Ref.12997
Exceptional Napoleon III chest in mahogany and rosewood inlay, gilt bronze and Sèvre porcelaine slabs.

This very beautiful Napoleon III style chest, lightly baluster, was made in the second half of the 19th century of mahogany and rosewood veneer forming a diamond decoration on each face. It opens on the facade by a flap door closed by a lock on the upper part, letting us discover an interior more sober but as well sophisticated, made of cherry wood and Maroquin leather on the door. Its exceptional and rich exterior decoration is marked by the presence of gilt bronze ornamentations that underline its edges and are also used as a frame for small oval Sèvres porcelain slabs which adorn each side of our chest. They are all surrounded by a beautiful cyan blue, the two present on the sides illustrate a rich and delicate flowers bouquet hold by a ribbon, while the two main, on the front and the back of the chest, unveil love scenes in a bucolic decor, where on one, a young man is playing guitar to a woman laid in front of him, and on the other, they both are embracing. The gilt bronze decorations were made in a very high chasing quality and an exceptional delicacy translated by the flowers garlands representation or the friezes of pearls and ribbons. By the view of its execution quality, and the richness of the used materials, this chest was very likely made by an important furniture maker, specialized in the making of small and luxurious furniture.

Ref.12432
CHARBONNIER (cabinetmaker) for L’ESCALIER DE CRISTAL, Japonist Cabinet with Sliding Lacquer Panel, circa 1890

This significant cabinet in rosewood veneer was created for L’Escalier de Cristal after 1885. Founded around 1808 by the widow Désarnaud, the Escalier de Cristal was taken over by the brothers Georges and Henri Pannier at the end of the 19th century. They adapted to the vogue of Japonism while maintaining the high quality that made the store’s reputation. This cabinet is to be found in Henry Pannier’s notebooks, where it is recorded as having been made by the cabinetmaker Charbonnier; as such, it can be dated to around 1890, shortly after the Pannier took over the store. The design of this cabinet draws inspiration from Japanese architecture and furniture. It features a cabinet with a large Japanese lacquer panel adorned with gold floral and bird motifs. True to its primary inspiration, it does not open in the European manner but slides, referencing the interior walls of traditional Japanese houses. The frame is decorated with intricate woodwork, echoing East Asian ornamental vocabulary. It rests on a base with extending sides, featuring a heart-shaped crystal center encased in gilded bronze, which can be attributed to the work of Édouard Enot. Gilded bronze ornaments can also be found above the clawed feet and on the pediment. The use of lacquer to decorate furniture became popular in Europe as early as the late 16th century, following the first Jesuit missions to Asia and the creation of the East India Company. In the 18th century, the invention of Martin varnish allowed Europeans to imitate it effectively, particularly in furniture and interior decoration. However, the opening of Japan and the intensification of trade with the Far East in the latter half of the 19th century led to an influx of raw materials, enabling French cabinetmakers to incorporate more lacquer panels into their creations.