KOLLER VIEW 01/24

16 pre view. 02 1 Among the highlights of the 21 March auction is an excep- tional singing bird automaton concealed within a gilt and enamel box (ill. 3), boasting museum-quality craftsman- ship. These collector’s items, popular in the 19 th century, were exported to lands as distant as the Far East. This example is by the Rochat brothers from Geneva: François Elisée, Frédéric, and Samuel-Henri, who were among the most renowned Swiss manufacturers of such mechanical marvels at the beginning of the 19 th century. The intricately designed gold case with translucent enamel and applied pearls was created by the celebrated Geneva goldsmith Jean-Georges Rémond. Genevan & Parisian chic Preview of the Decorative Arts auction on 21 March 2024 2 3 The pair of gueridons (ill. 2) and twenty other pieces of furni- ture by Sormani exhibit 19th-century French craftsmanship at its finest. Founded in Paris in 1847 by Paul Sormani, the company thrived for over 90 years, at first under his stew- ardship and subsequently that of his widow and son, Paul- Charles. Initially producing furniture in the Louis XV and Louis XVI styles, Sormani soon created its own designs and interiors, earning numerous awards. The lyre clock, an embodiment of the Louis XVI era (ill. 1), is a decorative masterpiece by the Parisian clockmaker Furet. The movement seamlessly integrates into the swing- ing pendulum, with the rods symbolising the strings of a lyre and a head of Medusa surrounded by sunbeams crowning the pendulum. ‘Eine Buche bei Ischl’ (A beech tree near Ischl) is a stellar example of Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller’s depictions of nature from the Austrian Biedermeier period around 1830 (ill. 4). Drawing inspiration from the Salzkammergut region, Waldmüller’s fine brushwork vividly captures the physiog- nomy of the old tree, and masterfully portrays the lively in- terplay of light and shadowwithin the forest. 1 A Louis XVI lyre clock with seconds and date indications. Paris circa 1780. Signed Furet à Paris. H 52 cm. Estimate: CHF 15 000/25 000 2 A pair of Transition-style gueridons after models by Jean-François Oeben, Paris circa 1880. Signed P. Sormani. 74 × 61 × 46.5 cm. Estimate: CHF 10 000/16 000 3 A rare gold and enamel box with timepiece and singing bird automaton. Geneva, circa 1810–25. Frères Rochat and Jean-Georges Rémond. 8.4 × 6.2 × 2.8 cm. Estimate: CHF 60 000/100 000 4 F erdinand Georg Waldmüller (1793–1865). Eine Buche bei Ischl. 1851. Oil on panel. 31.5 × 25.5 cm. Estimate: CHF 40 000/60 000 For further information Decorative Arts Stephan Koller skoller@kollerauctions.com Online catalogues www.kollerauctions.com