"Bonheur Du Jour Stamped Guillaume Cordie (1725-1785), Received Master On June 17, 1766. "
Bonheur du jour in wood and rosewood veneer decorated with butterfly wing marquetry. The sliding curtain shelf opening onto three drawers topped with a compartment. The writing top opens onto three secret compartments. Two side drawers open into boxes. Curved feet. With his keys. High. 97 cm Width. 84 cm Depth 49 cm Stamped Guillaume CORDIE (1725-1785), received master on June 17, 1766. Transition period. In a perfect state. Biography of master cabinetmaker Guillaume Cordié: Guillaume Cordié worked as a free craftsman before obtaining his master's degrees in 1766. He settled on rue de Charonne and remained there until his death. His works, of good quality and harmonious proportions, are mostly in the Transition and Louis XV style. He mainly made small pieces of furniture: dressing tables, heart-shaped, writing tables, but Guillaume Cordié was undeniably the master of the joys of the day. These, in rosewood veneer, have an upper body closed by two sliding doors, and have two small drawers built into a boxed belt. A tray unfolds to form the writing desk. The curved legs of his furniture give them elegance and grace. We can also mention some Transition style chests of drawers, in rosewood arranged in butterfly wings, and inlaid with cubes and four leaves. After his death, his wife continued her activity on rue de Charonne until the Revolution Bibliography The art and manner of the French master cabinetmakers in the 18th century - Jean Nicolay - Pygmalion edition - 1976 The cabinetmakers of the 18th century - Count François de Salverte - Les éditions d'Art et d'Histoire - 1934 French Furniture of the 18th Century - Pierre Kjellberg - Les Editions de l'Amateur – 1989- A similar model and reproduced on page 2023. Did you know? : It owes its name to the fact that ladies of the time could hide letters and small objects there (often love letters, from lovers). The happiness of the day being a piece of furniture made up of tiers themselves filled with drawers (and sometimes a few hiding places), they could hide mail there, their secret, intimate correspondence, which was their “happiness of the day”. This is the time when women run salons and protect writers and philosophers. Writing plays a large part in daily activities and it is the Bonheur-du-jour which replaces the secretary (we hid our secrets there). For a piece of furniture to be considered a true Bonheur-du-Jour, it must meet three conditions: its design must be careful, it must have drawers that are located above the writing table and finally have a secret compartment. Our opinion: It is an exceptional piece of furniture due to its signature (Guillaume Cordié is THE reference for this type of furniture), its condition, its manufacturing quality. We are here in the middle of the Age of Enlightenment (the piece of furniture dates from approximately 1770 in our opinion) with all its refinement and elegance. For 20 years, 18th century furniture has suffered a descent into hell in terms of price, which today leaves enthusiasts with the opportunity to buy at a reasonable price a timeless piece of furniture characteristic of the art of living under the old regime.