Manner of André-Charles Boulle

cast and chased gilt-bronze (drilled for electricity and lacking one drip pan)

An elegant pair of wall lights. One drip pan is lacking. Gilding is tarnished. The branches are slightly loose and would benefit from tightening up.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Many of the decorative elements of this striking pair of wall lights recall the work of the great French designer André-Charles Boulle (1642-1732). There is a design for a plaque amongst the drawings by Boulle from the early 18th century (see Jean-Pierre Samoyalt, Andre-Charles Boulle et sa famille: nouvelles recherches, nouveaux documents, Geneva, 1979, pl. 13). This design also features a mask, symmetrical detailing and like the offered lot a quadrangular motif at the start of the arms and a foliate base to the lower pendant. Boulle's designs were copied and interperated widely, notably at the end of the 19th century. There is a set of four almost identical wall lights, from that period, signed Henri Dasson (1825-1896), of which these may be copies. Dasson was one of the finest makers of gilt-bronze working in Paris in the mid to late 19th Century.