KOLLER VIEW 4/24

02 pre view. 20 W hat is special about the works in this collection? I t includes works from the entire 19 th century, which be- c ome particularly interesting in the context of the col- l ection. This era was characterised by upheavals and g round-breaking political, social and economic chang- e s: the emergence of nation-states, democracy, repub- l icanism, industrialisation, etc. These developments a lso had an impact on art and craftsmanship. After the r estoration of the Bourbon monarchy in France in 1815, t he elite yearned for the return of the style of the Ancien r égime . Furniture from the times of Louis XIV, Louis XV a nd Louis XVI was appreciated and sought after. This w as the dawn of antique collecting. B ut there was also a production of new furniture and d ecorative objects... Y es, and it was strongly influenced by the design vo- c abulary and decoration of earlier periods. Copies of f amous pieces from the 18 th century were made. The Boulle side cabinet byMathieu Béfort in the style of Lou- is XIV is one such example from our auction. Alongsid e such copies, new furniture was also created in whic h various stylistic elements were eclectically mixed. Thi s led to an enormous wealth of forms and materials. Which factors influenced design? Comfort became an important issue in furniture design , especially for seating furniture. Technical innovation s and industrialisation also influenced furniture. The firs t furniture-making firms emerged, and were present a t international industrial and world exhibitions, offerin g objects in a wide range of styles. What is the significance of this ‘historicist’ furnitur e in art history? The 19 th century is often wrongly associated with poo r quality and inferiority. This collection impressivel y demonstrates that the artisans of the time also pro - duced luxury items of the highest quality. It include s new creations that foreshadow the later Art Nouvea u movement, such as the pedestal by Charles-Guillaum e Diehl. Which piece of furniture in the collection do you lik e best and why? My favourite pieces are undoubtedly the two Louis XVI - style display cabinets by Henri-Auguste Fourdinois . They are extremely elegant and refined pieces of fur - niture in terms of design and artistic execution. Thei r construction, and the craftsmanship of their inlay an d bronze work place them among the best examples o f their time. 1 A pair of important Louis XVI style andirons ‘aux lions ailés’. Paris, circa 1860/70. Louis-Auguste- Alfred Beurdeley (1808–1882). 54.5 × 20.5 × 66 cm. Estimate: CHF 90 000/120 000 And which decorative object is your favourite? The Louis XVI-style monumental vase with gilt bronze mounts, designed by Jean Claude Duplessis, is impres- sive and aesthetically very beautiful. The vase is ele- gant and rather austere in form, but the combination of cobalt blue with the finely worked gilt bronze is an ab- solute delight. Also impressive are the Louis XVI-style For further information Decorative Arts Stephan Koller skoller@kollerauctions.com Online Catalogues www.kollerauctions.com Mr Koller, how did the collection that will be auc- tioned on 28 November come about? Through his father, who was an antique dealer, the col- lector came into contact with antiques and art at an ear- ly age. Some pieces are actually from his father's col- lection. During his studies in Chicago, he came across a book about French furniture and interiors of the 19 th century. That was the beginning of his passion for this subject, about which he has published several books. How did the collector acquire the items? He travelled often, and visited trade fairs, exhibitions and auctions. The majority of the items were acquired privately or from dealers. Most collectors have numer- ous contacts with salespeople, fellow collectors, spe- cialists and restorers. –––– ‘This collection impres- sively demonstrates that 19 th -century artisans also produced luxury items of the highest quality’. –––– ‘A treme ndous wealth of forms andmat erials’ Furniture & decorat ive arts specialist Stephan Koller on the highlights of an extraordinary colle ction of art objects that will be auctioned in November. 2 A French Greek Revival pedestal, circa 1870. Attribut- ed to Charles-Guillaume Diehl (1811–1885) and Jean Brandely (active ca. 1867–1873). H 143 cm. Estimate: CHF 10 000/15 000 1 2