Commode by Nicolas Sageot on offer at SFr80,000-120,000 at Koller.
He became a master in 1706 and applied Boulle work with tortoiseshell, brass and ornate bronze fitting to the numerous pieces of furniture he produced in his workshop in the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine. He was one of many cabinetmakers who had set up shop in the area to the east of the Bastille. Sageot’s repertoire included cabinets, bookcases and commodes, such as one that is being sold by Koller in Zürich on March 31.
On account of comparison with secured works it is cautiously attributed to Sageot. At the peak of his career, he charged 900 livres for his cupboards, 500 for bookcases and between 250 and 625 livres for his commodes. Today’s estimate for the 4ft 4in (1.32m) wide commode on offer is SFr80,000-120,000.
Sageot did not have long to enjoy his commercial success: in 1720, ill health led to the closure of his workshop and several years later he was declared insane. He spent his final years in an asylum, dying there in 1731.
