A LOUIS XIV ORMOLU-MOUNTED TORTOISESHELL, TINTED HORN, BRASS AND PEWTER-INLAID BOULLE MARQUETRY AND EBONY COFFER ON STAND, Attributed to André-Charles Boulle circa 1710

Probably William Shaw Cathcart, 10th Baron and first Earl Cathcart (1755-1843) and by descent
Collection of Earl Cathcart, Sotheby & Co., London, June 20, 1975, lot 38
Property of a Family Trust, Christie's New York, May 18, 1989, lot 94

With scattered age and construction cracks. Ebony with minor chips at edges and corners and scattered fine cracks; age cracks most extensive on top of stand under casket. Ebonized discs of stretcher later, with small loss of black paint of top disk. With some old scattered worm damage to back of stand and to back of drawer; not extensive. One pilaster of stand slightly loose. Tortoiseshell with age cracks, minor losses, restorations, some patches and infill; most extensive on back of casket. Tinted horn with cracks, minor lifting, losses and restorations. Pewter inlay with losses, cracks, breaks and lifting. Brass inlay with lifting, dents and losses with largest loss to right side rectangular reserve of top of casket. Pewter and brass inlay with minor pins throughout from old, probably 19th century, restoration. Ormolu mounts with rubbing at extremities, minor oxidation and surface dirt. Drawer remounted with a recast of one of the side mounts. Ormolu capitals of pilasters slightly loose. Minor crack to ormolu mount of base of one front pilaster. In good overall 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.

Coffres de toillete of various different forms were produced in the workshop of André-Charles Boulle and his sons over a long period, approximately forty years. These were also produced in considerable quantity as witnessed in the various inventories listed below and fashionable throughout the late Louis XIV and Régence periods. The first recorded delivery of a coffret by Boulle was for the Dauphin's apartments at Versailles. This is probably one of the two coffers in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu (see G. Wilson, Baroque and Régence, Catalogue of the J. Paul Getty Museum Collection, Los Angeles, 2008, pp. 50-65).

Coffers are mentioned in the various inventories carried out of Boulle's stock. The April 7, 1700 déclaration somptuaire lists "deux petits coffres avec leurs pieds."  The 1715 acte de délaissement in which Boulle made over his property to his four sons, lists "douze pieds de coffres ayant des guesnes ou de cabinets en bois blanc de sapin 600 L."

A disastrous fire which broke out in the courtyard of the Louvre in the summer of 1720 destroyed much of Boulle's atelier and of his private collections as well as "douze coffres avec leurs pieds du differentes grandeurs et formes."

The inventory drawn up following Boulle's death in 1732 mentions "une boeste contenant les modèles des ornemens de coffres de nuit et de toilette pesant ensemble quarante-quatre livres, prisés à raison de vingt-quatre sols la livre...LIII.XVIs."

Mariette's Nouveaux Deisseins de Meubles et Ouvrages de Bronze et Marqueterie Inventés et gravés par André-Charles Boulle was published in 1707 and includes on plate III a design for a "Coffre de toilette monté sur son pied."

There are numerous references to such coffers on stand in the 18th centery either in sale catalogues or in valuations after the death of some of Boulle's clients, such as Pierre Gruyn in 1722 and Etienne Moulle in 1702. The numerous references in sale catalogues include the Angran de Fonspertius sale (1748), the Julienne sale (1767), the Lauraguais sale (1772), Crozat de Thiers (1772), the Bonnemet sale (1771), the Lambert sale (1787), Dubois sale (1788) and the Ségur-de-Clesle sale (1793).  It would appear that these coffers were not originally conceived as pairs and it was not until later on in the 18th century that dealers and collectors started to put together such pairs, one usually in première-partie, the other in contre-partie.

Other known coffres de toilettes include:
- A pair and a single example in the collection of the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, Boughton House (T. Murdoch, Boughton House, The English Versailles, London, 1992, pp. 118, 121, figs. 111-112).
- A matched pair, one from the collection of Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Beloselsky-Belozersky (1752-1802), the other from Alfred Sommier, sold Christie's New York, May 21, 1996, lot 329.
- Royal Collection, Windsor Castle.
-Two in the Wallace Collection (P. Hughes, The Wallace Collection, Catalogue of Furniture, II, London, 1996, nos. 143 and 144 (pp. 669-679).
- One formerly in the de Vogüe Collection (A Pradère, op. cit., p. 86, fig. 41).
- A pair from the Helena Rubenstein Collection.
- One sold Christies London, June 20, 1985, lot 60.
- A pair sold from the Ashburnham Collection, sold Sotheby's London, June 26, 1953, lot 114 (thought to have been from the 1788 sale of the duc de Richelieu's collection).
- Two sold by the Marquess of Cholmondeley, sold Christie's London, December 8, 1994, lot 22.

By family tradition, this piece was given by Louis XV to Charles, 9th Lord of Cathcart (1721-1776), while he was secretary to Lord Stormont at the court of Versailles, prior to being appointed British Ambassador to Russia. However, a Boulle coffer would not have been considered a fashionable gift at that time and this is therefore unlikely. It is more likely that the coffer was acquired by his son, William Shaw Cathcart, 10th Baron and first Earl Cathcart (1755-1843) in the first half of the 19th century when interest in acquiring Boulle furniture amongst his compatriots was at its peak.