François-Christophe-Armand Toussaint (1806-1862). A large pair of French mid-19th century gilt and patinated bronze figural torchères: Esclave Indienand Esclave Indienne, cast by F. Barbedienne (before 1869) from models by Toussaint dated 1850;the male and female figures each holding aloft a cut-glass torch, on panelled chamfered rectangular black marble plinths, the bronze pedestals of cylindrical baluster form with acanthus leaf collars and four engaged foliate scroll corbel supports with fluted ornament, on circular socles cast in the form of ribbon-bound laurel garlands, each signed A.Toussaint 1850and Fondeur F.Barbedienne, 36cm wide, 36cm deep,217cm high (14in wide, 14in deep, 85in high). the figures 112cm high (44in high). (2). Estimate £100,000 - 150,000 (€130,000 - 190,000). Photo Bonhams

LONDON.- A pair of half naked male and female large bronze figures, each holding aloft a cut-glass torch, stand proud as the top lot in the Fine European Furniture sale at Bonhams New Bond Street on 10th July. 

Esclave Indien and Esclave Indienne are a pair of French 19th century gilt and patinated bronze torchères by François-Christophe-Armand Toussaint (1806-1862). The works were commissioned by the French Interior Minister in 1850 and stood in the Ministry's offices in Paris. At the 1862 Great Exhibition in London, French reporter Deherain commented: “…everyone was struck by those half naked figures, with their eyes on the ground, expressing the resignation of a vanquished people…". 

The pair is offered with an estimate of £100,000-£150,000. 

A pair of white marble busts by Emile Guillemin (1841-1907) is another of the sale highlights. The busts depict Oriental ladies in traditional headdress and jewellery and are expected to realise £50,000-£80,000. Middle Eastern themes had fascinated European artists for centuries, however, Orientalism took on a new dimension in nineteenth-century France with the conquest of Egypt by Napoleon Bonaparte (1798-1801) and the invasion of Algiers (1830). By the 1870s, Guillemin had become one of the leading French sculptors working in the Orientalist genre. 

Emile Coriolan Hippolyte Guillemin (1841-1907), a pair of white marble busts of Oriental ladies, possibly "Sulamita", each wearing typical headgear, jewellery and drapery over their shoulders, on a waisted circular grey marble circular base, each signed to the back Ele. Guillemin,46cm wide, 30cm deep, 80cm high (18in wide, 11 1/2in deep, 31in high). (2). Estimate £50,000 - 80,000 (€63,000 - 100,000). Photo Bonhams

Two exquisite colourful enamel and Chinese brass birds stand almost 2meters high on red and gold hexagonal lacquer bases. Each blue decorated crane holds a twin-light candlestick and incense burner in its beak and serves as a floor-standing lamp. Each model sits on a rockwork base, delicately painted with a landscape, fish, crabs and lobsters. The pair is offered with an estimate of £20,000-£30,000. 

Another of the star lots is a set of six green painted wood panels depicting the twelve months in zodiac signs and associated mythological Gods which is expected to sell for £20,000-£30,000.

An enamel circular table top, made of solidified volcanic lava, is decorated in bright coloured enamels with Pompeian style faces, birds and medallions and stands on a walnut tripod base. Executed by Hachette et Cie circa 1835 and the design probably by the architect Jacques Ignace Hittorf, the table is offered with an estimate of £15,000-£25,000.

A rare French 19th century émail sur lave de Volvic circular table top, circa 1835, executed by Hachette et Cie, probably designed by Jacques Ignace Hittorf, the top decorated with Pompeian style grotesques, birds and medallions, stamped Hachette & comp rue Coquenard no 40/ A Paris, on a walnut tripod base terminating by paw feet and numbered 2913 under the carcass, 82cm in diameter, 72cm high (32in in diameter,28in high). Estimate £15,000 - 20,000 (€19,000 - 25,000). Photo Bonhams

Another highlights includes: 

A French Louis XV ormolu-mounted kingwood, tulipwood and amaranth table à écrire by Roger Vandercruse, R.V.L.C dit Lacroix; the rectangular top inlaid with a bois de bout foliate spray, above a leather-inset writing slide with small shell handle, the side with a small drawer fitted with an ink pot, an old paper label to the inside describing the table as being stamped to the underside of the carcass, raised on cabriole legs each headed by a foliate clasp, joined by a lower platform stretcher, on scrolling cast sabots, 42.5cm wide, 32cm deep, 69cm high (16 1/2in wide, 12 1/2in deep, 27in high). Estimate £50,000 - 80,000 (€63,000 - 100,000). Photo Bonhams.

