Ref.9622
Marble Console table

Marble console table, from the Empire period, and following the Empire style. The shape of the legs make this console table very original; Its originality comes from the shape of the legs, which have curled up volutes at the top and bottom of the legs, and fluting. This elegant and sophisticated feature is a typical characteristic of the First Empire.

Ref.2117
Double door with stained glass windows, man and woman's profile in medallion

Double glass door decorated with Neo-Renaissance style stained glass panels, with profiles of man and woman in a medallion. This double door was made during the 19th century.

Ref.2350
Very beautiful antique Louis XVI style paneled room coming from the Hotel de Crillon, Paris

An exceptional paneled room coming from the Crillon Hotel in Paris. It was made out of wood and stucco around 1900. Following the Louis XVI style , the decor is highly elegant: floral wreaths, antique vases and laurel wreaths.

Ref.16684
Maison TAHAN and Julien-Nicolas RIVART (1802-1867) - Perfume box decorated with porcelain marquetry

Bibliography: Marc Maison and Emmanuelle Arnauld, Masterpices of Marquetry in the 19th century, Patents. Rivart, Cremer, Fourdinois, Kayser Sohn et Duvinage, Dijon, Faton, 2012, p. 45. This elegant perfume box, signed by the Maison Tahan , is a rare example of their collaboration with an artist outside the company. Decorated with gilt-bronze ornaments and porcelain marquetry panels, this piece is a fine example of the new technique of inlaid porcelain that Julien-Nicolas Rivart patented in 1849. In this process, each piece of porcelain is used as true marquetry where each element is independent. Rivart 's patent allowed him to retain exclusivity on this type of work and he was obviously closely involved with the box's fabrication. Rivart won awards for his porcelain marquetry on several occasions at international exhibitions, as this technique was highly esteemed for its great naturalism in reproducing flowers. In this example, the roses that decorate the lid of the box are executed in a range of elegant pastel tones that depict each petal with great precision while conveying the fragile quality of the flowers. The use of green-tinted resin for the delicate stems adds to the refinement and realistic look of the bouquet of flowers. The four small panels decorating the side panels continue the floral theme, a favorite device used by Rivart . Pansies, lilacs and rose leaves cover the surface of the wood, painted in delicate, monochrome tones of white and mauve. This technique, patented by Rivart in 1849, was described as a "delicious process" and won immediate and unanimous praise for the charming quality of these decorations in porcelain marquetry, as well as for the originality of his technique. Rivart was critically acclaimed at the World's Fairs where he won several medals, thus leading him to further develop this type of ornamentation until his death, in 1867. For more than twenty years, Rivart was the only one to create works using this technique, a fact that explains the rarity of this type of production. There is no signature of the painted inlaid flowers; however, it is possible to attribute the work to Pierre-Joseph Guérou , a painter who worked at the Sèvres factory in 1847 and 1848 and whose signature appears on several pieces of furniture made by Rivart , such as the jewel cabinet at the Château de Compiègne. When looking at the delicacy and naturalism of porcelain marquetry, we too can experience the feelings described by the commentators at the International Exhibition when they enthusiastically wrote: "one cannot help but admire the graceful richness of these inlaid painted porcelain flowers" (Paris en 1855, journal de l'exposition générale…, May 27, 1855). The origins of the Maison Tahan go back to Belgium at the beginning of the 19th century when Pierre Lambert Tahan founded a workshop that produced small tabletry objects using wood from the resort town of Spa, the small village in the Ardennes. Pierre Lambert decided to leave Spa shortly before 1806 to set up shop in the Temple area of Paris. He worked there as a cabinetmaker and also produced nécessaire boxes. In 1825, Pierre Lambert and his son, Jean Pierre Alexandre, ran two factories producing these same types of wares. In 1844, Pierre Lambert Tahan retired and left the direction of the company to his son who would completely reorganize the business by separating the factory from the shop, located at number 32 rue de la Paix. A year later, he was already known as a "Supplier to the King and Princes". In 1855, he held the title of "Supplier to the Emperor" which allows us to date this perfume box to after that time. The Court gave him a great number of commissions for bookcases, tables, pedestal tables and nécessaires. Pierre Alexandre Tahan participated in the great international exhibitions of his time. It was at the International Exhibition of 1855, in Paris, that he showed an extraordinary aviary in walnut sculpted with leaves and birds in flight.

