A French Joiner’s Trade Card dated 1782
Description from the Waddesdon Collection:
The oblong block takes up the majority of the card. It stands on a raised wooden floor, which is partly executed in parquetry. Two wide pilasters on the sides of the block support a line of dentils and an overhanging cornice with a cavetto moulding. The block is shaded with parallel lines. The text appears between the pilasters. A trophy of measuring instruments hangs from a ribbon tied to a stud on the left pilaster. Fixed to the right pilaster with a stud, there is a scroll of paper with illustrations of five column capitals and the text ‘Ionique … Architecture’.
Surmounting the block there is a planter in the shape of an orange tub. The planter has two ball finials. The planter is shaded with parallel lines and bears three fleurs-de-lis, now obliterated with pen and ink. Two large sprays of laurel flank the planter. A ribbon bearing the name of the shop sign entwines through the laurel and over the planter. The word ‘Roialle’ appears to the right of the planter and is obliterated with pen and ink.
To the right of the block, there is a shed and a workbench. The side of the shed is open. Inside there are lots of planks of wood. A frame saw hangs in the entrance of the shed. On the workbench and resting against it, there are various tools of the carpenter’s trade.
To the left of the block, there is a case maker jointer, several tools and planks of wood. There are three small boxes at lower centre. At lower left, there are three larger containers, some in pieces, with nail holes marked.
Curatorial Commentary:
The case maker jointer was identified with the kind help of Pierre Bouillot. The exact identification of the artist is difficult to establish as the first letters of the name have been removed. The extant letters are ‘eunnié’. The obliteration of the fleurs-de-lis and the word ‘Roialle’ suggest that this card was still in use at the time of the French Revolution. In his notes on the Waddesdon trade card collection, Geoffrey de Bellaigue thought that this could be a bill-head.
Phillippa Plock, 2008
Inscription:
A LA CAISSE [ROIALLE (= struck through)]
ARSANDAUX
Menuisier en Batiment
Et Layetier pour l’Encaissement
de touts Meubles, Effets et
Marchandises, pour la Province;
Expédie à la Douane
pour les Pays Etrangers.
Demeure rue Saint Denis vis-à-vis
la Croix Blanche.
A PARIS
Translation:
At the [Royal = struck through] Planter.
Arsandaux
Carpenter for building work and case maker for packing all furniture, effects and merchandise for the provinces. Sends [things] to Customs for foreign countries. Lives in the rue Saint-Denis opposite the White Cross in Paris. Ionic, Corinthian, Composite. The five architectural orders. [J?]eunnié made [this] 1782.
–Jeff Burks