Hôtel Lambert, Une Collection Princière, Volume I : Chefs-d’oeuvre
Hôtel Lambert, Une Collection Princière, Volume I : Chefs-d’oeuvre
A pair of French silver tureens, covers, stands and liners, Robert-Joseph Auguste, Paris, one tureen 1775-1776, the other tureen and the liners 1776-1777
Auction Closed
October 11, 05:25 PM GMT
Estimate
400,000 - 600,000 EUR
Lot Details
Description
A pair of French silver tureens, covers, stands and liners, Robert-Joseph Auguste, Paris, one tureen 1775-1776, the other tureen and the liners 1776-1777
each of oval bombé shape, resting on four cast foliate scroll feet, the sides applied with oak leaf swags and acorns hung from circular medallions engraved with the script initials 'GS' below a German Prince's crown, with two cast goat mask handles, with husk border above a foliage band, the cover cast and chased with rosettes and with a foliage and ribbon-tied reeded stylized pomegranate, the oval stand cast and chased with rosettes and with husk borders terminating in foliate scroll bracket handles, on four fluted oval bun feet, the stand engraved in the middle with script initials 'GS' below a German Prince's crown, the stands stamped with inventory numbers S3 and S4, the tureens S3A and S4A, the covers S3C and S4C, the liners with gilt interior S3B and S4B
height 22,44 in.; weight 677,2 oz.; 57 cm; 19200 g.
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Importante paire de terrines couvertes en argent, leurs présentoirs et leurs doublures, par Robert-Joseph Auguste, Paris, une terrine 1775-1776, l'autre terrine et les doublures 1776-1777
le présentoir reposant sur quatre pieds, à anses feuillagées, le corps appliqué de feuilles de chêne suspendues à des médaillons gravés 'GS' sous couronne princière, anses en tête de bouc
height 22,44 in.; weight 677,2 oz.; 57 cm; 19200 g.
Baron Robert de Rothschild (1880-1946);
Palais Galliera, Paris, 2 December 1976, lot 63;
Christie's London, 6 December 2012, lot 33.
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Baron Robert de Rothschild (1880-1946);
Palais Galliera, Paris, lot 63;
Christie's Londres, 6 décembre 2012, lot 33.
D. Langeois, et al., Quelques chefs d'oeuvres de la Collection Djahanguir Riahi, Milan, 1999, pp. 265-269.
Robert-Joseph Auguste was born in Mons on March 23, 1723, the son of a Parisian bourgeois. He became a master at a relatively late age, 34 years, in 1757, and perhaps this explains his mature and original taste. He worked from 1745 for other silversmiths and for the King. He was appointed Goldsmith to the King on March 23, 1775.
His reputation as a silversmith developed quickly and he gained renown internationally. For example in 1756-1760, he made a pair of pots-à-oille for King Christian VII of Denmark and, in 1755, he delivered to the marquise de Pompadour a gold salt and pepper shaker depicting "a Dutchman presenting an oyster and a peasant holding a sack". These objects were sold in 1777 and were described as "of good taste and of the most perfect execution by Monsieur Auguste". The fact that a silversmith was mentioned in a sale catalogue at the time proves the high regard in which he was held. That same year also began his deliveries to the Russian court, which lasted until the 1780s : the Ekatrinoslav service (1776-1778, together with Spriman and Lenhendrick, the Nijni-Novogorod service (1778-1779), the Kazan service (1778, together with Lenhendrick) and the Moscow service (1782-1783). In addition to these, Baron de Folkersham mentions in the Imperial collection inventory, 2 tureens, 4 sauce-boats, 12 salt-cellars, 8 wine-coolers, some candelabra and some teapots. Also in 1777, Auguste was commissioned to complete the Crown jewels and delivered to King George III of England a very important service, now partly on display at Waddesdon Manor in England and in the Louvre.
In 1785, his son Henri became master in his turn and, in September 1789, he was entrusted by Thierry de Ville d'Avray with the inventory of the King's silver. He died in 1805.
This pair of tureens was possibly also commissioned by King George III of England, who regularly offered diplomatic presents. In that case, GS could be for Prince George Frederich Carl, Duke of Sachsen-Meiningen (1763-1803) but no proof can be provided. Auguste improved the tureens' design after the ones he made in 1771, sold at Sotheby's Monaco, 9 December 1990, nr 1341. Particularly, the stands are far more elaborate and elegant on the pair in the current lot.
Baron Robert de Rothschild (1880-1946) was the youngest son of Baron Gustave(1829-1911). He was a great art collector and had a special appeal for Auguste's silver. As well as these tureens he also owned a pair of wine coolers, and a pair of glass coolers, exhibited together with the tureens in 1926.
One of Robert's cousin, Baron Alphonse, acquired a large part of the Hanover service made for George, Elector of Hanover, later King George III. In 1924, this famous service, one of the only French eighteenth century Royal surviving services, was sold by the Hanover heir to the Viennese dealer Gluckselig. It is now split mainly between Waddesdon manor, Buckinghamshire, and the Louvre museum.