Dating back to the Bourbon Restoration in France and the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, l’Escalier de Cristal (the Crystal Staircase) was founded by Madame Veuve Désarnaud as the first company to offer decorative objects made from crystal and gilded bronze. The firm was located in the Palais Royal in Paris, opposite the Louvre. It grew through a series of owners to become the gold standard for reproductions of 18th-century furniture — so perfect they were often mistaken for originals.
Désarnaud won numerous awards for her creations, including a gold medal at the 1819 Paris Exposition des Produits de l’Industrie Française for a dressing table featuring her signature bronze-crystal combination. A tailor named Boin bought the company around 1830; he in turn sold it to Pierre-Isidore Lahoche in 1840. Lahoche’s son-in-law, Émile Pannier, joined in a partnership in 1952 before Émile’s sons took over in 1885, establishing Pannier Frères. The company ceased commercial production in 1923.
Starting as early as the 1860s, there was a growing appetite for Japanese-style furniture, thanks in large part to the Japanese pavilion at the International Exposition of 1867. Henry Pannier reimagined some of the company’s designs to meet this new demand. The stylized furniture was a huge success and earned the company many awards, including the gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. Others who contributed to this stylistic trend included French artist Émile Gallé, French glassmaker and ceramicist François-Eugène Rousseau, French furniture designer Louis Majorelle and French cabinetmaker Gabriel Viardot.
Henry Pannier made a constant effort to sketch each object the company sold and record it in his notebooks. Over 50 years, he recorded 2,800 furniture designs, each with its own name, date of sale and price. On some pieces, l’Escalier de Cristal signed the models, adding a layer of authenticity and distinction for today’s collectors.
Museums around the world have collected pieces from l’Escalier de Cristal, including the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of l’Escalier de Cristal decorative objects, vases, desk accessories and more.
Series of Four Louis XVI Style Wall Lights with Parrots, After 1885
By Edmé Samson, L'Escalier de Cristal
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
This series of four gilt bronze wall lights featuring a porcelain parrot was made for l’Escalier De Cristal after 1885, year during which Henry and Georges Pannier start to manage th...
Bronze
$24,905 / set
H 25.99 in W 11.82 in D 6.7 in
Set of Four Louis XVI Style Jasperware and Gilt Bronze Wall Sconces
By Maison Beurdeley, Henri Vian
Located in London, GB
These exquisite wall lights were created in the late 19th century by the famous bronzier, Henri Vian (French, 1860-1905). These wall lights are stamped ‘HV 955’ for Henri Vian, along with ‘BY’ for the prestigious Beurdeley furniture-making workshop (French, founded 1818). Vian purchased several bronze models that were created by Beurdeley when the company closed in 1895. These lights were most likely cast from a Beurdeley model. Typical of both Beurdeley’s and Vian’s work, these lights are designed in an 18th century Louis XVI (Neoclassical) style. The wall lights feature gilt bronze (ormolu) backplates which are designed to look like ribbons, tied in bows and ending in tassels. These ribbons support gilt bronze oval frames...
Ormolu, Bronze
$1,434 / set
H 22.05 in W 6.3 in D 7.09 in
Pair Antique Louis XVI Style Bronze Wall Sconces / Wall Lights Torches
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
A pair antique large wall sconces / lights, made of cold gilded bronze. The torch-shaped lamps have molded satin glass lampshades in the shape of fire torches...
Bronze
Louis XVI Style Antique Wall Lights
Located in London, GB
A captivating duo of brass wall lights, each adorned with three graceful arms and an exquisite ribbon crown detail. These splendid reproductions exude the timeless elegance of the Lo...
Brass
Pair Of Louis XVI Style Gilt Bronze Wall Lights
Located in BARSAC, FR
Pair of Louis XVI style sconces in gilded bronze with fire pots and draperies decoration. French work CIRCA 1950 Very good condition, re-electrified by our workshop (EU norms, US n...
Bronze
French Louis XVI Style Bronze Wall Sconce
Located in Queens, NY
French Louis XVI-style (20th Century) gilt bronze wall sconce with fluted design, two scroll arms, and an urn and swag finial top.
Bronze
$29,950Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 40.5 in W 20 in D 12 in
Pair of French 19th Century Louis XVI Style Figural Wall Lights after Thomire
By Pierre-Philippe Thomire
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine pair of French 19th century Louis XVI style gilt bronze five-light figural wall lights (Sconces - Appliques) after the model by Pierre-Philippe Thomire (French, 1751–1843...
Bronze
Set of Four Louis XVI Style Gilt Bronze Wall Lights
By Maison Baguès
Located in London, GB
An impressive set of four Louis XVI style gilt bronze and porcelain mounted two and three-branch wall lights. Modelled with porcelain flowers, glass leaves and a flamboyant glass sta...
Bronze
Pair of Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Wall Sconces, Four-Light
Located in Atlanta, GA
A pair of Louis XVI style gilt-bronze four-light wall sconces, incorporating a reserve fitted with a decorated oval porcelain plaque. Four-light...
Bronze
Set of Four 19th Century Louis XVI Style Bronze Wall Sconces
Located in Stamford, CT
Set of four amazing 19th Century Louis XVI style bronze gas wall sconces. Louis XIV style, emerged in the mid-17th century, characterized by grandeur, symmetry, and opulence, often s...
Bronze
$1,434 / set
H 11.82 in W 3.94 in D 12.6 in
Pair of Louis XVI Style French Bronze Wall Lights, ca. 1920
Located in Barntrup, DE
A beautiful pair of French Louis XVI-style wall sconces. Made of bronze, shaped like large scrolls and decorated with elegant foliate motifs. Each sconce has one socket for an E14-si...
Bronze
Pair Of Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Wall Lights
Located in Kent, Dover
A pair of French Louis XV style, three branch gilt bronze wall lights. Not electrified.
Ormolu
$22,138 / set
H 51.97 in W 26.78 in D 14.57 in
Extremely Large Pair of Louis XVI Style Three-Branch Ormolu Wall Lights
Located in London, GB
Each backplate surmounted by a flaming swagged urn on a tapering pedestal, with three acanthus-clasped scrolled branches with reeded columns.
Ormolu