LOUIS XV PERIOD CHEST OF DRAWERS Stamped by François Garnier In butt-wood marquetry on a violet-wood and satinwood base, decorated with chased and gilded bronze, restored Aleppo breche marble top, the front opening onto two drawers, curved legs embellished with bronze sabots, stamped F.G on the four jambs; small accidents and missing veneer. H. 82 cm (32 ¼ in.) l. 93 cm (36 ½ in.) P. 51 cm (20 in.) François Garnier, Master in 1742 A Louis XV gilt-bronze mounted, kingwood and satinwood commode, stamped by François Garnier The presence of the stamp of François Garnier (died 1760) on this commode is an interesting example of the practice of sub-contracting under the Ancien Régime. In fact, our commode, combining fine butt-wood marquetry with finely chiselled and jagged bronze ornamentation, may be more closely related to the work of Mathieu Criaerd, whose large number of orders sometimes obliged him to subcontract part of his production to his colleagues. The rich ornamentation in gilded bronze has a lively, jagged character, bordering on the laceration of the chasing of the falls, which is typical of Criaerd's work and can be found on a number of his stamped commodes, such as: - The example illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Le Mobilier Français du XVIIIe siècle, Éditions de l'Amateur, Paris, 2008, p. 251, Fig. A ; - The commode also stamped and sold at Christie's Paris, 14 April 2015, lot 108; - The precious Coromandel lacquer chest of drawers stamped and sold at Artcurial Paris, 14 December 2021, lot 11; - The example made by Criaerd and delivered by the merchant Thomas Joachim Hébert for Queen Marie Leczinska at the Carmelite convent in Compiègne illustrated in S. Castelluccio, Le Goût pour les laques d'Orient en France au XVIIe et XVIIIe siècle, Éditions Monelle Hayot, p. 243, Fig. 138. There has been some confusion in the past about the F.G. stamp. Indeed, Garnier has his own F. GARNIER stamp, and some of his furniture is marked with both stamps. However, his title of "maître et marchand ébéniste" is significant, in that it is possible that he used the F.G. stamp as well as F. GARNIER to differentiate between the two. furniture from his workshop from those he sold as a merchant. A commode stamped by François Garnier but attributed to Mathieu Criaerd sold at Sotheby's London on 28 April 2015, lot 133. *Information for buyers: The auction is exclusive of VAT. VAT at the reduced rate of 5.5% applies to the auction. This VAT is recoverable for French professionals. It is refundable for a buyer from outside the EU on presentation of proof of export from the EU or for a professional buyer providing proof of an intra-Community VAT number and a document proving delivery in the Member State. For a buyer leaving the EU, a CITES re-export certificate may be required, at the expense of the future buyer. Restrictions may apply depending on the country of destination. *Information to the buyers : The hammer price and premium will be VAT excluded. 5.5% VAT will be added to the hammer price and premium. Upon request, this VAT can be refunded to the purchaser on presentation of written proof of exportation outside EU, or to the EU purchaser who will submit his intracommunity VAT number and a proof of shipment to an EU country. For an exit from the EU, a CITES re-export certificate will be necessary, at the buyer's expense. Restrictions can apply depending on the country of destination.