A fine and rare pair of Louis XV ormolu-mounted and polychrome-painted ostrich eggs circa 1760, the painted decoration in the manner of Pillement and possibly by Lebel

The ormolu in good condition and would benefit from a light cleaning. The eggs are in excellent condition. There is some rubbing to the painted surfaces particularly along the top finial and leaf base where they touch the surface of the egg. The decoration continues under the mounts, which is hidden by the bronzes. The eggs are slightly loose and turn on their axis, however are stable. Overall the chasing and painting is of good quality. In very good 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.
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Examples of 18^th century painted ostrich eggs, are exceedingly rare and those that have survived all seem to have a link to the French royal family including one in the Petit Trianon at the Château de Versailles.  This egg was recently exhibited Versailles deux siècles d'histoire de l'art, and discussed in the catalogue, pp. 248-249.  Originally one of a pair, (the pendant was broken between 1839 and 1854) it is painted with a scêne champêtre signed E. Lebel and is mounted on a rosewood stand mounted in ivory turned by Madame Adélaïde.  This was gift from Madame Adélaïde to her father Louis XV, and was chosen by Louis XVI for his appartements intérieures at Versailles.   

Another egg in the King's collection, also by Lebel,  was exhibited at the Académie de Saint-Luc in Paris in August 1774.  A contemporary critic noted that the compositions were "vives, animées, d'un coloris agreeable et d'une touché facile"  This is the egg which was later in the collection of George Blumenthal, sold, Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, December 2, 1932, lot 76, and now in the Detroit Institute of Art.  It is mounted on a fully neoclassical ormolu stand incorporating rams' heads over a triangular base.

In April 1760, Monsieur de la Roche interceded with the Marquis de Marigny in the latter's capacity as the directeur  général des Bâtiments to obtain a privilège du roi for Lebel, writing that "ce garçon est sage et a du talent; le Roy a trouvé ses oeufs très jolyement peints".  To support his application, Lebel painted an egg with four verses presumably praising the King.  Baulez also notes that Lebel had been painting eggs for the King since 1750; these eggs all came from ostriches which were kept in the royal menagerie at Versailles, and may well have been presented as Easter gifts.  This hypothesis would support the scarcity of extant examples. 

The only other decorated eggs recorded to date are: another similarly decorated and almost certainly by Lebel was in the collection of Sigismond Bardac, sold in Paris, Galerie Georges Petit, May 10-11, 1920, lot 21bis where, interestingly, it was sold as part of the collection of paintings, and not part of the decorative art collection.   It is fitted on an ormolu mount  which is almost certainly of later date.  Another egg was in the Veil-Picard collection in Paris (as noted in the Blumenthal catalogue) and a pair was with Maurice Ségoura in 2002.

The chinoiserie decoration on these eggs is inspired by the designs of Jean Pillement (1727-1808) which were engraved between 1750-1760. Specifically the monkey would appear to be taken directly from the title page of his A new book of Chinese Ornaments, published in London in 1757.  The bearded man holding a parasol and a number of the birds are taken from the same publication. This decoration in combination with the fanciful and exotic ormolu base combine to support the possibility that these eggs are the earliest extant painted examples of this type recorded to date.