Offered by Galerie Gilles Linossier
An exceptional pair of Louis XVI half-moon commodes
Stamped Fidelys Schey and JME
A very elegant and rare pair of Louis XVI half-moon commodes, crafted in marquetry and wood veneer, each opening at the front with five drawers, two without a central rail and three in the frieze, as well as two side doors revealing a shelf.
Each commode rests on four tapered legs terminating in slender gilt-bronze sabots.
The fronts and side doors feature exquisite marquetry in a veneer pattern, showcasing a finely chosen veneer, adorned in each corner with a four-petaled marquetry flower framed by gilt-bronze fillets in a heart-shaped motif.
The two front drawers have gilt-bronze laurel wreath handles and, in the center, two keyhole escutcheons with medallions surmounted by laurel wreath knots.
The frieze drawers are decorated with a lozenge frieze centered with a stylized four-petaled flower, framed by gilt-bronze fillets in a heart-shaped pattern. The keyhole escutcheons have similar motifs to those of the two large drawers, with medallions surmounted by laurel wreath knots, while the door keyhole escutcheons are simpler, with beaded acanthus leaves. The ring and feet are finely chased. The uprights are fluted.
The two commodes are stamped three times on one and twice on the other with the mark F SCHEY, for Fidelys Schey, a master craftsman admitted in 1777, as well as the stamp JME (Guarantee of Cabinetmakers), attesting to their conformity with the guild practices of the Ancien Régime.
Fidelys Schey, established on the rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, produced a significant series of exceptional furniture (chestnut tables, consoles, commodes, and secretaries, etc.). He is renowned for the quality of his work, the precision of his marquetry, and the elegance of his pieces, typical of Parisian Louis XVI furniture.
This pair is a particularly rare work, both for its state of preservation, the quality of its execution, and its unity as a pair. It was already rare to produce pairs of commodes of such high quality; it is even rarer to find them together today, and for both to be properly stamped. These examples stamped by the same hand and preserved as a pair are particularly rare, which gives this set exceptional value.
These commodes in precious woods boast a graceful and balanced design, enlivened by refined marquetry and meticulous carving, revealing exceptional technical mastery and aesthetic sensibility.
Each piece is topped with a red Flanders marble slab, featuring a corbin beak and double groove.
A truly distinguished piece from the Louis XVI period, stamped several times F SCHEY and JME.
Usual restorations and maintenance.
Dimensions: H 92 cm x W 121 cm x D 55 cm
