Alfred Emmanuel Beurdeley

Exceptional mantelpiece by Alfred Emmanuel Beurdeley for Cornelius II Vanderbilt, 1893 This sarrancolin marble mantel adorned with gilded bronzes was designed by Alfred Emmanuel Beurdeley (1847-1919) after a model created by Pierre Contant d'Ivry (1698 - 1777) around 1752-1753 for the salon of the Duchesse d'Orléans in the Palais Royal, and executed in bronze by François-Thomas Germain (1726 - 1791). In the Louis XV style, this Sarancolin marble mantel features, in addition to its gilded bronze ornaments, two putti seated in the corners of the shelf, each holding a five-light candelabra rising from a cornucopia. Our mantel was exhibited at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 on the stand of Alfred Emmanuel Beurdeley, of which a columnist in the Gazette des Beaux-Arts wrote: "It would be difficult for us not to speak (...) of the splendid exhibition of Mr. Beurdeley, who has sent to Chicago a veritable museum. It is with intention that we use this word, for everything he exhibits is a work of art". In his non-exhaustive list of works that stand out from the rest of the production, he mentions "a Louis XIV mantelpiece made for a wealthy American". The person named was none other than Cornelius Vanderbilt II (1843 - 1899), an American businessman and socialite. His grandfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794 - 1877), was driven by a desire for wealth in the early 19th century, and made his fortune through the creation of ferry and railroad companies. He was also responsible for the creation of Grand Central Station in New York, and above all for his family's fame and importance in American history. Cornelius II Vanderbilt, his favorite grandson, followed in his grandfather's footsteps and became president of the New York Central Railroad in 1885, as well as head of the New York Central & Hudson River and the N.Y. & Harlem, Michigan Central. He also helped establish the Vanderbilt Clinic and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. It was around 1894 that our mantel entered the patron's home in New York, where it adorned the main living room. Located at the corner of 5th Avenue and 57th Street, it was the largest private home ever built in the city, and was demolished in 1927. The Beurdeley family was one of the most important furniture-making dynasties of the 19th century, spanning three generations. Alfred Emmanuel Louis Beurdeley (1847-1919) was the son of Louis Auguste Alfred (1808 - 1882), as well as his collaborator and successor from 1875. He kept the store at the corner of rue Louis-le-Grand and boulevard des Italiens, the famous Pavillon de Hanovre, and had his workshops at 20 and 24 rue Dautancourt. He specialized in the manufacture of luxury furniture copied from antique models from the Mobilier National and produced a few original pieces. He took part in the 1878 Universal Exhibition, where he was awarded a gold medal, and, according to the report, "he has maintained the high reputation of the company founded by his father. He has given it new lustre through his initiative and enlightened taste...". He was subsequently made a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur for his participation in the Amsterdam competition in 1883. He remained in business until around 1895, when he liquidated his company and sold his collections of over 2,000 pieces. As evidenced by the photographs of the small and large salons of his 57th Street home preserved at the New York Historical Society, Cornelius Vanderbilt II was accustomed to working with the greatest French cabinetmakers and bronziers of the 19th century. In fact, Alfred Emmanuel Beurdeley made a copy of a pair of consoles after Georges Jacob for the Comte d'Artois, as well as a copy of Marie-Antoinette's table, for the businessman to furnish the petit salon. Bibliography: C. Mestagh, L'ameublement d'art Français, 1850-1900, Paris, 2010, p.128-129. M. Kathrens, Great Houses of New York: 1880-1930, New York, 2005, pp. 38-4 This mantel is sold without insert or hearth floor, but these can be made to order (subject to marble availability).