PARIS.- On 27th April, Artcurial will host a Furniture and Artefact auction, gathering together more than 300 lots from private French and European collections dating from the High Period to the Empire.

Amongst the many objects, a Baron Robert von Hirsh collection, a Vierge à l’Enfant, attributed to Lupo di Francesco, an Augsbourg cabinet from the latter part of the 16th century, 17th century German silver, an Osmond spherical kinetic clock from the Transition period and a set of John Cary floor globes.

The Empire will also be featured with some fine examples of Jacob seats including an antic style seat (lot 273), an exceptional furniture set and an Etruscan style chest.

A delicately speckled mahogany and bronze-rimmed Louis XVI desk signed by Ferdinand Bury (lot 220) represents one of the pretty classical pieces, highly represented throughout this auction.

«Variety, curiosity, refinement support the range of the auction, gathering several collections illustrating the various tastes and periods. » ---Isabelle Bresset, Director Furniture and Works of Art Department, Artcurial

High Period and curiosities
The High Period (Medieval) will be an important part of the collection presented on 27th April. Furniture, artefacts and sculptures will be prevalent including La Vierge à l’Enfant, a white marble sculpture estimate € 80,000-120,000 / $ 98,000- 148,000 (lot 25), from the baron Robert von Hirsh collection. The sculpture is attributed to Lupo di Francesco, a native of Pisa and student of Giovanni Pisano. Amongst pieces close to La Vierge à L’Enfant, a Nativity frieze from the San Matteo Museum of Pisa, a Standing Virgin from the San Michele church in Borgo and a bas-relief from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London representing the Virgin and Child with Two angels. In several representations, we observe the animated appearance of the plump child, his right arm raised to push away from his mother, gripping her tunic. We also recognise a lengthening of the bust and face, clearly influenced by Giovanni Pisano.

In furniture, an Augsbourg cabinet from the 3rd part of the 16th century, estimate € 7,000-10,000 / $ 8,600-12,300 (lot 26). In walnut and decorated with inlay, its uniqueness and charm are highlighted by its abstract decors of flowers, fruits and cut leather curls.

Focussing on scientific instrument enthusiasts, a pair of floor globes dating from between 1799 and 1819, by John Cary (estimate: € 15,000-20,000 / $19,000-25,000, Lot 111) will also be presented. Writer, Editor and Map merchant, John Cary begins creating mathematical instrument merchant, in 1791. He continues creating from the year 1820 with his two son Georges and John until the middle of the century. Well built, in mahogany and brass finishing, Cary globes were, in his living, at the cutting edge of geographical and astronomical positioning and astronomy position research.

French Collections
The collection of an Empire period enthusiast containing several beautiful examples of Jacob chairs will be dispersed. Amongst the lots included in this collection, a rare Antic style chair from the end of the 19th century (estimate: € 15,000-20,000 / $ 19,000-25,000, lot 273) ; a beautiful mahogany piece characterised by two ornamental winged lions. Also stamped by Georges Jacob, an « à la reine » chair from the time of Louis XVI richly sculpted in gilt wood, estimate € 10,000-15,000 / $ 12,000-18,000 (lot 289). The collection also includes a superb chest from the Transition period (estimate: € 30,000-50,000 / $ 37,000-62,000, lot 288), a model derived from the famous chests delivered to Madame de Pompadour pour le château de Menars.

On 27th April, elegant silver pieces from the Pourtalès collection will be presented including an important set of silver plates from the end of the 18th to 20th century by Jacques-Frédéric Kirstein, Auguste Leroy and Taburet-Boin.. This service, of remarkable finesse with its contours and net mouldings is engraved with the united coat of arms of Mélanie Renouard de Bussière and Edmond de Pourtalès.

(Estimate € 5,000-8,000 / $ 6,500-10,000, lot 149). The Pourtalès collection also contains a pair of Louis XVI chiselled and gilt bronze torches, € 6,000-8,000 / $7,500-10,000 (lot 145). These torches correspond to drawings by Jean-Démosthène Dugourx, dated from 1790 and kept at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

European Collections
From a Swiss collection, a rare kinetic gilt bronze sphere clock by Robert Osmond, created between 1766 and 1769, carries an estimate of € 40,000-60,000 / $49,000-74,000 (lot 114). The base represents a cherub explaining to another the phenomena of the lunar cycle, the latter looking at him with a bored expression. The model appears under number 81 of the Livre de dessins attributed to the Osmonds. Robert Osmond works for a certain time with his nephew Baptiste Osmond, the truncated column of the pendulum presented here is characteristic of their common productions. From the same source, a Königsberg beer stein from 1689 (lot 115), and coconut cups including the one which adorned a 17th century German mount (lot 118).

A Russian Neoclassical side table from a Belgian collection is reasonably estimated at € 12,000-15,000 / $15,000-8,500 (lot 249). This elegant pedestal table is of antic inspiration, a trend that swept across Europe in the last quarter of the 18th century.
A dozen lots from an Austrian collection will also be presented including a Henry Dasson table from 1884 estimated €7,000-10,000 / $8,500-12,500 (lot 132) and a Feragnan rug from the north-west of Iran from the end of the 19th century estimated € 1,000-2,000 / $1,500- 2,500 (lot 139).

Classic furniture
The Artcurial Furniture and Artefacts auctions offer an occasion to discover and acquire classical furniture and unique artefacts. The nobility of the Louis XVth mahogany and gilt chiselled bronze flap desk, signed by Ferdinand Bury is the perfect example. (Estimate: € 6,000-8,000 / $7,500-10,000, Lot 220). An elegant Transition era sofa attributed to Louis Delanois from a Parisian collection is also an essential acquisition with an estimate of € 10,000-15,000 / $12,500-18,500, Lot 227). This sofa presents all the characteristics of the already advanced neoclassicism of the 1770.

Another admirable piece, a pair of carved and gilt bronze Louis XVI andirons, around 1765-1770, from the Philippe Caffieri model (1714-1774). This pair of andirons, identical to the one kept at the Wallace Collection in London, represents an allegory of sculpture and writing under the guise of two putti sitting on a terrace decorated with a globe (estimate: € 8,000-12,000 / $ 10,000-15,000, Lot 222