This impressive pair of candelabra epitomizes the flawless quality French furniture makers like the Beurdeleys reached in the second half 19^th century. A pioneer of his t.mes , Emmanuel Alfred Beurdeley here combines the elegance of an 18^th century design embodying the goût turc with perfection, meticulous chiselling and gilding.

Candélabre aux autruches

The present pair was created by Emmanuel Alfred Beurdeley after a model by François Rémond. Destined for the Comte d’Artois’ Turkish boudoir at Versailles, Rémond delivered a pair of candélabres à sept branches dit ‘aux autruches’ on 28^th December 1782: ‘Deux girandoles à sept branches arabesques et autruches, 6 000 l.’ (P. Verlet, Les Bronzes Dorés Français du XVIIIe siècle, Paris, 1987; p. 103, pl. 119 ; Château de Versailles, inv. no. Vmb14252)

Interestingly, in L'Ameublement d'art français: 1850-1900, Camille Mestdagh illustrates a drawing dated from 1893 for an adaptation of Rémond’s model by Beurdeley (p.24, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, inv. no. CD/6499/16). This drawing clearly suggests Beurdeley’s interest in Rémond’s form. While the drawing features the ostriches on a tripod support, in the end Beurdeley decided to execute a perfect copy of Rémond’s model. Beurdeley’s search for perfection and a willingness to surpass Rémond and his already excellent craftsmanship form an integrate part of the present lot. It is unknown how many of these candelabra 'aux autruches' Beurdeley created, but only one other pair is recorded so far (illustrated, C. Mestdagh, L'Ameublement d'art français: 1850-1900, Paris, p.243). Two pairs of similar candelabra, but not stamped by Beurdeley were sold, one pair at Replica Shoes 's New York, 22 November 2005, lot 307, another pair was offered at Christie's London, 19 March 2018, lot 83.

The most eye-catching decorative element of these candelabra is certainly the support with the three ostriches. The historical background in which these candelabra where executed by Rémond surely sheds light over the design and the choice to represent these grand animals. Indeed, under the reign Louis XVI, France became fascinated with the Turkish culture.

Le Goût Turc

The goût turc style evolved partly because of several operas and plays with Turkish themes, such as Mustapha and Zéangir, Achmet and Almazine, The Three Sultanas, and Zémire and Azor, performed at the French court from 1776. For example, Mustapha et Zéangir premiered on November 1, 1776 at Fontainebleau. Marie-Antoinette was so pleased with the production that she congratulated the play's author, Sebastien-Roch Chamford, with a hefty reward of 1,200 l.

The Comte d'Artois, Louis XVI’s younger brother, was profoundly impacted by these plays, and commissioned in 1776 a cabinet turc for his Parisian residence, the Palais du Temple. He was soon followed by Marie-Antoinette, who created a boudoir turc at the Château de Fontainebleau in 1777. The Comte d'Artois commissioned two other cabinets turcs: one at Versailles in 1781–82 and an additional one in the Palais du Temple in 1783. At Versailles, Rémond supplied the candelabra and a pendule ‘aux sultanes’ (inv. no. V4776) which still today is flanked by the two candelabra. While these objects often featured motifs associated with Turkish culture such as ostriches, camels, crossed crescents, they were not literal copies of Turkish originals; their form and function remain essentially French.

The Maison Beurdeley

The Beurdeley family was one of the most important furniture production dynasties of the 19th century. They brought their art to a level of excellence rarely matched and which they maintained for three generations from 1818 to 1895. Particularly renowned for the quality of their gilt-bronze mounts, their systematic use of mercury gilding and their talent for chiseling enabled them to perpetuate the tradition of excellence from the 18th century.

The founder of the dynasty, Jean Beurdeley (1772-1853), settled in Paris in 1804. He first created a tabletier shop at 355 rue Saint-Honoré in 1818-1819, then an upholstery and furniture store at 364 rue Saint-Honoré after 1820. In 1834, he passed his business onto his son, Louis-Auguste-Alfred (1808-1882).

Louis-Auguste-Alfred moved to the prestigious Pavillon de Hanovre in 1840, situated at the corner of the Rue Louis-le-Grand and the Boulevard des Italiens. He soon gained fame and honour by continuing his father’s craftsmanship and creating furniture inspired mainly by the Louis XVI style. Excellent both in bronze work and in cabinet making, he became one of the main suppliers of the Imperial Garde-meuble during the Second Empire and notably received the commission for the Empress Eugénie's wedding chest in 1853.

Considered among the most talented creators during the second half of the 19th century, Louis-Auguste-Alfred naturally participated in the Great Exhibitions held in Paris in 1855 and 1867. In 1855, he exhibited the furniture made by him for the Empress’s boudoir, but regrettably was only awarded a bronze medal. Louis-Auguste-Alfred had married an American, Constance-Virginie Fleytas (1804-1861), bearing a son, Alfred-Emmanuel-Louis (1847-1919). The latter, after a law degree, finally joined his father's workshops at the Pavillon de Hanovre. He took over the reins of the family business in 1875 and developed it considerably by opening two additional workshops on rue Dautancourt, as well as a gallery in New York. This success, attested by his participation in the Paris Great Exhibition in 1878, as well as that of Amsterdam in 1883, continued until 1895, the date of his retirement and the closing of his workshops. The stock was sold over a number of auctions conducted by the Galerie Georges Petit of Paris. Two auction catalogues of the collects ion were published in 1895 and sales were held between March 6-8 and May 27-28.