ROBERT-JOSEPH AUGUSTE (1723-1805) Lot n° 196

Rare and Important Louis XVI silver tureen, ROBERT-JOSEPH AUGUSTE, Paris, ca. 1784 Of oval shape, foot with frieze, plain body with relief neoclassic frieze, cast and chiselled handles depicting branches of leaves and fruits, cover with framed tab at two relief rosettes, pine cone and acanthus cover finial on relief calyx with leaves and fruits Charge and discharge marks of Paris (1783-1789),"Maison Commune" mark of 1784 and Robert-Joseph Auguste maker's mark (act. 1757-1793) 19th century liner and stand with similar decoration, Tête de Minerve 1 mark and Debain & Flament maker's mark (1874-1880) (minor wear signs, small bruise to the stand, stand with faded maker's mark) Note: Robert-Joseph Auguste (Mons, 1723-Paris, 1805) needs no introduction. Alongside Thomas Germain (1726-1791) he was one of the most important 18th century silversmiths and after Germain's bankruptcy in 1765 Auguste become the most important and busy silversmith in France. Adding to the commissions due as"Orfrèvre Ordinaire du Roi" for Louis XVI (since 1778) his workshop produced hundreds of works for European Royal Houses, among others the courts of Stockholm, Saint Petersburg, Copenhagen, London and Lisbon were frequent buyers. Some outstanding and famous silver table sets were made by Auguste, being the Tsarina Catherine the Great of Russia ensemble or the one commissioned by George III of Great-Britian two of the most famous. A magnificent pair of salt cellars signed by R. J. Auguste and part the Catherine the Great service is now on permanent exhibition at the Gulbenkian museum, Lisbon. On April 1784 the Queen D.Maria (1777-1816) ordered two silver gilt toilette ensembles to Paris where D. Vicente de Souza Coutinho was the responsible for the royal purchases, he had no doubt choosing the author for the royal demand, in his own words it had to be R. J. Auguste"the best silversmith of the country and probably of all Europe". Five sets of ewers and basins of this service are still at the Portu