Richly Carved French Hunt Buffet "St. Hubert" in Blonde Oak, circa 1890

Known as a “St Hubert”, this impressive oak hunt buffet features a well-carved back wall with two shelves set above a traditional buffet body. This structure, as well as the presence of the highly detailed and scrolled pilasters, are hallmarks of a St Hubert buffet or vaisselier. Additionally, St Hubert was the patron saint of hunters, so pieces such as ours almost always feature hunting trophies or carvings of animals. Perhaps the most noticeable carving is the ornate crown, which has a pair of winged lions flanking a shaped coat of arms topped by a scalloped shell with foliate margents running under the mythical creatures. Two more winged lions (with large monopodial feet) make up the pilasters that support the bottom shelf. The pilasters of the upper shelf are scrolled architectural elements with a curled leaf façade. Both shelves have volute leaf curls on each side, while the back wall has two foliate margents with a raised roundel medallion, set inside a rectangular border adorned with foliage. The same rectangular border can be seen on all four doors of the main body, each enveloping a unique carving inspired by nature. Both center doors have been embellished with trophies of felled birds, opening to reveal a single shelf. The side doors, which have been meticulously carved in a curved fashion, feature fruit and floral bouquets tied with crinkled ribbons, and front a shaped shelf. Above each door is a drawer festooned with rectangular molding and foliate margents, separated by square joinery embellished with rosettes and leaf clusters. Buffets such as ours would have been used as presentation pieces for fresh game in French hunting lodges...

From France, circa 1880, this exceptional buffet features curved ends, giving the cabinet an overall demilune shape. Carved by hand by an immensely talented woodworker, the motifs on the two center doors depict a fowl trophy (left door) and a fish trophy (right door), making this a buffet de chasse (hunting buffet). Both of the trophies, which are bas-relief, are surrounded by an arabesque of foliage, lozenges, and rinceaux, that is in turn encompassed by a rectangular molding adorned with a repeating latticework of lozenges. This same border also embellishes the two curved side doors, encircling a large bouquet of fruit and flowers carved in relief. The two center doors open to reveal a large compartment with a single shelf, while both of the side doors front separate compartments with a wedge-shaped shelf. Above each door is a belt drawer with small pendant pulls set within a sprawling foliate margent with floral terminals. Each drawer is flanked by two raised rectangular panels festooned with detailed leaf clusters. Directly beneath two of the leaf bouquets on the front façade are two protruding pilasters that separate the side doors from the main compartment doors. These supports have been carved with a fluted volute topped by a large leaf above a margent of assorted fruits. Beneath the pilasters is a protruding apron that is flush with the floor, carved with angular foliate niches and concentric roundels. More rounded version of the infilled niches grace the quarter-round molding that enhances the top, with a pull-out bread board that tops the front two drawers. The craftsmanship of our demi lune buffet...

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