A Directoire carved mahogany stool, attributed to Georges Jacob circa 1795, after a design by Percier and Fontaine

of curule form, the armrests surmounted by ebonized spheres, the ribbon-tied legs carved with acanthus and terminating in small ball feet.

Ader Picard Tajan, Paris, April 15, 1989

With minor age and construction cracks and minor dents. Minor old worm damage to underside, seat reinforce from underside. Small patches to sides indicating that originally the seat might have been fitted differently. Two feet retipped. In good, restored and refinished condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This stool can be attributed to Georges Jacob with certainty. The simple, Etruscan-inspired form of this piece fits well into Jacob's oeuvre and Jacob is known to have executed a number of its variants in the late 18th century. At around 1795 Jacob made a set of fauteuils with almost identical lower sections for the French Supreme Court, a new institution that was founded in 1790. Three of these fauteuils, stamped by Jacob, are still with the Supreme Court and are illustrated Jean-Pierre Samoyault, Mobilier Français Consulat et Empire, Paris, 2009, p. 27, fig. 27. Other carved mahogany fauteuils attributed to Jacob with identical lower sections but with different back rests include one in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris and one formerly in the Tuileries, sold Clermont-Ferrand, December 15, 2001. The design of these chairs, and the present stool, was most likely executed by Charles Percier and Pierre-François Fontaine. A drawing attributed to Percier and Fontaine, now in a Parisian private collection and illustrated ibid., p.27, fig. 25, shows a number of designs for different chairs, including one that has a lower section identical to the present stool. The design was almost certainly executed for the Jacob atelier, where a variety of chairs and stools based on the design of Percier and Fontaine were made, including those delivered for the Supreme Court.