French, Dieppe, 19th century

Overall, the condition of the ivory is good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The piece is composed in sections, which screw together to form a stable whole. There is minor stable hairline splitting to the ivory, consistent with the material, notably to the column at the centre. There is some glue residue visible in areas, in particular to the teardrop-shaped pins at the centre of the tempietto and to the bottoms of the colonnette. There are a few very minor chips, including to the scrolls. There is also a minor loss to one of the windows at the bottom. There is a small filled hole to the column and another between two of the grooves. There is some dark staining to the top of the column, and a few spots of dark brown residue to the column and the edge of the top of the capital. The finial is slightly loose but stable, and there appear to be some reattachments. There is one loose piece. The wood box is in good condition, with general surface wear. There is some minor stable splitting to the wood, consistent with the material. Some of the joints are slightly open, but stable. The box is inlaid with the letters E-J.
"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."

The present ivory column repeats some motifs of the well-known Southern German turned ivories of the 17th century, such as the small turned columns at the top (see, for example, lot 778 of the Safra Collection, 18/19 October 2011, Sotheby's New York). However, the present column incorporates classical motifs, and can, as such, be ascribed to 19th century France. Compare, for example, a turned ivory column with an urn, sold at Christie's Paris, 28-29 September 2015, lot 107. See also Tardy, Les Ivoires, Evolution Décorative du Ier Siècle A Nos Jours, Paris, 1966, p. 159, and p. 259 for an engraving of the turners workshop of the Coursier brothers, active in Dieppe in the 1830s.