Ref.3255
Antique Louis XVI style fireplace mantel with round corners in Griotte marble and gilt bronze ornaments

This antique Louis XVI style fireplace was made in the 19th century in a Griotte type marble, with a matching three-square marble floor . This round-cornered model features two fluted pilasters with gilt bronze asparagus, and three golden bronze rosettes, the one in the entablature's center is flower-shaped. The luminosity of the marble, speckled with many colors, is enhanced by the bronze's gold.

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.10497
Maison MARNYHAC (att. to) - Antique Chinese style firescreen in brown patina bronze, second half of the 19th century

This rare Chinese antique firescreen was made during the second half of the 19th century. This firescreen is attributed to the Maison Marnyhac, specialized in the creation of luxury art object and whose a part was imbued with the chinese and japonizing vogue, beacause of the the quality of the bronze and its beautiful perforated decoration, as well as the style of it, Maison Marnyhac is the commercial name of a society of bronzes and furniture called Society of Marbles and Artistic Bronzes founded by Charles de Marnyhac and located in Paris Avenue de l’Opera before move to 1, rue de la Paix. She competed with the greatest workshopes of the time, Barbedienne in particular, and the quality of its productions was rewarded during the World Fairs of 1867 and 1878 where Maison Marnyhac won medals. Thanks to his fame, Charles de Marnyhac opened an exhibition in 1875 in London. It closed its doors around 1910. « In summary, and I conclude on this appreciation of which I am ready to assume all the responsibility, the exhibition of the Maison Marnyhac clearly demonstrated to me that Paris has two Barbedienne, that is to say two art industrialists and the whole of Europe can not oppose other equals personalities. This demonstration was worth a medal of honor; what do you think? » Emile de Bergerat, Les Chefs d'oeuvre d'art à l'Exposition Universelle de 1878, Paris, L. Baschet, 1878, p, 188. The brown patina bronze decor is very complex and elaborate.The curved frame is richly decorated with volutes and perforated decorations which look like signs inspired by Chinese calligraphy. At the center, on a red bright fabric highlighting the bronze, is represented under a typical architecture a man with a stern look, surely the Emperor, surrounded by his impassible guardians and his subjects, who, on their knees, prostrate themselves behind him. One of them, however, stands and raises his arms to the Emperor, like a prayer. A phoenix and two chimeras whose iconography is close to the dragons encircle the scene. The feet of the firescreen too take the form of monstrous creatures approaching the iconography of the Foo dog. This attraction for chinoiseries begins in Europe as early as the 14th century and grows especially from the 18th century. Thanks to the eclecticism and the Orientalism during the nineteenth century, Chinese art still has a great success incited by the World expositions. It is during the one in 1867 that European artists have the opportunity to visit the Chinese and the Japanese pavilions that give a breath of fresh air to this exotic inspiration. From then on, painters, decorators and architects will create an eclectic wave, both Japanese-inspired and / or Chinese, which will satisfy the taste for the curiosities and the eccentricities of the 19th century.

Ref.11075
Antique Napoleon III overmantel pierglass with friezes of laurel branches and wide shell

This antique Napoleon III style overmantel pierglass was made in France in the 19th century. The mirror is framed by friezes of laurel branches and at the top is a large shell. On both sides, two small naturalistic rosettes have been carved.

Ref.18028
Exceptional pair of Louis XV Style Silver Candlesticks by BOIN TABURET Manufacture

This unique pair of candlesticks in Louis XV style was made around 1880 out of solid silver. The central pillar and the arms are slightly curved and feature foliage directly inspired by the Rococo style. The candlesticks were made by Maison Boin-Taburet. The company was set up by Emile Taburet, whilst working with the antique dealer Georges Boin. The company thus took on the name “Boin Taburet” in 1880. They were present at the Universal exhibition of 1889 in Paris.

Ref.17257
CARRIER-BELLEUSE Louis et Manufacture de CHOISY LE ROI, "Every man for himself"!

