by Anne Doridou-Heim
Coromandel lacquer commode with darkened wood frames, sinuous-formed façade and sides and two drawers, decorated with palace scenes and utensils in polychrome lacquer on a black background, the top in Breccia di Aleppo marble, standing on curved uprights ending in arched feet, stamped Pierre Roussel and JME, cabinetmaker admitted as a master in 1745, Louis XV period, c. 1750-1755, 86.5 x 145.5 x 66 cm/34 x 57.3 x 26 in. Estimate: €50,000/80,000
The paths taken by the BTP (Buildings and Public Works) can lead to new heights. After making a tidy fortune in this sector, the unobtrusive and cultured René Simeoni took delight in assembling a collection of 80-odd pieces of 18th-century furniture, which he found with leading Parisian antique dealers in this field. He kept this collection in his home in Yvelines, and it was discovered during a standard estate inventory by Hugues Taquet, an auctioneer based in Mantes-la-Jolie. Read more