Ref.3326
Beautiful antique Napoleon III fireplace with windings and acanthus leaves in Black Belgium marble

This Napoleon III style fireplace was made in the 19th century. Its shelf rests on doucine-shaped capitals, setting back the entablature. The jambs are richly ornamented, giving relief to the sumptuous Belgium Black marble . Console feet are strongly curved by large scrolls, decorated on the sides with a central flower and a sculpted bellflower. Topped with matching modillions, they are covered with acanthus leaves and adorned with a row of oblong pearls.

Ref.10882
Beautiful antique cast iron fireback with the Fyot family coat of arms, 18th century

This beautiful antique Louis XV period fireback was made in the 18h century. It shows the coat of arms of the Fyot family. A crown of marquis and a président à mortier’s head covering are represented. This fireback was very probably for Claude-Philippe Fyot de La Marche (1694-1768), chevalier, Marquis de la Marche, Count of Bosjean, Baron de Montpont who was magistrate at the Parliament of Burgundy.

Ref.13777
Bronze gilded suspension with glass gemstones. Napoleon III period.

This gilt bronze chandelier has eight branches which take the form of glassware and candles and surround a semi spherical decorated with glass gemstones. Result of a very careful work, this chandelier has incised decorations of fleur de lis, crosses and flowers. Richly decorated, it displays numerous characters and creatures: dragons adorn the mounts of the branches, playing with the effect of curves and counter-curves, childish characters whose bodies terminate in vegetative vases support torches. Finally, heads of bearded men and women, masks similar to the foliage of ornamental furniture of the eighteenth century, occupy the uprights of this chandelier. Each space is occupied by a decoration of gilded bronze, showing the work of craftsmanship that has been done on this chandelier: latticed elements alongside small sculptures making all the charm of this true piece of art. At the Paris International Exhibition in 1881, the American Thomas Edison, inventor and businessman, gave a demonstration of his incandescent light bulbs. Parisians were excited. Because of its cost, public electric-powered lighting was reserved for prestigious places, French Theatre, Place de l’Opera, Grand Boulevards and of course the Universal Exhibitions, showcases  with the emerging technology. Thanks to Edison, everything changed. The Continental Edison Company was founded a year later. At that time Paris was divided into several areas allocated to different companies. Each company had its own technical standards and it took until 1913 to unify the network that was given to the Compagnie Parisienne de Distribution d'Electricité (CPDE).The appearance of the incandescent bulb not only allowed the construction of large chandeliers, but also lasted for nearly a thousand hours before being replaced, and all this for a very low manufacturing cost (25 francs at the time). Electric lighting was going to replace the use of gas during the 1890s and by the beginning of the 20th century became the only means of lighting.

Ref.17392
Henri HOUDEBINE and DEMAY « Cherubs on the hunt » Pair of candelabras presented at the Universal Exhibition of 1855

Gilt bronze Size: Height, 82 cm; Width, 67 cm; Depth, 26 cmA rare surviving example from the Universal Exhibition of 1855, this pair of candelabras is signed by Henri Houdebine, Von Blumberg, as well as the sculptor Demay. On one of these, a militant-looking youth threatens an angry beast with his spear while holding him down under his foot. On the other, a young girl has captured a bound stag that lies at her feet. The sweet features of the feminine figure counterbalance the determined expression of the cherub on the other piece that was conceived as its pendant. Both candelabras sit on bases made in the style typical of the Louis XV period, a style that enjoyed a renewed interest at the beginning of the Second Empire (see Louis XV style ). The lively movement of the scrollwork allowed the maker to display his virtuoso technique in the execution of the casting and the chasing that highlight the different qualities of the bronze, sometimes finished in matt gold and sometimes burnished.    In the 19th century, Henri Houdebine was well known for his work that catered to the contemporary taste for reinterpreting older styles. This pair of candelabras, dated 1855 and presented at the Universal Exhibition in Paris, is an exceptional example of the early production of the Houdebine factory. Founded in Paris, in 1845, the company participated in most of the exhibitions that took place during the second half of the 19th century and won numerous awards: Gold Medal in 1876 (Exhibition of the Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs) and 1878 (Universal Exhibition), Medal of Recognition in 1880 (Exposition de l’UCAD), Honorary Degree in 1883 (Amsterdam International Exhibition) the same year that Henri Houdebine was made chevalier in the Legion of Honor. A member of the Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs, he was yet again singled out for the beauty of these candelabras at the Universal Exhibition of 1889.    The sculptor Demay also signed this model; this may have been Germain Demay, the student of Barye who showed works depicting small animals in the Salons of 1844 and 1848, most notably a jaguar, a panther and a stag.  