Glazed red and white faience. Another example, presented at the Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, in 1898, and numbered 4060, was shown with three other vases: Hercules and Omphale, Children with Butterflies (in the collection of the Petit Palais, Paris), and Music. Resting on a square base, this pair of vases is decorated with a group of putti who encircle its lower section. These children, who look frightened, run in all directions, seemingly to escape some imminent danger. The ceramicist, who carefully studied how he was going to present the figures, succeeded by placing each one in a different position: some are running with outstretched arms; some are on the ground, probably having fallen on their terrified flight; still others look upward in a quest to understand the cause of their anguish: the two winged demons placed on either side of the top of the vase. These two small monsters are finished with a greenish glaze that gives them a hideous appearance. The title of the work, “Every man for himself!” is written twice on the underside of the vase and explains the iconography. The children, who sense they are in danger, attempt to escape as quickly as possible.     Louis Carrier-Belleuse first showed these vases in a plaster version at the Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts of 1896. They then reappeared at the Salon of 1898, this time in stoneware, with three other vases that formed a series: Hercules and Omphale, Children with Butterflies and Music. It was on this occasion, in 1900, that the vase was illustrated in the review La Décoration ancienne et moderne.     Son and pupil of the sculptor Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (1824-1887), Louis Carrier-Belleuse studied with Gustave Boulanger and Alexandre Cabanel at the Beaux-Arts academy. He began his career as a painter at the Salon of 1870 and started exhibiting his sculpture in 1889. Early on, he became interested in the industrial arts: for several years, he worked at the Sèvres factory with his father who had been the artistic director since 1875. Then, in 1877, thanks to Théodore Deck, he acquired his first training as a ceramicist, an experience that would determine the path he would eventually pursue: he became the artistic director of the Choisy-le-Roi faience manufactory. He created numerous models for them and often won awards, notably a medal in 1896, the year he showed the plaster version of “Every man for himself!”.    As artistic director of the Choisy-le-Roi faience manufactory, he designed numerous models of the highest quality, including this pair of vases, which is an exceptional example of his artistry. 

Ref.18458
ZSOLNAY Manufacture - "Young woman at the source", vide poche in iridescent ceramic

This Art Nouveau style vide-poche (storage tray) made of iridescent ceramic is from approximately 1900 and signed “Zsolnay Pecs Made in Hungary.” A female figure is leaning down with a jar to collect water. The object's asymmetrical shape, curved outlines, and iridescent ceramic translate the movement, texture, and blueish-green colors of the water. This colorful and original vide-poche belongs to the Art Nouveau movement, an artistic movement from the beginning of the 20th century that wanted to break away from traditional forms and historicist styles from the 19th century. The defenders of the Art Nouveau movement wished to create an art form that included both modernity and a return to nature and its symbols. This vide-poche's modernity is brought by the shine and colors of the iridescent ceramic, and by the object's simple outlines. It also has a very organic, natural side to it, as every aspect helps to recreate the water that the female figure is collecting. As the stamp on the bottom says, this object is from the Zsolnay Factory, a Hungarian ceramics factory founded in 1851 by the merchant Miklos Zsolnay. It first produced simple, useful objects, and in 1865, when Vilmos Zsolnay, Miklos' brother, took over the company, it began creating decorative dishware. It exhibited faience at the World's Fair of 1878 in Paris and obtained a Grand Prize. From the 1890's, the factory also produced architectural ceramics.

Ref.18521
Albert-Ernest Carrier de Belleuse called « CARRIER-BELLEUSE » (1824 - 1887) (after), Bust of a young Lady, Biscuit porcelain

This sculpture was made in the 19th century in biscuit porcelain. The statue represents the bust of a young lady with a veil. She is dressed in the Neo-Renaissance style. The famous sculptor Carrier-Belleuse created the model for this sculpture. Thus, it is marked "Carrier Belleuse" on the back of the base. This sculptor was a very important artist at his time. He participated in the Garnier Opera's construction, he was in charge of the "torchères au tambourin", which were importants lamps in the main stairs. He also was the professor of Auguste Rodin.

