Louis Philippe Tall, Shallow Walnut Display Cabinet/Bibliotheque, France c. 1870

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Louis Philippe Tall, Shallow Walnut Display Cabinet/Bibliotheque, France c. 1870

About the Item

A Louis Philippe style walnut bibliotheque of superb proportions and timber from France c. 1870. Please take a moment to examine the excellent quality of the lustrous walnut that this bibliotheque is constructed from as well as its splendid proportions. The soaring height is well balanced by the width and gives the cabinet an unusually graceful and elegant presence. Louis Philippe reigned as King of France from 1830-1848 and during this period furniture design continued to value the simplicity and architectural presence first seen during the reign of Napoleon I. Graceful lines and bold shapes were enhanced by utilizing top quality materials. The crown of this bibliotheque is the widest and deepest of the entire cabinet and serves to frame the overall appearance. The profile of the crown has a lovely cascade as it tapers down to stand upon the body of the cabinet. Both sides of the bibliotheque are straight and frame a recessed panel of walnut timber that extends fully from top to bottom. Interestingly there are two separate cabinet doors on the front of the cabinet and both doors are fitted within a moulded surround and pivot on pin hinges concealed in the upper and lower outer corners. This construction method allows the doors to remain straight and true within their framed edge. Each door has a brass neoclassical shield shaped escutcheon (the metal plate that guides the iron key through the walnut of the door to the internal lock) that is the only hardware visible on the entire bibliotheque. The use of interior hinges focuses attention on the geometric appearance of the overall construction with its horizontal and vertical lines. When the doors are opened with the key a large display/storage space is revealed. The shelves that are visible through the antique glass are faced with the same walnut as the cabinet and blend beautifully with the exterior. The two adjustable shelves located behind the walnut timber of the doors remain merely painted wood with no effort expended to make them match the exterior. All five of these shelves are easily adjusted by the use of the inside track that enables the levels to be changed merely by using the brackets to adjust the height of each shelf. This is an unusual detail that shows the superior awareness of the cabinet maker who was aware the bibliotheque's importance in the overall design of an interior. In order to see the contents of a bibliotheque, whether volumes of books and/or an important collection are displayed, the glass doors with their customary wavy ripple in the old glass give easy visual access to the entire interior. The base of the bibliotheque has a solid apron on both the front and sides while the entire cabinet stands upon raised bracket feet. Note how the shape of the front of each foot is reminiscent of the curved profile of the crown and echoes the striking profile and shape. The interior has been repainted at some point to provide better contrast with objects displayed within and may be repainted if desired. Please also note the amazing shallow depth of this bibliotheque that may easily accommodate books and objects while not being bulky or ponderous in its scale.

Dimensions:
Height: 100 in (254 cm)Width: 64 in (162.56 cm)Depth: 18 in (45.72 cm)
Style:
Louis Philippe (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Walnut
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
c.1870
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Houston, TX
Reference Number:
Seller: EEJ631stDibs: LU86681090006