Thomas Moore
Head of Department
Lot 38TP
A French 19th century ormolu mounted kingwood table a the by Paul Sormani (1817-1877)
23 June 2021, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £8,925 inc. premium
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A French 19th century ormolu mounted kingwood table a the by Paul Sormani (1817-1877)
With ebonised and amaranth line-inlaid cartouches, each shaped quarter veneered tier surmounted by a scrolled floral, foliate, rocaille and acanthus cast dished border mount, each end mounted with a conforming pierced elongated scroll shaped cartouche adjoining the two tiers, with four handles, on keeled cabriole legs terminating in cabochon embedded foliate scrolled sabots, signed: 'P. SORMANI, PARIS, the underside with an ivorine plaque which reads: 'H.A. COMER... LONDON WC2... ' 102cm wide x 59cm deep x 97cm high, (40in wide x 23in deep x 38in high)
Footnotes
A virtually identical Sormani tea table to the offered lot, likewise signed by the maker, recently sold Christie's, London, 4-25 February 2021, Patrick Moorhead: Hidden Treasures, lot 71. This had been previously purchased Christie's, London, Le Grand Gout - A Private European Collection, 17 June 2009, lot 144 (part). Another closely related table a the by Sormani sold Bonhams, New Bond Street, 25 November 2009, Fine Continental Furniture, lot 169. A further comparable, albeit with an oval tray instead of a serpentine one along with other minor variations, sold Christie's, London, 19 March 2008, lot 189.
Paul Sormani, who was born in Italy in 1817, was one of the most important cabinet makers of the 19th century. His first gallery and workshop were established in 1847 in Paris and then during the 1860s the Sormani business is recorded as being located at 10 Rue Charlot. Following Paul's death in 1877, they operated under the direction of his widow, Ursule-Marie-Philippine, and his son, Paul-Charles. Finally in the 1900s the firm re-located to Boulevard Haussman.
Sormani, whose output comprised furniture made in a variety of styles, specialised in the production of Louis XV and Louis XVI revival pieces which include a number of exceptional examples. His workshop even advertised itself in the following manner: 'toute sa production revèle une qualité d'éxecution de toute première ordre.' The Sormani firm exhibited at all the major exhibitions of the 19th century, winning medals in 1849, 1855, 1862, 1867, 1878, 1889 and 1900. Of particular note Sormani received a medal of première classe at the Exposition Universelle in 1855, followed by another at the 1862 exhibition in London.
Literature
C. Payne, European Furniture of the 19th Century, 2013, Suffolk, pp.'s 44-5.
C. Mestdagh, L'Ameublement d'art Francais, 1850-1900, 2010, Paris, pp.'s 296-299.
