A highly important and rare Louis Philippe ormolu-mounted Sèvres porcelain 'coffret épistolaire' delivered in 1834 to Queen Marie-Amélie; designed by Leloy; painted by LeGuay and Huard

of rectangular outline, fitted throughout with polychrome and gilded Sèvres porcelain plaques, the top depicting La Colombe et le Passant from a drawing by Girodet; the front with medallions en grisaille depicting Madame de Lafayette, Madame de Sévigné and Lady Montague; on the back, Sobiesky, St. Evremont, Pope Clement XIV; and on the sides Cicero and Pliny the Younger; the whole surrounded by ormolu mounts chiselled with palmettes, flowerheads and foliate motifs; the front with a hinged flap and two drawers, each side with secret doors concealing two drawers.

Delivered to Marie-Amélie, Queen of the French, December 2, 1834

Collection of M. Castille, Saint-Cloud, sold, Me. Jacques Martin & Me. Olivier Desbenoit, Versailles, March 17, 1991, lot 185

Exposition des Manufacture Royales faites au Palais du Louvre, December 27 1832 - January 1833

At the time that this coffer was made, the principal designer at Sèvres was Jean-Charles-François Leloy.  Leloy was responsible for the design of other comparable ormolu-mounted porcelain coffers, such as one in 'gothic' style supplied in 1829 for the duchesse de Berry.

Documentation of the Sèvres manufactory cites that the coffer was conceived in July 1828 and the principal plaque on the top had been made by 1829 after its third firing.  Designs for the sides were submitted by Leloy in February 1830.  In July of the same year the designs had been reviewed and re-worked but progress was halted because the painter Huard was not available.  By April 1831 the decoration was almost entirely finished and by the end of April 1832 the ormolu mounts had been fitted.

Sèvres cited the coffret and the cost of production as follows:

February 25, 1832: feuille no.6, appréciation du coffret épistolaire:

"Ce coffret épistolaire en plaques de porcelaine montées en bronze ... sur le dessus la Colombe et le Passant d'après l'Anachréon de Girodet.  Sur les parties montantes, face et côté, portraits en carrées, ornements et attributs relatifs au sujet principal, dans un fond brun-pourpré.  Trois plaque divisées en vingt et un morceaux composant le dit coffret.

Appréciation:

Or                                                 5.20

Peinture ornements: Huard    1388.00

Id. figures: Le Guay                  1500.00

Total frais directs                       2893.20

Faux frais                                     723.30

Valeur en blanc                          185.00

Sciage                                             97.00

Montage en bronze                 2069.00

.......................Modèle                   325.00

.......................dessin                     270.00

Prix de fabrication                     6562.50

Prix de vente                              7500 Frs."

The coffer was exhibited in the Palais du Louvre, December 27, 1832 - January 1833, and was described as follows:

No. 3 - Un petit meuble, dit coffret épistolaire composé de plaques de porcelaine reunies par une monture en bronze doré (au mat).  Hauteur 16cm. Largeur 31 cm. Longeur 45 cm.

Il est destiné a contenir une correspondence ou une collection de lettres autographes précieuses.  La plaque du couvercle représente la Colombe méssagère, d'après un dessin au trait de GIRODET, fait pour l'ode d'Anacréon intitulée "La Colombe et le passant".  L'exécution en coloris de ce simple trait est de M. LE GUAY.  Sur les quatres faces sont les portraits des personnages qui ont aquis de la celebrité dans le style épistolaire.  Sur le devant: Mme de La Fayette, Mme de Sevigné, Lady Montague.  Sur la face opposée: Sobiesky, Saint-Evremont, Clément XIV (Ganganelli).  Sur les côtés: Ciceron, Pline le jeune.

Les ornements rappellent tout ce qui est relatif à la correspondence: La Discretion (le sceau, la confiance et la fidélité) la Rapidité (l'hirondelle, le cerf) les différents styles du plumes (l'aigle, le cygne etc)

The coffer was delivered to Queen Marie-Amélie on December 3, 1834; the Queen clearly greatly enjoyed these coffers, and records indicate that she owned several including one which she ordered expressly, decorated with scenes of Saint-Cloud, Neuilly, d'Eu and Fontainebleau, all residences of the Queen and her husband, Louis Philippe (see, Un âge des arts decoratifs 1814-1848, Exhibition Catalogue, no. 404).