CIRCA 1830-1840

Beginning in the late 18th century, French furniture makers and bronziers incorporated serpents into their designs, likely a reflection of their interest in Antique marble vases with sinuous snake handles. The present guéridon from the Louis Philippe period – an era known for its historical eclecticism – relates closely to three tables with nearly identical bases: one sold Christie’s, Amsterdam, 4-5 October 2011, lot 265 (€73,000); another sold Sotheby’s, Paris, 5-6 December 2001, lot 470; and a final example sold Christie’s, Monaco, 10-11 December 1999, lot 409.