Roger Vandercruse, dit Lacroix, Maître in 1755

An identical table stamped RVLC sold Sotheby's New York, 10 November 2006, lot 63 (with provenance : New York Private Collection, Parke Bernet Galleries, New York, October 23, 1964, lot 340).

RVLC was prolific in his production of small tables and two comparables to the present lot are illustrated in Pradère (p. 288, figs. 311-312).
The first example (fig.311) shows identical ormolu corner mounts and sabots to the present table.

Similarities can be found between the oeuvres of RVLC dit Lacroix and Bernard van Risamburgh. This table à écrire presents characteristics that allow to illustrate this point. It is almost identical in design to a small table stamped BVRB, illustrated in Pradère (p.192, fig.180).
BVRB produced a number of such small tables notably for the marchands-mercier such as Lazare, Duvaux or Poirier. Both BVRB and RVLC worked for Poirier and produced tables of the same model, including very fine examples of tables en cabaret mounted with a Sèvres porcelain top.
The present lot also shows a "bois de bout" marquetery that both ébénistes mastered in a very similar way as described by Clarisse Roinet, referring to two tables à écrire from the Wrightsman Collection, New York.

Literature: - Alexandre Pradère, Les ébénistes Français de Louis XIV à la révolution, Paris, 1989.
- Clarisse Roinet, Roger Vandercruse dit La Croix, Les éditions de l'amateur, Paris, 2000.

An important French mid-18th century gilt and patinated bronze pendule à l'éléphant, signed Bailly L'aîné, Paris; the elephant raised on a naturalistic base, supporting a howdah with a turret and three hunting figures with bow and arrow, rock and trumpet, the pierced rear door and the sides with green silk panels, the white enamel Roman and Arabic dial signed BAILLY. LAINÉ/A PARIS, the signed and numbered two train drum movement with flattened lower edge and silk suspension, the numbered outside countwheel striking on a bell, 32cm wide, 63cm deep, 54cm high (12 1/2in wide, 25in deep, 21in high). Estimate £45,000 - 55,000 (€57,000 - 69,000). Photo Bonhams.

Joachim Bailly l'Aîné, Maître in 1749 is recorded at various adresses in Paris, notably rue de Bourg l'Abbé in 1746, rue Saint-Honoré in 1755, rue Dauphine in 1772 and rue St Denis by 1778.

The first recorded elephant clock is mentioned on the 15 December 1757, Madame de Montmartel acquiring an example from the marchand-mercier Lazare Duvaux. Described as "Une pendule en bronze doré d'ormoulu, dont le mouvement à sonnerie, de Moisy, est porté sur un éléphant".
The design of the present case is very rare as most elephant clocks have drum cases surmounted by a single oriental figure. A very similar clock, by Bailly l'aîné, is illustrated in F.J. Britten: Old clocks and watches and their makers, 1971, p.481.

Provenance: The P.C. Spaans Collection of Important European Clocks, 19 December 2007, lot 472.

Literature: -Tardy, La pendule française, Vols.I & II, Paris, 1981, p.346 & p.16
-Pierre Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la pendule française, Paris, 1997, p.144, fig.A, pp.125-128.

A Florentine late 17th-early 18th century pietre dure rectangular panel depicting "Christ with the Samaritan woman at the well", possibly by Baccio Cappelli, for the Grand Ducal workshops, Florence;the figure of Christ seated by a well, the Samaritan woman approaching, holding an urn, within a landscape and small houses to the background, within a rectangular border of black and red marble, the reverse on slate, 28cm wide, 36.5cm high (11in wide, 14in high). Estimate £10,000 - 15,000 (€13,000 - 19,000). Photo Bonhams.

A French late 19th century Louis XV style ormolu-mounted kingwood, satiné and tulipwood bureau à dos d'âne, the shaped rectangular top above a hinged fall-front with two cherubs holding a rope for a dancing monkey, within a scrolling foliate surround, opening to reveal a gilt tooled brown leather writing surface and fitted niche of three small drawers and three corresponding writing wells, the frieze with simulated drawers, on cabriole legs and acanthus cast sabots, 102cm wide, 57cm deep,89cm high (40in wide, 22in deep, 35in high). Estimate £7,000 - 10,000 (€8,800 - 13,000). Photo Bonhams.