Ref.17390
Mantle garniture in the orientalist taste in gilt-bronze with polychrome porcelain decoration

Polished and varnished bronze, polychrome porcelainThis exquisite orientalist mantle garniture was inspired by an eclectic range of decorative source materials and is characteristic of French works of art produced in the 1880s. Fashioned in gilt-bronze and ornamented with porcelain polychrome plaques decorated with vegetal scrolls and cartouches inspired by Iznik enamels, the clock takes the form of a piece of miniature architecture. The clock face is framed by two columns whose capitals support an open foliated pediment directly inspired by Islamic monuments. The clock is accompanied by a pair of vases of Byzantine form, the sides of which are encircled with a porcelain band that echoes the clock’s decoration. The body of the vases is also ornamented with chased bronze of the highest quality. This beautifully chased bronze work comprises palmettos of stylized organic shapes and delicate scrollwork. Certain of the bronze elements are executed in openwork, such as the handles of the vases.    Although not signed, this garniture is inscribed “Paris” under the face of the clock, indicating that this exceptional piece was the work of a French manufacturer. Created around 1880, this set is characteristic of the taste for eclecticism, the divergent sources used and the wide ornamental vocabulary taken from many different periods and continents that created this arresting and original work of art. 

Ref.13206
Cast iron fireback with the wedding coat of arms of Joseph-François de Montecler et Hyacinthe Menon de Turbilly, 17th century

Cast iron fireback with the wedding coat of arms of Joseph-François de Montecler et Hyacinthe Menon de Turbilly. Joseph-François de Montecler, marquis of Montecler, (1694-1766) married in 1716 Hyacinthe Menon de Turbilly (1699-1742), lady of La Rongère, of who the marquis de Sourches praised the beauty.

Ref.14668
Portrait of Hans Holbein, a wood marquetry painting attributed to FOURDINOIS

This original wood marquetry painting in relief depicts a portrait of Hans Holbein, a German Renaissance painter and engraver. It is framed in blackened wood with the pure, architectural forms typical of the neo-Renaissance style. The frame bears the identity of the artist, who is portrayed in profile, in keeping with the tradition of medals during the Renaissance. This work is attributed to the Fourdinois firm, run by Alexandre and Henri Fourdinois, famous for its 19th-century decorative arts. The name of this cabinetmaker, which has won numerous awards at the Universal Exhibitions, is associated with the triumphant luxury of the Second Empire. This neo-Renaissance portrait is part of the cult of figures from the past, from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, that characterised 19th-century historicism. It is no coincidence that they paid tribute to Holbein, a painter who also fascinated the writers Jules Verne and Honoré de Balzac. The Fourdinois family had a real passion for the Renaissance. En plein marquetry was invented by Henri Fourdinois and patented in 1864. This technique is based on the inlay of wood in all its thickness, giving the sculptor a surface that can be worked in both hollow and relief.

Ref.15592
Japanese-style daybed – Maison des Bambous

Rectangular daybed in carved blackened wood, resting on four scroll feet. The two ends are built as box compartments with double doors opening onto storage space. The surface is decorated in low relief with geometric, vegetal, and Asian-inspired patterns distributed across the legs, side panels, and apron. This piece is part of the production of Far Eastern–style furniture developed in France during the late 19th century, notably by the Maison des Bambous, founded by Perret & Vibert. A small ivory-like plaque is screwed on the back, inscribed: “Maison des Bambous – 170 Boulevard Haussmann – Paris.”