A French Louis XV-Louis XVI Transition commode by French maker Jean-François Leleu fetched 22,15 million FF (US $ 3,074 million) at Drouot on December 20th 2000 against a ridiculous top pre-sale estimate of 1,5 millon FF (US $ 208,300). This commode had been delivered to Leleu to the marquis of Brunoy between 1766 and 1770. The estimate was quite ridiculous for the simple reason that this piece of furniture had a prestigious provenance since the Brunoy estate had been bought in 1777 by the Comte de Provence who as Louis XVIII later became King of France. This bid was the highest recorded in France this season but the highest price fetched for Leleu still stands at 41,81 million FF (US $ 5,81 million) for a marquetry and gilt bronze commode from the Akkram Ojjeh collection sold at Christie's in December 1999 in Monaco.
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