Ref.11517
Large antique Louis XVI style overmantel with basket of flowers

Beautiful and important antique overmantel pierglass, Louis XVI style, made out of wood and painted stucco in the 19th century. The upper part of the trumeau is decorated with a large basket filled with finely represented flowers. All around the basket unfold foliages and acanthus leaves.

Ref.10958
Napoleon III style clock, in Sèvres night blue porcelain and gilded bronze

Night blue porcelain from Sèvres and gilded bronze clock, made in the 19th century. Clock with cupids , a white enamelled dial with Roman numerals adorned with an angel, two ram's heads on the sides and two covered vases decorated with gallant scenes. Dial signed "Au vase de Sèvres 15 Bd Montmartre Paris".

Ref.11939
Prosper LECOURTIER (after) - "Roaring lions", pair of stone garden statues

This important pair of garden statues represents two roaring lions carved out of stone, made after the famous model by the animal sculptor Prosper Lecourtier. * Shown in movement, the open den which let us imagine a powerful roar, these lions are represented with realism. They rest on bases with winding. Prosper Lecourtier is an animal sculptor born in 1851 in the Meuse region. He was Emmanuel Frémiet's student at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and he inherits from his master a strong taste for wildlife. The model of the Roaring Lions is the best known model by Prosper Lecourtier, published in bronze many times. There is also a bronze version of this lion at the Museum of Art and Archeology in Guéret. It is much rarer to see these roaring lions carved out of stone, as it is for our garden statues. The only other known example is a marble version that decorates Parque Ibirapuera in São Paulo, Brazil. The great novelty brought by our lions is the design in pairs, symmetrically, which seems to be quite original.

Ref.12044
CLODION ( from) - Faunesse et Amour in marble

Faunesse et amour, white marble sculpture made in the 19th century, signed CLODION on the terrace.

Ref.4214
Antique Louis XV period mantel in Rance red marble, 18th century

This Louis XV period mantel was made of Rancel red marble in the 18th century. The paneled jambs with cut off jambs support an entablature adorned with oblong moldings and a beautiful stylized shell. The sides can be made in trompe l'oeil on request.

Ref.12719
Statue of a young musician faun in composite stone, 20th century

This statue depicting a young faun put on a squared terra cotta pedestal was made at the beginning of the 20th century in composite stone. It's a child faun that is depicted here, recognizable thanks to his legs and hears taking the ones of a goat. He's holding in his hands cymbals that he's banging against one another.

Ref.12740
Louis XV style bed alcove in oak, beginning of the 20th century

This Louis XV bed alcove was made in oak at the beginning of the 20th century. It presents in a semi-circle a rich sculpted Rococo style decor composed of flowers garlands, scrolls and acanthus leaves, that is framing in its center a painting of putti in a very colorful decor of flowers. The spandrels are sculpted with a netting adorned with flowers. On each sides of the alcove, two oak double doors are also adorned with a rich sculpted Rococo style decor composed of acanthus leaves scrolls and stylized selles.

Ref.12925
Lot of 1.4 m² of antique hexagonal terracotta tiles, 19th century

Antique 19th century period floor composed of hexagonal terracotta tiles. About 80 tiles of which the six sides are 3"9/32 inch for 6"1/2 inch width and 1 inch thick. The whole surface area is about 1.4 m².

Ref.12923
Lot of 6.4 m² of antique hexagonal terracotta tiles, 19th century

Antique 19th century period floor composed of hexagonal terracotta tiles. About 310 tiles of which the six sides are 3,54 inch for 7.08 inch width and 1 inch thick. The whole surface area is about 6.4 m².

Ref.12977
Lot of 22 m² of antique Point de Hongrie oak parquet flooring

Antique Point de Hongrie oak parquet flooring covering a surface of about 2 m². The strips are 6,5 cm width and 38 cm long.

Ref.13188
Lot of 4.7 m² of antique hexagonal terracotta tiles, 19th century

Antique 19th century period floor composed of hexagonal terracotta tiles. About 215 tiles of which the six sides are 3" 5/8 for 7" 1/4 length and between 5/8 and 1 thick. The whole surface area is about 4.7 m².

