Rare coffret ayant appartenu à Maximilien de ROBESPIERRE... Lot 146

Rare coffret ayant appartenu à Maximilien de ROBESPIERRE (1758-1794). Rectangular shape, in exotic wood marquetry (rosewood, violet wood and mahogany) decorated on the top with the monogram "MR" for Maximilien de Robespierre, in an oval cartouche on a green tinted sycamore wood background, in a frame of flowers and fillets in amaranth wood. It opens on a hinge with its key and contains a compartment lined with blue paper. The lower part contains a removable drawer in which a handwritten letter is sealed at the four corners by red wax seals mentioning the origin of the object: "After the 9th Thermidor year 2, the conventional Edme Bonaventure Courtois born in Troyes in 1754, was in charge of a report on the papers found at Robespierre's house after his execution. At that time, Courtois had appropriated various important objects and papers, including Marie-Antoinette's will. In exile, Courtois had some of these documents handed over to King Louis XVIII, in the belief that the decree of banishment as a regicide would be lifted. This did not happen. Courtois died in Brussels on 6 December 1816. One of his daughters, Zélie-Charmette Courtois, had taken refuge with a relative, Sieur Dumas, in Chalons, then with Doctor Dorin, whom she has never left since. Charmette had many things from her late father. The present box has been attributed as having belonged to Maximilien de Robespierre, whose initials, moreover, are on the lid." Late 18th century. H. 19 x W. 33 x D. 27 cm. Provenance - Maximilien de Robespierre (1758-1794). - Edme-Bonaventure Courtois (1754-1816). - His daughter, Zélie-Charmette Courtois (?-1867). - Private collection, Paris. History Edme-Bonaventure Courtois (1754-1816) was elected to the Legislative and then to the Convention and sat on the Mountain. In the trial of Louis XVI, he voted against the appeal to the people, for death and against the reprieve. In 1793, he was at the siege of Valenciennes. After the 9th Thermidor (fall of Robespierre and end of the Terror), he was a member of the commission in charge of inventorying the papers found at Robespierre's house, and it was he who made the famous report published in February 1795. A lover of fortune and pleasure, he turned his coat as often as was necessary at that time. He contributed to the success of the coup d'état of 18 Brumaire, denounced Barthélémy Aréna as having attempted to assassinate Bonaparte. In 1816, he had to go into exile in Brussels. He died shortly after his arrival in Brussels and legend has it that no one followed his coffin. He was also an avid bibliophile. His library was sold in Paris on January 3, 1820.