A TABLE DE SALON BY ADAM WEISWEILER  

An extremely elegant oak framed, ebony veneered table with a Spanish brocatello marble top set in a narrow gilt bronze edge. The tapering faceted column-shaped legs are veneered in ebony and pewter, retaining their original brass castors. Stamped underneath A. WEISWEILER

France, circa 1785

Provenance:
Carole Weisweiler;
J. Kugel, Paris;
Private Collection, United States.

Literature:
Bibliography : Patricia Lemonnier, Weisweiler, Paris, 1983.

The German-born Adam Weisweiler (1744-1820, Master in 1778) was one of the most influential ébénistes of 18th century France. He produced pieces for several members of the French Royal Family and court, including Queen Marie-Antoinette. Through the most preeminent marchand-mercier in France, Dominique Daguerre, Weisweiler furniture was delivered to collectors like the King of Naples and George IV of England when Prince Regent.

Weisweiler is known for his incredibly elegant Neoclassical-style furniture, avoiding pictorial marquetry and using plain veneers of rich woods. To Daguerre, he supplied also many pieces of furniture set with Japanese lacquer and pietre dure panels. After the death of Martin Carlin, he became the major supplier to Daguerre, for whom he produced many pieces with important Sèvres porcelain plaques inset.

It is very likely that this table was commissioned by Daguerre probably in the later part of his career. The combination of ebony and tin is a feature particular to Weisweiler and we can include this table in a small group of unusual pieces of tables de salon. The rare feature of this table is the detachable legs which meant that it could be easily stored or moved. Also, this feature justifies the fact that the table does not have the scrolled stretcher so characteristic of many of his works and also of the rest of the pieces in this group of tables de salon veneered in ebony and pewter. These include the table sold at the Yves Saint Laurent-Pierre Berge Sale (Christie’s Paris, 2009), the one at the Hubert de Givenchy collection (Christie’s Monaco, 1993) and the pair ex-Collection Stroganoff and now at the Museum Nissim de Camondo.

CONDITION REPORT ON REQUEST.