Jean Christophe Fischer

A highly important restoration period maple and Amaranth veneered console table with patinated bronze female term supports, made for King Louis-Philippe by Jean-Christophe Fischer. French, circa 1830. This rare console table has a rectangular marble top above a frieze with two drawers raised on finely cast patinated bronze female term supports, a mirrored back and a plinth base. The table is stamped ‘Fischer à Paris’ and with ‘LPN’ beneath a crown for Louis-Philippe Neuilly, and the number 13687. The locks stamped 'Huby Fils Serrurier a Paris'. This console table was formerly owned by Louis-Philippe, King of France, at the Château de Neuilly. Louis-Philippe, Duc d'Orléans, was born October 6, 1773 in Paris, the eldest son of Louis-Philippe-Joseph, Duc de Chartres. The Château de Neuilly was built for Marc-Pierre de Voyer d'Argenson. It was purchased in 1818 by Louis Philippe, who was then proclaimed King of the French on April 9, 1830. The château was looted and destroyed during the 1848 revolution. After his abdication, Louis-Philippe spent the last two years of his life in England. Jean-Christophe Fischer (1779-1854) was an important French ébéniste and bronzier, specialising in making furniture, mirrors and chairs. He had an established business in Paris from 1820 until his death in 1854. During this time he produced furniture for the King Louis Philippe, for his Château de Neuilly residency, amongst other important commissions. From 1820 to 1827 he was collaborating with Geoffrey Kopp under the name of Fisher and Kopp, he was then joined in 1839 by his son, who took over the company in 1848. In 1837 he participated in the Exposition de l'Industrie Francaise, where he exhibited a cylinder bureau, a table and a pair of consoles, winning a silver medal for his work. According to the Exhibition's report: "ses meubles se distinguaient autant par la perfection du travail que par l'élégance des formes; ils étaient en palissandre relevée seulement par des baguettes dorées ou en bois blanc. Un bureau a cylindre, une table de travail et deux consoles, nous ont paru les plus remarquables de l'Exposition." In 1844, he also participated in the Exposition de l'Industrie Francaise where he received a Gold Medal for his work with ebony and bronze. Exhibitions: Museum of Decorative Arts, Masterpieces of the great cabinetmakers, n.51 a desk with filing cabinet...