A LOUIS XV STYLE GILT-BRONZE AND PORCELAIN MOUNTED SYCAMORE AND AMARANTH PARQUETRY TABLE EN CHIFFONIÈRE 19TH CENTURY, IN THE STYLE OF RVLC

Collection of the late Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875-1968);

Property of the Comtesse d'Aubigny;

Christie's London, 1 July 1976, lot 99.

This table is related in style to the work of Roger van der Cruse dit Lacroix (R.V.L.C.), reçu maître in 1755, on the basis of a series of similar tables attributed to the ébèniste:

- one in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, on loan to Longleat House (inv.no. W.20-1997)

- one with similar corner and pierced frieze mounts in the Musée Nissim de Camondo (inv.no. CAM 194), illustrated in C. Roinet, Roger Vandercruse dit Lacroix, Paris, 2000, p.54, fig. 17.

- one in the collections of the Wallace collection (inv.no. F326)

- one from the collections of Alfred de Rothschild, sold in the Carnavon sale Christie's London, 19 May 1925, lot 295 and subsequently sold Sotheby's Monaco, 4-6 December 1992, lot 20. This table features an identical marquetry pattern with trellis as well as identical mounts and pierced gilt-bronze frieze.

- one sold Christie's London, 1 July 1976, lot 100.

The label for Halton Collections suggests the table stood at Halton House, one of the residences of Alfred de Rothschild, Halton House. Interestingly, a photograph taken circa 1888 of the South Drawing Room shows two similar tables mounted with porcelain plaques flanking on each side the chimney piece (ill. The Story of Halton House, Country Home of Alfred de Rothschild, 2003, p.79). However, these two tables have been identified as the one in the Wallace Collection and the one aforementioned sold at Sotheby's Monaco. It is possible nevertheless that Halton had other tables in the same style.