, which would explain the variations between the various consoles under discussion. Born in Cuvilly in the Valois, Lignereux married Anne­Henriette Demilliville by whom he had Adélaide­Anne, who married François­Honoré Jacob­Desmalter, the attributed maker of this piece, on 14^th March 1798. During the 1780s Lignereux became a partner in the firm of the marchand­mercier Dominique Daguerre in the rue St. Honoré, which he subsequently acquired in 1793. In 1799 he established further premises in the rue Christine, before moving to rue Taitbout in about 1803, shortly before he sold the concern to Pierre-Philippe Thomire. Owing to their associations, through marriage and business, it is unsurprising that Lignereux, Jacob-Desmalter and Thomire were often closely involved with one another – as assumed that they were in the creation and retail of the present piece.

Jacob-Desmalter at rue Meslée was one of the most important firms of Parisian furniture makers during the Empire and Restauration periods. The firm was founded by Georges Jacob (1739-1814), the greatest menuisier of the Louis XVI period. Following his retirement in 1796, he was succeeded by his two sons Georges II (1768-1803) and François-Honoré-Georges Jacob (1770-1841), who worked under the name of Jacob Frères. When Georges II died prematurely in 1803 his brother (who added the suffix Desmalter, named after one of his father’s properties in Burgundy), went back into business with his father and renamed the firm Jacob-Desmalter et Cie. The firm’s activities expanded enormously following Jacob-Desmalter’s appointment as ébéniste de l’Empereur.

Numerous commissions came from the Garde-Meuble Imperial to supply furniture to various Bonaparte residences, especially those of the Empress Joséphine. The firm was also patronised by many notable figures and rich Parisian bourgeoisie. Commissions also came from abroad, for instance from Tsar Alexander I of Russia and Charles IV of Spain. Among the firm’s most important surviving items is the Imperial throne at Fontainebleau, the jewel cabinet made for Marie-Louise and display cases in the Cabinet des Antiques at the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris. Jacob-Desmalter’s work is also represented at the Châteaux de Compiègne, Fontainebleau, Malmaison, Versailles and Sceaux l’Ille-de-France as well as the Musées du Louvre, Marmottan, Mobile National, Grand Trianon, Napoléon and Tours. In addition, the Bibliothèque Marmottan, Banque de France, Ministère des Affaires Etrangères and the Palais d’Aranjuez in Spain are among many others to house the firm’s work.

Like Jacob-Desmalter, Pierre-Philippe Thomire was a leader in his field. Born into a family of ciseleurs, he began working with the renowned bronziers Pierre Gouthière and Jean-Louis Prieur before opening up his own workshop in 1776. Famed for his production of finely chased gilt bronze objets de luxe, of which a large quantity were commissioned by the royal household, Thomire frequently collaborated with the marchands-merciers, such as Simon-Philippe Poirier and his successor Dominique Daguerre. In addition Thomire supplied finely chased mounts to leading ébénistes of his day such as Guillaume Benneman and Adam Weisweiler. Thomire also helped establish his name when working at the Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory, firstly as an assistant to its artistic director Jean-Claude Duplessis in making the factory’s mounts; following Duplessis’s death in 1783, Thomire took over the elder’s job and in this capacity supplied all the gilt bronze mounts for the factory’s porcelain. His pre Revolutionary success was somewhat eclipsed by his fame during the Empire. In 1806 he became the first bronzier to be awarded a gold medal at the Exposition des Produits de l’Industrie. He won another gold medal in 1809, in which year he was also appointed ciseleur de l’Empereur. In addition to Napoleon himself Thomire was patronised by the Emperor’s family as well as by foreign royal courts.

To meet growing demand he needed to expand his business and thus in 1804 purchased the Lignereux’s extensive business, thus enabling Thomire to operate on a much larger scale. Renaming the company Thomire-Duterme et Cie, Thomire retained the showroom at rue Taitbout and from there retailed a large range of decorative objects. Many of the pieces, made at his workshop at rue Boucherat were supplied to the Imperial household and other notable families. Thomire’s production included some of the finest gilt bronze objects of the period, from centrepieces and candelabra to clock cases and furniture. At the same time Thomire also supplied beautiful gilt bronze mounts to the porcelain manufacturers and as here to the leading ébénistes of the day.