Ref.12850
Lot of around 10.5 m² of antique hexagonal terracotta tiles, 19th century

Antique 19th century period floor composed of hexagonal terracotta tiles from Provence. About 650 tiles of which the six sides are 3"1/8 for 6" 5/16 length and 13/16" thick. The whole surface area is about 10.5 m².

Ref.13333
Series of three curved and painted panels with Chinoiseries decoration

These three curved panels were made of wood in the 19th century. They are each adorned with a painted decoration depicting scenes of the daily Chinese life as it was the trend under the reign of Louis XV. The Chinoiseries which are an European artistic model characterized by the representation of an imaginary China as it is described in Roman Ancient time of a " fair and peaceful population that is leaving happy days in a pleasures country", were spread in the arts and know a true rise in the midlle of the 18th century. The Rococo painter François Boucher was a spacialist of this kind of representations.

Ref.4766
Musgrave & Co mannheim - Enameled cast iron stove adorned with views of important buildings in the Palatinate, Germany, circa 1900

This original Art Nouveau style enameled cast iron stove is a German work of the company Musgrave & Co dating from the beginning of the 20th century. Product of the industrial revolution, Musgrave & Co. was an Irish company making stoves located in Belfast. Founded in the mid 1840’s as a hardware merchant, it quickly develops a patent on the stove with slow combustion adapted to barns. In 1899, the brand was became widely known and a second factory was built in Mannheim, in Germany, with added exhibition rooms in Paris and Frankfort. Not only has settled and furnished the heat system for the Impress Frederic of Germany’s stables, but also for the King of Spain, and many British lords. Germany had a particularly enthusiast clientele for the very decorative stoves models as ours, it was also the only country in which they were sold. The decoration of our stove pays tribute to the Palatinate region as indicates the inscription «  Fröhlich Pfalz Gott erhalt's » literally meaning Happy Palatinate God saves it, through representation of emblematic monuments of the region. Indeed, we can recognize on the main side, the Speyer Cathedral, built in 1030 by Conrad II (v.990-1039) today registered in the UNESCO World Heritage sites. Also, it is the biggest Roman cathedral of the world. On the right side, is depicted the Godesburg castle, built in the 13th century on a volcanic hill and partially destroyed after the 1583 siege in the beginning of the Cologne War. Finally, we can see on the left side the Tower of Andernach, defensive tower built between 1440 and 1453.

Ref.13857
Rocaille style composite stone garden furniture

Ref.14842
Mantel with Vansittart and Crosbie coat of arms

Originating from the sumptuous Villa Salviati in Tuscany, this mantel top was created when the couple Arthur Vansittart and Diana Crosbie refurbished part of the villa's interior décor between 1844 and 1854. The villa, an important 15th-century Italian Renaissance work, was rented by the Vansittarts in 1836 before being purchased in 1844 with all its contents. They finally sold the villa in 1854, after moving many of the paintings and much of the furniture to Foots Cray Place in Kent. Our mantelpiece therefore dates from the period of occupation of the villa once purchased, between 1844 and 1854. It may be part of a redesign of some of the villa's interiors. An album of photographic views of the Villa Salviati dating from 1900-1920 shows our mantelpiece still in place in one of the rooms.

Ref.5137
Important Neo-Renaissance syle mantel carved in walnut wood and oak

Ref.14677
Louis XVI style trumeau decorated with a garland of flowers

Ref.14402
Fireback featuring the coat of arms of Leopold I, Duke of Lorraine and Bar

Ref.14832
Impressionist decor, large earthenware vase by Louis Auguste LEPÈRE for Faïencerie LAURIN

Designed between 1875 and 1878, this large ovoid vase is a technical feat due to its size and decoration. In earthenware, the polychrome decoration is made with slip, following a process developed by Ernest Chaplet at the Laurin earthenware factory in Bourg-la-Reine in 1871. The technique of slip painting was favored for making impressionist ceramics, in particular by Auguste Lepère. This painter, close to Félix Bracquemond, is the author of the landscape decoration which adorns our vase. It represents a Norman maritime landscape, between Dieppe and Etretat, with characteristic cliffs. The decor develops like a panoramic canvas, magnifying the beauty of the sky and illustrating the activities of the fishermen. The touch, vibrant and free, evokes the style of Eugène Boudin. The body of our vase is decorated with two lion heads modeled in relief. It rests on a sculpted and stained walnut base simulating a swamp populated with frogs.

