AN EARLY LOUIS XV GILT-BRONZE MOUNTED AMARANTH, SATINÉ AND ROSEWOOD PEDESTAL, CIRCA 1730-1740, ATTRIBUTED TO CHARLES CRESSENT |

of rectangular shape, the panelled front centered by the palm-wrapped coat-of-arms of Karl-Albrecht, Elector of Bavaria and his consort Maria-Amalia of Austria, suspending a crowned trophy with Cupid's bow and quiver, the arched spreading base with central female mask, on short cabriole legs on acanthus-scroll sabots; the reverse similarly veneered

Karl-Albrecht, Elector of Bavaria and Holy Roman Emperor, acquired for the Residenz, Munich
Paul Dutasta, sold Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 3-4 June 1926, lot 154, pl. XXX
Mrs Henry Walters, sold Parke Bernet Galleries, New York, 23-26 avril 1941, lot 703, pl. XXIV
Baron and Baroness Cassel van Doorn, sold Ader, galerie Charpentier, Paris, 9 March 1954, lot 92, pl. XX
The Alexander Collection, sold Christie's, New York, 30 April 1999, lot 125

Ch. Packer, Paris Furniture, Newport, 1956, pl. 12
B. Langer, Die Möbel der Residenz München, Die Fransözischen Möbel des 18. Jahrhunderts, Munich et New York, 1995, t. I, p. 18 et note 12
A. Pradère, Charles Cressent, Dijon, 2003, p. 56 et n°192

Illustrations are quite accurate, cover slightly too orange. The veneer with a very fine timber which catchs perfectly the light. 1/3 of the top reveneered and with a patched piece (size of a 5 ct € coin), probably to hide a hole used to secure a sculpture which was displayed on the top. There are very minor crack lines to the veneer. The ormolu mounts are absolutely amazing in quality, variety of the patterns and chasing. Probably one of the best quality of Régence gilt-bronze mounts. The mounts have been gently cleaned and a varnish possibly applied. A light cleaning will give back all the brightness and effect of the gilding.
"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."

Charles Cressent (1685-1768) Son of François Cressent, sculptor to the King, Charles Cressent was born on 16 December 1685 into a prosperous family of talented craftsmen. He trained as a cabinetmaker and a sculptor and began as an apprentice with André-Charles Boulle. Following his marriage in 1719 to the widow of Joseph Poitou, cabinetmaker to the Regent Philippe d'Orléans, Cressent became one of the most sought after cabinetmakers in Paris. He delivered items to the French Crown and the aristocracy, including the Marquis de Marigny and the Duke of Richelieu, as well as King Joseph I of Portugal and the Elector of Bavaria.

The refurbishment of the Munich Residenz 

Karl-Albrecht (1697-1745) who succeeded his father Max-Emmanuel as Elector of Bavaria in 1726, shared with the latter a strong interest for French furniture. Following the fire that destroyed the large apartments of the Munich Residenz in 1729, Karl-Albrecht, with the help of the architect François de Cuvilliés, undertook the redevelopment of the "Reiche Zimmer", then the apartments belonging to the Elector's wife Maria-Amalia of Austria (1701-1756), as well as the redecoration of the "Kaiser Zimmer", intended to receive princely guests.
This vast project, lasting from 1730 to 1737, was at the origin of an important program of acquisitions from the Parisian trade. To carry out his purchases, Karl-Albrecht, like his father before him, relied on the prince de Grimberghen, a French diplomat at the service of the Bavarian court in Paris. He was in charge of coordinating princely commissions with cabinetmakers workshops.

Today, the Munich Residenz still houses ten pieces of furniture by Cressent, forming an exceptional and rare homogenous set, the result of orders between 1730 and 1740. Only this pedestal, which for a time appears to have been placed in the chamber of the Elector's wife and commemorates her union with Karl-Albrecht in 1722, was separated from the ensemble at an undetermined date.
It was then found in the collection of the French diplomat and politician, Paul Dutasta (1873-1925), before appearing in the prestigious collections of Henry Walters, founder of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, the Belgian banker Cassel van Doorn, and finally with Martin and Pauline Alexander.