A Dauphiné Olivewood And Rosewood Marquetry Commode, Louis XIV Period, C. 1700-1710

A Dauphiné Olivewood and Rosewood Marquetry Commode, Louis XIV Period, c. 1700-1710

A superb Dauphiné commode from the turn of the 18th century, elegantly showcasing the art of olivewood and rosewood marquetry. Its top features geometric reserves and circles connected by fine fillets, framed by a border of quarter-sawn olivewood. The sides display a classic bipartite composition, highlighted by a central lozenge.

The gently curved façade opens to three drawers, where the precise yet harmonious interplay of fillets is enhanced by the richness of the veneers. The rounded stiles, accentuated by dark fillets and quarter-sawn wood, evoke the creations of the Dauphiné workshops—particularly those of Thomas Hache, a leading figure of this transitional period. The chiseled and gilded bronze handles and keyhole escutcheons add a final touch of refinement.

This piece, in its craftsmanship and aesthetic, recalls the commode illustrated as number 81 on page 216 in Le Génie des Hache by Pierre and Françoise Rouge (Éditions Faton), a testament to Dauphiné craftsmanship at the dawn of the 18th century.

Dimensions:
Height: 32¼ in (82 cm)
Width: 45¼ in (115 cm)
Depth: 23⅝ in (60 cm)

Condition:
In fine condition.

Thomas HACHE (1664 – 1747)

Born on November 28, 1664, and deceased on May 13, 1747, Thomas Hache was the son of Noël Hache, born in Calais around 1630. The latter, a journeyman cabinetmaker, completed his tour de France when he married in Toulouse, where he settled and died in 1675.

Thomas, born in Toulouse, began his journey across France and stopped in Grenoble, where he worked for the cabinetmaker Michel Chevallier. In 1699, he married Chevallier's daughter. Upon his father-in-law's death in 1720, he took over his workshop on Place Claveyson. A year later, he obtained the patent of Keeper and Cabinetmaker for the house of Louis d'Orléans, Duke of Chartres, governor of Dauphiné. With the help of his only son, Pierre, who succeeded him, he was very active, although due to the lack of a stamp, none of his works can be identified.

Bibliography:

Le Mobilier Français du XVIIIe Siècle*, Pierre Kjellberg, Les Éditions de l’Amateur, 2002.

Le Génie des Hache, Pierre Rouge and Françoise Rouge, Éditions Faton.