Ref.14689
Lot of about 10 m² of parquet flooring in Hungarian stitch

Ref.14719
Napoleon III style trumeau decorated with a garland of flowers

Ref.11029
BACCARAT, Garniture with Japanese landscape, circa 1880

This decoration with a Japanese landscape was made by the Baccarat crystal factory around 1880. Founded under Louis XV, the French crystal factory Baccarat demonstrated its excellence at Universal Exhibitions throughout the 19th century. This ruby crystal trim is made up of two vases and a planter. The whole is emblematic of the quality of the crystal works. The gold enamelled decorations of the vases represent a Japanese landscape with Far Eastern fauna and flora. The waders are particularly characteristic. The planter is decorated with an aquatic landscape flown over by wild geese. A vast golden sun emerges from a mountainous background. The transparent crystal handles are also decorated with decorative gold motifs. Each element of the trim is assembled. The crystal maker's stamp, affixed since 1875, shortly before the creation of this piece, is found under the base of the gilded bronze frame. Baccarat produced, in the same period, another decoration mounted in red crystal enameled with gold, with slightly different shapes and a very similar Japanese decoration.

Ref.15976
After Philippe MAGNIER, after the antique, The Wrestlers

This bronze was made after the antique The Wrestlers by Philippe Magnier (1648-1715) between 1884 and 1888, based on a plaster cast from the antique preserved in the Uffizi Gallery, in Florence. It depicts two wrestlers or pancratiasts in action: one holds his opponent on the ground using his legs, while twisting his arm with one hand; the other, with his body folded over to the extreme, tries to resist the pressure exerted on him by his opponent; his face reveals effort and suffering, while maintaining classical perfection of features. The bulging muscles of the fighters demonstrate a precise study of human anatomy by the artist and a desire to accurately represent the sport, starting from Antiquity. The antique sculpture The Wrestlers, probably inspired by a now-lost Greek bronze, was discovered near Rome in 1583. It reminds us that pankration is a Greek combat sport, practiced during the ancient Olympic Games, which allowed the opponents great freedom in their attacks. This sport was practiced nude, as shown in this representation. In the 1680s, at a time when copies of antiques and modern commissions populated the king’s groves, a marble statue after the antique was commissioned by the royal administration from Philippe Magnier for the gardens of Versailles. The sculpture was placed in the park of the Château de Marly in the 1690s, where it remained until the Revolution. Numerous bronze casts were executed from Magnier’s marble in France in the 19th century. This medium, which gives an enhanced naturalistic impression compared to white marble, highlights the athletes' musculature. This bronze is thus emblematic of the enthusiasm generated by this representation of two wrestlers from its rediscovery during the Renaissance until the 19th century.

Ref.14746
Émile GALLÉ, Ornamental Dish With A Monkey Climbing Among Flowers

This highly original polychrome enamel ceramic dish featuring a monkey on a flowering branch was created by Émile Gallé, based on a model designed around 1878-1880. Considered the founding father of Art Nouveau, Émile Gallé took over the factory founded by his father and gave it significant impetus, which he supported throughout his life with ever-renewed creativity, of which this dish is emblematic. One of its edges features a pronounced relief with large, colorful, blooming flower corollas, while the flat part of the dish is adorned with a monkey climbing a tree, about to grasp the berries it covets. This piece is a variation on Émile Gallé's crescent moon dishes with varied decorations, of which the Musée d'Orsay holds a preparatory drawing. Émile Gallé created another dish based on the same model, also adorned with large flowers and a greedy monkey, which is now housed in the Musée de Nancy.

