Skip to main content

Furniture

French, 1821-1888

Best known for his work at the leading bronze foundry Maison Barbedienne in 1855, award-winning French ornamentalist Louis-Constant Sévin created awe-inspiring decorative objects worthy of the most prestigious houses of European royalty.

Born into a creative family in 1821, Sévin studied design and sculpture under Parisian artist Antoine-André Marneuf at the age of 13. In 1839, Sévin left to collaborate with sculptors Phénix and Joyau and design for famous silversmiths François-Désiré Froment-Meurice and Henri Duponchel. He then moved to London in order to evade the 1848 revolution, where he worked with goldsmith Léonard Morel-Ladeuil to design pieces that were showcased at the Great Exhibition of 1851.

Sévin returned to France that year to design models for Jouhanneaud and Dubois — a porcelain factory in the celebrated Limoges region of France — before commencing what became his decades-long position as an ornamental sculptor with Ferdinand Barbedienne.

For 23 years, Sévin created lamps, mirrors, boxes and more at Maison Barbedienne, which was one of the most revered foundries in 19th-century France, where its proprietor used electroplating to create ormolu. Working alongside chaser Désiré Attarge, Sévin designed Napoleon III-era works that greatly appealed to European nobility, and both kings of Belgium and Holland, Her Majesty the Queen of England, Madame de Païva and the Kremlin all awarded him commissions — this included his work for the final resting place of Prince Albert at Frogmore House in Windsor. 

Sévin gravitated toward ancient Greek motifs and his work often mimicked the ornate detailing associated with design in China and the Middle East. An extraordinary cabinet that features Moorish-style arches is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, while his decorative clock designs, such as the neo-Renaissance-style model that earned Barbedienne the Grand Prix in 1878, are especially demonstrative of Sévin’s talent for creating objects with rich cultural significance.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of antique Louis-Constant Sévin lighting and decorative objects.

5
to
3
2
5
5
5
1
5
5
4
3
3
1
5
5
3
5,128
4,027
2,457
2,236
Creator: Louis-Constant Sévin
An Exceptional Pair of Champleve Enamel Ormolu Candelabra by Sevin & Barbedienne
By Louis-Constant Sevin, Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in New York, NY
Illuminating Heritage: An Important "Exhibition" Pair of Ferdinand Barbedienne and Louis Constant Sevin Champleve Enamel and Ormolu Eight-Light Candelabra / Lamps In the realm of de...
Category

19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu

A Champlevé Enamel Jardinière by Ferdinand Barbedienne
By Ferdinand Barbedienne, Louis-Constant Sevin
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Champlevé Enamel and Gilt-Bronze Mounted Jardinière by Ferdinand Barbedienne, the design attributed to Louis-Constant Sévin. This fine jardinière is decorated all over with foliate...
Category

19th Century French Antique Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Enamel

Napoleon III Clock Garniture Designed by Sévin, Cast by Barbedienne
By F. Barbedienne Foundry, Louis-Constant Sevin
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A fine Napoleon III gilt-bronze and porcelain mounted clock garniture, designed by Louis-Constant Sévin, cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne, The Movement by Japy Frères. Frédéric Japy ...
Category

19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Extremely Rare Pair of Ferdinand Barbedienne Ormolu and Champlevé Enamel Vases
By Ferdinand Barbedienne, Louis-Constant Sevin
Located in New York, NY
An extremely rare, museum quality pair of Ferdinand Barbedienne ormolu and champlevé enamel vases, circa 1870, certainly designed by Louis Constant Sevin...
Category

19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Furniture

Materials

Enamel, Ormolu

Antique Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock by Sevin and Barbedienne
By Ferdinand Barbedienne, Louis-Constant Sevin
Located in London, GB
This ormolu clock is an exemplary work by the famous French 19th century metalworker and foundry-owner, Ferdiand Barbedienne. Working with a design made by the acclaimed onamentalist, Louis-Constant...
Category

Late 19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Furniture

Materials

Ormolu, Bronze

Related Items
Napoleon III Bronze Clock XIXth
Located in Beaune, FR
Large clock in gilded and patinated bronze from the Napoleon III period dating from the 19th century. This clock is of very high quality, complete and in very good condition. Dimens...
Category

19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Napoleon III Bronze Clock XIXth
Napoleon III Bronze Clock XIXth
H 23.63 in W 31.5 in D 7.09 in
Ferdinand Barbedienne Set of Gilt Bronze-Mounted Champleve Onyx Garniture
By Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a Ferdinand Barbedienne set of gilt bronze-mounted champleve onyx garniture. It consist of two urns and one large oval vase/jardiniere. The vase...
Category

Late 19th Century French Empire Antique Furniture

Materials

Onyx, Bronze

French 19th Century Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Cherubs & Rooster Mantel Clock
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine French 19th century Louis XV style gilt bronze and white marble figural mantel clock. The finely chased ormolu body, with its original two-tone mercury gilt, centered with a circular enameled porcelain clock face with Roman and Arabic numeral dials and inscribed 'A. Thomas - Fabt de Bronze - 56, Rue de Turenne - Paris', surmounted with a pair of playful seated cherubs amidst clouds and wreaths, the case crowned with a figure of a Gallic Rooster (Coq Gaulois...
Category

Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Furniture

Materials

Marble, Ormolu, Bronze

Ferdinand Barbedienne " Diana" Sculpture, 19th Century
By Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in Madrid, ES
"Diane de Gabies" French sculpture, late 19th century. Patinated bronze with "Ferdinand Barbedienne" foundry marks. Height: 51 cm. Very good condition.
Category

19th Century French Baroque Antique Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Napoleon III Period Gilt and Patinated Bronze Clock by Delafontaine
Located in London, GB
The acclaimed French bronze foundry, Delafontaine, created this remarkable mantel clock. At the time this piece was crafted, in c.1860, the company was directed by Auguste-Maximilien Delafontaine (1813-1892). The firm was famous for its high-quality artistic bronzes, which can today be viewed in major art collections, such as the Louvre in Paris. Shaped like an upside down ‘T’, this gilt bronze...
Category

1860s French Napoleon III Antique Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu

Japanese Champlevé Cloisonné Square Copper Jardinière
Located in New York, NY
Antique champlevé cloisonné enamel on copper square jardinière. With bat design on each side. They are flying through the clouds and sky, ab...
Category

Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture

Materials

Copper

Ferdinand Barbedienne, A French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardiniere, C. 1870
By Louis-Constant Sevin, Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in New York, NY
Ferdinand Barbedienne, A French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardiniere, C. 1870, The Design Attributed to Louis Constant Sevin. An exceptional qualit...
Category

19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu

Pair of Gilt and Patinated Bronze Candelabra by Ferdinand Barbedienne
By Ferdinand Barbedienne, Paul Dubois
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Pair of Gilt and Patinated Bronze Figural Five-Light Candelabra Cast by Barbedienne after the Models by Alexandre Falguière and Paul Dubois. Signed ‘FALGUIERE’ and ‘P. DUBOIS’ ...
Category

19th Century French Antique Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Antique Pair French Cloisonne Champlevé Ormolu Gilt Bronze Cherub Candelabra
Located in Dublin, Ireland
An Exceptionally Stylish Pair of French Bronze Dore and Champleve Cloisonne twin arm Cherub or Putti Candelabra of outstanding quality and generous proportions. Third quarter of the ...
Category

Late 19th Century French Victorian Antique Furniture

Materials

Alabaster, Bronze, Ormolu

Antique Bronze and Brass Mantel Clock, Enameled Roman Numerals, Lion Sculptures
Located in Lisse, NL
Elaborate and fine quality workmanship clock from the late 1800s. If you have never had the pleasure of owning a beautiful antique clock then ...
Category

Late 19th Century French Neoclassical Revival Antique Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Metal, Brass

French Champleve and Onyx Urns Barbedienne
By Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in Newark, England
Onyx & Champleve Enamel From our Decorative collection, we are delighted to offer this pair of French Champleve and Onyx Urns attributed to Barbedienne. The Urns of typical form wi...
Category

Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Furniture

Materials

Onyx, Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu

French Champleve and Onyx Urns Barbedienne
French Champleve and Onyx Urns Barbedienne
Free Shipping
H 12.2 in W 6.7 in D 5.9 in
Gilt Bronze & Marble Greek Revival Mantel Clock w. Goddess Athena Sculpture 1880
Located in Lisse, NL
Fine and meaningful, 19th century, goddess of war theme clock. Throughout the 19th century, French artisans have made some of the most amazing quality and meaningful antiques using the most expensive materials and techniques available. This finest quality made and relatively small mantle clock has all of that and that is why it resonates a timeless style that you don't find anymore in this day and age. On top of this clock you have the beautiful Athena bust...
Category

19th Century French Greek Revival Antique Furniture

Materials

Marble, Brass, Enamel, Bronze, Metal

Previously Available Items
Louis Constant Sévin & F. Barbedienne, a Rare Ormolu and Blue Glass Centerpiece
By Louis-Constant Sevin, Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in New York, NY
Louis Constant Sévin & F. Barbedienne, a rare ormolu and blue glass centerpiece, circa 1880. This fantastic quality centerpiece vase is made with the...
Category

19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Louis XVI Style Porcelain and Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock
By Louis-Constant Sevin, Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in London, GB
This exquisite clock was designed in the late 19th century in France by Louis-Constant Sévin and most probably cast by the Barbedienne foundry. Louis-Constant Sévin was a designer...
Category

Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Pair of Neo-Greek Candelabras by L.C. Sévin & F. Barbedienne, France, Circa 1878
By Louis-Constant Sevin, Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in PARIS, FR
Signed F. Barbedienne Pair of eight light-arm candelabra, made in two patina bronze, in the shape of an antique caryatid, after the model of the statues standing in the "Caryatids Room" in the Louvre Palace, in Paris, built and decorated by Pierre Lescot in the 16th century. (see picture attached) Born in 1821 and dead in Paris in 1888, Louis-Constant Sévin was apprenticed to the parisian sculptor Marneuf. In 1839, he joined the sculptor-modelors Phénix and Joyau, as designer, and designed silver-smith’s objects for famous firms like Denière, Froment-Meurice, Morel and Duponchel. During the Revolution in 1848, C. Sévin joined Morel in London, as workshop manager and designed pieces that Morel exhibited in 1851. Back in France in 1851, C. Sévin went to Limoges and designed models for the porcelain factories of Jouhanneaud and Dubois of which many pieces were exhibited at the Universal Exhibition in 1855. From this date on, he worked for Ferdinand Barbedienne as sculptor-ornemanist until the end of his life. Sévin’s works are considerable, he designed furniture bronzes for the « hôtel de La Païva ». At the London Exhibition in 1862, he was awarded a medal « pour l’excellence artistique des meubles qu’il a dessinés et qui sont exposés par Barbedienne » : for the artistic excellence of the furniture he designed and which is exhibited by F. Barbedienne. He won a second class medal at the Union centrale des Arts décoratifs...
Category

1870s French Greek Revival Antique Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Fine Renaissance Style Wall-Clock by Sévin and Barbedienne
By Louis-Constant Sevin, Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in PARIS, FR
Signed on the dial F. Barbedienne à Paris A gilt bronze wall-clock decorated with Renaissance style motifs, such as scalloped scrolls, pomegranates, a faun head and putti framing the dial. In decorative arts, the "cuir découpé" motif (cut leather) recalls a cut leather or metal piece, wound like stylized volutes. This decorative motif is characteristic of the French Renaissance as showed in the inner decoration of the Galerie François I (1535) at the Château de Fontainebleau. Used by artists on tapestry and engravings, this motif was back into fashion in the 19th century. Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888) designed as soon as 1839 silver-smith’s objects for famous firms like Denière, Froment-Meurice, Morel and Duponchel. During the Revolution in 1848, he joined Morel in London, as workshop manager and designed pieces that Morel exhibited in 1851. Back in France, he worked in 1855 for Ferdinand Barbedienne as sculptor-ornemanist until the end of his life. Sévin’s works are considerable, he designed furniture bronzes for the “hôtel de La Païva.” At the London Exhibition in 1862, he was awarded a medal for the artistic excellence of the furniture he designed and which was exhibited by F. Barbedienne. He won a second class medal at the Union centrale des Arts décoratifs Exhibition...
Category

1870s French Renaissance Revival Antique Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Louis XVI Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Porcelain Clock by Sévin and Barbedienne
By Louis-Constant Sevin, F. Barbedienne Foundry
Located in London, GB
This beautiful Louis XVI style mantel clock was designed by Louis-Constant Sévin, who was the chief ornamentalist at the prestigious Barbedienne bronze foundry in Paris. The company was directed by Ferdinand Barbedienne, who was a famous French bronzier. Sévin was widely praised for his ability to design in a variety of styles, including Louis XVI, Gothic, Chinese, Persian, and more, executing them ‘to the point that’, as Barbedienne remarked, ‘connoisseurs mistake their origins’. While versatile, Sévin's designs were consistently ‘sober and pure’ (Barbedienne). This clock is signed ‘LC’, for Louis-Constant. This mantel clock is comprised of a table-form body, which is topped by a vase. This porcelain vase features a parcel gilt and jewelled, white and navy striped neck, which is topped by a gilt bronze pinecone finial, and fitted with scrolled, gilt bronze handles. The vase body is decorated, on its front, with a painting of Venus and, on its reverse, with an image of a flower basket. Its sides are mounted with two gilt bronze classical, nude winged women, holding burning torches. The vase stands on a jewelled and parcel gilt navy stem, set on a stepped, square gilt bronze plinth. The table-form clock body is comprised of a fluted gilt bronze top, which is raised up on four navy porcelain...
Category

Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Large French Antique Ormolu Mantel Clock by Ferdinand Barbedienne
By Louis-Constant Sevin, F. Barbedienne Foundry
Located in London, GB
Made by Ferdinand Barbedienne (French, 1810-1892), the design by Louis-Constant Sevin (French, 1821-1888). The central circular dial signed 'F. Barbedienne' and 'A Paris' in an architectural glass clock case applied with masks and trailing foliage surmounted by a figure of Neptune, the movement stamped 'J.E. DUPONT PARIS,' and '9658' with Apollo sun-burst pendulum, raised on a stepped rectangular plinth, the reverse of the case inscribed 'F. BARBEDIENNE. FONDEUR. PARIS.' This monumental mantel...
Category

Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Enamel

Louis-constant Sévin furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Louis-Constant Sévin furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Louis-Constant Sévin furniture, although gold editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Louis-Constant Sévin were created in the neoclassical style in france during the 19th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Eugene-Antoine Aizelin, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, and Achille Collas. Prices for Louis-Constant Sévin furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,458 and can go as high as $125,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $37,343.

Creators Similar to Louis-Constant Sévin

Recently Viewed

View All