PARIS, FRANCE.- The Important European Silver Sale which took place at the Galerie Charpentier in Paris included an exceptional silver set comprising a covered tureen and stand, two identical figural candlesticks and a pair of spice boxes. Each piece is engraved with the arms of François Doublet, Marquis de Bandeville and those of his wife Marie-Anne Bigot de Graveron, both descendants of French parliamentarian families.

 

Francois Doublet (1705-1761), marquis de Bandeville, came from an old family of Parisian magistrates. In 1738 he married his second wife, Marie-Anne Bigot de Graveron from an old parlementarian family of Normandy. After his death, his wife concentrated on her collections of works of art and natural history. The silver offered in the sale was listed in the inventory at her death on the 3rd of July 1787.

 

The present ensemble was made by the Parisian silversmith, Antoine-Sébastien Durant, who became master in 1740. His most important works are all in public collections. Estimated at 1.000.000 €, it was sold in 3 lots for a total of €1.661.750 ($ 1.707 690).

 

For Thierry de Lachaise, Head of the Silver Department at Sotheby’s in France : ‘This unique set by Antoine-Sébastien Durant, except the tureen, has never been part of a publication or an exhibition and has remained in the same family for two centuries, which is exceptional. We are extremely pleased with the result, in particular for the two candlesticks which fetched an astonishing price. The silver market is very active thanks to the participation of private collectors’

 

Two identical candlesticks (1758-1759) made four times their pre-sale estimate (€ 150.000 – 200.000), fetching € 863.750, today a world record for a pair of silver candlesticks. Formed as draped Cupids with bound hair garlanded with flowers and urging silence by fingers pressed to lips, their right arms touch a flame which forms the flamboyant candle sconce. At the Cupids’ feet are twinned doves, a bow and arrows. The base is formed as a hillock decorated with partly matted wave motives and applied with two armorial cartouches repeating those on the tureen.

 

The tureen and its stand (1755-1756) were sold at a price of € 643.750. It was estimated between € 600.000 and € 800.000 (lot 134). The pair of spice-boxes (1756-1757 et 1757-1758) was sold for € 154.250 , doubling its high pre-sale estimate (€ 60.000 – 80.000, lot 136).