A pair of North Italian giltwood pliants, circa 1735-1740

The Royal House of Savoy;

Steinitz Paris;

Christie’s, London, The Exceptional Sale, 11th December 2014, lot 32 (‘Property from a Distinguished Private Collection’).

The number ‘85...7’ written in black ink and the mark D.C (‘Dotazione della Corona d’Italia’ or property of the Italian crown) on the underside of these pliants denote a royal House of Savoy provenance. The D.C mark, accompanied by a number or several numbers, was indeed applied during the inventories of the Savoy royal residences, possibly from the period of the Restoration of the monarchy after 1814. Inventories were usually made at the death of the sovereign as a means of separating what belonged to the crown (with the additional D.C mark) and what was personal property. Unfortunately it is difficult to determine exactly which Royal Palace these pliants were originally supplied to. 

The ‘D.C.’ stamp appears on a number of pieces of Royal furniture, for example see a pair of pliants sold at Sotheby's, London, 8 June 2005, lot 13 certainly from Castello di Moncalieri and a pair sold at Christie's, New York, 28th April 2017, lot 10.

Folding stools, called pliants, played an important role in court etiquette during the 18th century, a tradition continued and even accentuated by Napoleon after he became Emperor in 1804. At official functions only the King and his consort were allowed to sit in armchairs, side chairs were reserved for princes, princesses and visiting ambassadors, and only a select group of courtiers were granted permission to sit on stools, an avidly sought after privilege. Extremely practical as they could be easily folded and moved, they were used in large halls during balls, providing guests to find a seat on which to rest, and in smaller rooms, such as intimate salons and cabinets, which from the second quarter of the 18th century emerged in great residences.