East Meets West | The Collection of Arthur George Tite Esq

Lots 69-72 are an incredibly exciting section of our Fine Interiors sale this June. The collection originates from the Tite family who enjoyed a lengthy connection with the Rothschilds over several generations. This relationship first began with Arthur George Tite Snr (1841-1894), who was the first Managing Director of Messrs Rothschild & Sons Bank, which was first established in the late 18^th century.

Arthur’s grandson, Arthur George Tite, was an avid collector and keen connoisseur who amassed and sourced a great deal of art and antiques. The collector also acted as an art and antiques agent for Victor Rothschild 3rd Baron (1910-1990), evidenced by numerous references in the family's correspondence.

^{A pair of export famille rose porcelain figures of court officials, Qianlong period (1736-1795), £15,000-20,000}

^{A pair of export famille rose porcelain figures of court officials, Qianlong period (1736-1795), £15,000-20,000}

Items of note are lots 69 and 70. Lot 69 being a pair of export famille rose porcelain figures of court officials. Export porcelain is a term used for Chinese porcelain made specifically for the European market. In the eighteenth century, Chinese export porcelain was made with the same great skill and expertise that domestic wares were known for but designed to Western tastes. The popularity and spread of these pieces, and their continued desirability, is a testament to the interaction between Chinese artisans and western collectors and importers who, without a common language or culture, promoted this interchange of stylistic ideas.

Ceramic figures in particular hold a special place in the history of the decorative arts in China, following a long tradition of modelling lifelike sculptures in porcelain to accompany important individuals into the afterlife. Simultaneously beguiling and amusing, these court figures or attendants were produced mainly for export on commission and particularly captivating to eighteenth-century western private collectors. Smaller figures were often placed on dinner tables in large palaces or great country houses to demonstrate their owner's heightened refinement.

From the mid-nineteenth century through to the 1920s, there was a revival in interest for the arts of China and Japan, particularly in France, and Chinese export porcelains had achieved a status of luxury goods. Viewed with nostalgia, they were emblematic of earlier times and increasingly collected by connoisseurs during the last decades of the nineteenth century. It is likely that the court figures featured in our sale changed hands during this time and their new owner, wishing to leave their mark on such a desirable piece, commissioned the pre-eminent French cabinetmaker, Henri Dasson (French, 1825-1896), to add the ormolu candelabra mounts. Dasson first began his career as a bronze sculptor however was renowned for his production of high-quality gilt-bronze mounted furniture. He was celebrated for his ability to take traditional designs from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and adapt them to the needs of a contemporary audience. His workshop was situated in Paris, where he specialised in the production of Louis XIV, XV and XVI style furniture using gilt-bronze mounts.

^{A pair of French Empire bronze and marble candelabra attributed to François Rémond (c.1747-1812), c.1800, £20,000-30,000}

Lot 70 is a superb pair of French Empire bronze and marble candelabra that are attributed to François Rémond (c.1747-1812), an unparalleled Parisian gilder and bronzier who worked extensively during the second half of the 1700s. The son of a carriage-maker, Rémond began an apprenticeship with the gilder Pierre-Antoine Vial in 1763 and eleven years later became a master in the guild of bronze gilders. Rémond shaped an extremely successful business and worked closely for the marchand-merciers Dominique Daguerre and Martin-Eloi Lignereux, who both supplied many patrons of high society, including Marie-Antoinette, the comte d'Artois, the duc de Penthièvre, the comte d'Adhémar and Princesse Kinsky.

^{A pair of French Empire bronze and marble candelabra attributed to François Rémond (c.1747-1812), c.1800, £20,000-30,000}

Pictured below, are the candelabra placed within the Tite family home, nestled amongst the much beloved paintings and decorative furniture.

Both are available to view in our London Gallery until 6 June, and at our Stansted salerooms from 9-12 June.

To view all the lots from this collection, please click here.

If you would like to view the full catalogue for our 13 & 14 June Fine Interiors sale, visit this link. 

For further information regarding our sale or to discuss a valuation, please contact fineinteriors@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778