Furniture & Interior, Clocks , Sculpture & Works of Art

IMPORTANT ROENTGEN COIFFEUSE
77 x 91 x 63.5 cm.
Neuwied, 1770 / 1775.
Accompanied by a detailed report by Christine Cornet,
expert for antique furniture, Munich, n.d.
Oak and softwood structure veneered in stained
maple wood, so-called “bois de tabac” and other
light veneers, rosewood, cedar, and cherry wood with
mountings in brass, iron, gilt-bronze and silver. The
visible surfaces are decorated with flower and bow
motif marquetry. The dynamic shape of the body is
surmounted on four slightly curved, edged legs. The
only drawer features an internal fold-out desk. The
centre of the tabletop can be opened featuring an internal
mirror, its sides can be opened to the left and
right with a hinge. There are striped marquetry blinds
below that can be rolled down to the back. Below this
is a large drawer, or more precisely a removable fourfold
square compartment with a wallpapered compartment
underneath and behind it. In addition to the
compartments accessible from above, the coiffeuse
features three drawers: two narrow drawers below
the side compartments that can be opened mechanically,
and the central drawer mentioned above. A
small drawer opening from the side is set with an
inkwell, sand shaker and a pen compartment – each
made of silver.
Notes:
This type of “table de toilette” came into being in the
mid-18th century and was used for the “seconde
toilette”, that is body and facial care and beautification
after the “première toilette”, the purpose of which was
simply washing. The term derives from a fine cloth
(toile) that was originally placed on the table while
dressing the hair to lay out the necessary utensils
and to pick up any waste powder or hair. At first, the
table on offer for sale in this lot appears to be very
specialized, but it is multifunctional as it features
integrated writing utensils.
Notes 2:
Today, 622 pieces of Roentgen furniture are known
to be held in museums and private collections. The
manufactory rose to fame from 1750. Demanding
clients, such as the princely House of Neuwied, the
Prince-Elector and Archbishop Johann Philipp von
Walderdorff. A receipted invoice from Abraham Roentgen
to Johann Caspar Goethe testifies to the inventory
of furniture in the Goethe House. Johann Wolfgang
von Goethe was also one of Roentgen´s clients.
Increasingly European royal families were being supplied
including Catherine the Great of Russia, Roentgen´s
most important client. Other clients included:
the Prince-Elector of Mainz, Frederick the Great of
Prussia, Frederick William II, Count of Ysenburg,
Count of Solms-Laubach, Count Friedrich Alexander
of Wied, Prince-Elector Franz Georg of Schönburn,
Prince-Bishop Adam Friedrich of Seinshaim, Caroline
Louise Marchioness of Baden-Durlach, Imperial
Count Florimond Mercy d´Argenteau, Frederick II of
Hesse, Prince of Lorraine, Marie Antoinette, King
Louis XVI, Count Alexander Stroganoff and many
more.
Museums and collections:
The few surviving pieces of furniture from the Roentgen
manufactory are held in many museums around
the world: Musée des Arts Deécoratifs, Paris. Victoria
& Albert Museum, London. Metropolitan Museum,
N.Y. Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich. Louvre,
Paris. The State Hermitage, St Petersburg. Samuel
H. Kress Collection, London. Wallace Collection, London.
Wörlitz Palace, Charlottenburg Palace, Stavros
Niarchos Collection and many more.
€ 60.000 - € 90.000
Sistrix
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