Ref.11854
Pair of planters model "Diabolo" edited by Eternit, 1950s

These diabolo-shaped planters were designed by Willy Guhl, a famous Swiss designer and edited by Eternit in the 1950s. These planters are made of Eternit, a stable material with a fibrous texture made of cement.

Ref.12219
Lot of Versailles parquet flooring and Chantilly oak parquet flooring from the 18th century

Lot of antique oak parquet flooring composed of 11 panels of Chantilly for a surface of approximately 9 m2 + a doorway and 12 panels of Versailles for a surface of approximately 10 m2 + a doorway.

Ref.13146
Exceptional pair of double Louis XV curved doorsn decorated on the two faces

This pair of double curved doors was made in the late 19th century od painted in white wood. They are adorned on their two faces with a very beautiful Rococo decor in low relief. The brass locks and handles on the sunck part depict a remarkable chiseled decoration made in a very fine way composed of plants also in a Louis XV style.

Ref.11310
Ducel foundry, Important vase with mermaid, second half of the 19th century

This important cast iron decorative vase was made in the second half of the 19th century by the Ducel foundry. The ​c​enter receives a mascarons decoration holding flower crowns, while the handles take the shape of beautiful mermaids. Its ancient caractere reminds many vases we can find in the Château de Versailles garden. The Ducel foundry, created by Jean-Jacques Ducel (1801 – 1877), was specialized in the art cast representing originals from museums. Very appreciated in Paris during the 19th century, the foundry won many awards during the World Fairs of 1851 and 1855. In 1878, the foundry was bought by its competitor the Val d'Osne foundry which had then gathered the catalogue of the Ducel foundry and added the mention « Val d'Osne successeur de ».

Ref.4420
Louis XV style fireplace in Medici Breccia marble with a fleur-de-lys motif in acanthus leaves

This Louis XV style fireplace was made in the late 19th century in Medici Breccia marble. The serpentine header is adorned on its center with a sculpted motif taking the shape of a stylized fleur-de-lys in acanthus leaves in a small flowers surrounding. The straight jambs are decorated with sculpted in slight relief volutes on the upper parts.

Ref.5896
Louis XV period fireplace decorated with an asymmetrical palmette in a variation of Royal Red marble

Ref.16121
MILET & DIFFLOTH – Ornamental Glazed Ceramic Charger with Hollyhocks

This decorative dish featuring hollyhocks results from the collaboration between ceramist Félix Optat Milet (1838-1911) and Emile Diffloth (1856-1933). Born into a family of potters, Milet joined the Manufacture de Sèvres in 1862 as a modeler before becoming a decorator. In 1866, he founded his own factory, which would become the largest private ceramics manufacturer in Sèvres. In 1876, Optat Milet participated privately in the Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition of the Union Centrale des Beaux-Arts, where his brightly colored creations were a great success, as evidenced by the lines dedicated to him by Adrien Dubouché in 1876 in his article “Contemporary Ceramics at the Union Centrale des Beaux-Arts Exhibition” in the second issue of L'Art: la revue hebdomadaire illustrée. At the 1889 World's Fair, Milet won the gold medal and Loebnitz highlighted the wonderful effects made possible thanks to the new technique used by Optat. It was also in the 1880s that Optat Milet and Clément Massier opened the Delvaux boutique (18, rue royale in Paris), which remained in business until the 1970s. Our dish bears Emile Diffloth's signature on the front and the Milet factory mark on the back. Based in Sèvres, Milet is renowned for his technical expertise and close ties with the Manufacture Nationale. The central decoration created by Diffloth features white and purple hollyhocks in a fluid, asymmetrical composition inspired by Japanese art which was in vogue at the time. The delicately veined flowers and leaves stand out elegantly against a gold background thanks to a textured relief surface. The gold background creates a luminous vibration under the glaze. The overall effect is of great refinement.