A gilt-bronze-mounted mahogany, ebonised and parcel-gilt guéridon Empire, circa 1805

the white marble top with a pierced gallery above a mahogany veneered frieze inlaid with brass stringing and lozenges, the white marble tier with a similar gallery on three simulated bronze legs headed by gilt lion's heads and carved in relief with gilt collars and anthemions on paw feet; marble top restored

This elegant table is in a fine conserved condition. The marble top has a repaired crack which is hardly noticeable; the gilding of the legs has been redone, and there are some marks in the back of the legs near the area where the lower tier sits.
"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."

Comparative Literature:
Ulrich Leben, Molitor. Ebéniste from the Ancien Régime to the Bourbon Restoration, London, 1992, p. 161, fig. 168.

This table is distinguished by its unusually large size in terms of its diameter. The elegant design is typical of work being produced in the early Empire period by prominent ébénistes such as Bernard Molitor (1755-1833), and recorded by Pierre de la Mésangère in his 1802 publication Meubles et objets de goût.

A watercolour design for a guéridon of a similar form, with applied lion’s masks above the legs on the frieze is in the collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, illustrated by Ulrich Leben, op. cit., p. 161, fig. 168.