Ref.13384
Edmond LACHENAL for L'ESCALIER DE CRISTAL, Earthenware bowl decorated with flowers, circa 1890

This elegant ceramic bowl was created by Edmond Lachenal for L’Escalier de Cristal around 1890. It bears his signature. A ceramist and painter, Edmond Lachenal is known for his pastel and velvety enamels, characterized by their great softness. A medalist at the 1889 Universal Exposition, he was one of the favorite ceramists of Sarah Bernhardt, the tragedienne and woman of taste. He made this bowl for L’Escalier de Cristal. Founded around 1808 by Widow Desarnaud, this famous establishment was taken over by the brothers Georges and Henri Pannier at the end of the 19th century. They actively contributed to the spread of Japonism, of which this work is a beautiful testament, while maintaining the high quality that made the store’s reputation. Our bowl features a Japanese-inspired design: the hand-painted decoration depicts cherry blossom branches (called sakura in Japanese). Japonism was then in full bloom, both in the decorative arts and in the fine arts. The colors used and the chosen motifs, notably the variations on the blue background, are very similar to those of an Edmond Lachenal vase held at the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

Ref.15360
Louis XVI style trumeau decorated with a garland of flowers

Ref.15504
Pair of Napoleon III style mirrors decorated with garlands of flowers

Ref.5809
Louis XVI style semi-statuary marble mantel adorned with a frieze of flowers

This semi-statuary marble fireplace is in the Louis XVI-style. This style is reflected in the use of foliage and ribbons, the pilasters, and the shape of the band, which refers to Ancient Greece. The band of this fireplace is divided into three parts. A rectangular central section with a smooth base carved with a garland of flowers hanging from ribbons. The other two parts are symmetrical, on either side of this central motif, fluted throughout. The console part of the leg is decorated with a floral motif based on acanthus leaves and a central button in relief. The rest of the leg represents a pilaster in which field flowers are placed. This fireplace comes with its original cast-iron interior featuring intersecting leafy branches forming a regular geometrical pattern.

Ref.15663
Louis XVI style trumeau decorated with a garland of flowers

Ref.15664
Louis XVI style trumeau decorated with a garland of flowers

Ref.6100
Gabriel VIARDOT (1830-1901) – Japanese-style fireplace in stained sycamore wood, topped with a dragon and an imposing circular mirror

A talented wood sculptor, Gabriel Viardot opened a furniture factory and store in Paris in 1853. In the 1870s, he decided to dedicate himself to Japanese-style furniture. Participating in the numerous exhibitions that marked the art scene of the second half of the 19th century, each of his contributions was met with success. He won a silver medal at the Universal Exhibitions of 1878, 1885, and 1889, and then a gold medal at the Universal Exhibition of 1900. Measuring 261.5 cm in height and 160.5 cm in width, this fireplace is among the cabinetmaker's most imposing creations. The design of our fireplace is particularly original in that it is based on the complementary superposition of a circular mirror and a rectangular firebox. Technically and artistically, the creation of such a piece is a tour de force. The jambs are each adorned with a rampant dragon whose menacing heads are turned outwards. Their contorted bodies form an "S" shape, and their claws are firmly anchored in the wood. The lintel is richly decorated with geometric motifs typical of Japonisme and features a medallion adorned with flowers at its center. Evoking the overhanging roofs of Japanese temples, the lintel's projecting ends are slightly curved inwards. The upper part of the fireplace is remarkably complex. In the center, a secondary structure replicates the same notched profile as the lintel, and Viardot adds exquisitely openwork spandrels. At the top of this pagoda-like structure, a dragon with its mouth slightly open looms over the composition with a menacing air. The use of stained sycamore allows for a high degree of finish, particularly noticeable in the rendering of musculature and details. Set back against the wall, an imposing circular mirror defines the visual balance of the ensemble. The wooden crossbars that span it serve as a pretext for ornamentation: thus segmented, the different sections of the mirror act as a changing backdrop to this Japanese-inspired fantasy where plants and abstract geometric forms mingle. In 1887, the Revue des Arts Décoratifs praised Gabriel Viardot's work: "Inspired by Chinese and Japanese art, these pieces of furniture, adapted to European tastes, are far superior in craftsmanship to the originals, which most often have only decorative value and whose joinery is almost always defective; this adaptation is very interesting, for Mr. Viardot knows how to give his furniture a special character, while retaining the Asian style." » The fireplace attributed to Gabriel Viardot, which was sold in New York in 2013 (Christie’s, New York, April 18, 2013, lot 13), does not include a mirror and features a design and treatment of detail particularly close to our example.