Le Louvre French Antiques Furniture
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Pair of 18th Century Italian Baroque Giltwood Candleholders
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved in Italy, this pair of giltwood candleholders are from the Baroque period. Based on the asymmetrical carvings of C-scrolls and curled leaves, this was most likely an earl...
Category
Antique 18th Century Italian Baroque Candelabras
Materials
Wood, Giltwood
Antique French Silvered Bronze Table Mirror with Candle Holders, Circa 1850
Located in Dallas, TX
A unique production from the Napoleon III period, this silvered bronze table mirror features two adjustable foliate candle holders that slot into gudgeons affixed near the base of a ...
Category
Antique 1850s French Rococo Table Mirrors
Materials
Bronze
Early 18th Century French Oak Buffet Deux Corps from Colmar, Alsace
Located in Dallas, TX
Colmar, where this handsome buffet deux corps was crafted, is an affluent commune in the Alsace region of France, a mere 15 miles from the German border. Because of this proximity, the hand-carved oak cabinet features some elements that were inspired by German woodworkers of the early 1700’s.
A robust lower body, with a thick molding along the apron, is supported by four onion feet, often found on large German case pieces...
Category
Antique Early 18th Century French Louis XIV Buffets
Materials
Iron
Le Pont Neuf Painting in Giltwood Frame by Ansaloni, Dated 1944
Located in Dallas, TX
Le Pont Neuf, the oldest existing bridge to span the Seine in Paris, is the subject of this painted board in giltwood frame, signed and dated in the lower left corner by the artist, ...
Category
Vintage 1940s French Paintings
Materials
Wood, Giltwood, Paint
Early 18th Century Brabant Brussels Tapestry Fragment with Swag and Rams Heads
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-woven by a workshop in the early 1700’s, this tapestry fragment features a lush fruit and floral display with swag and rams’ heads. The rams’ heads are located in the upper corn...
Category
Antique Early 18th Century Belgian Louis XIV Tapestries
Materials
Textile, Wool, Silk
19th Century French Regence Style Silver and Gold Leaf Mirror "a Parcloses"
Located in Dallas, TX
This stunning silver and gold gilt wall mirror has eight side mirrored panels separated and held in place from the main center mirror by giltwood or...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XIV Wall Mirrors
Materials
Mirror, Wood
Circa 1870 French Walnut Wood Center Table with Rams' Heads and Fleur De Lys
Located in Dallas, TX
This unusual and interesting center table was produced in France, during the middle of the latter half of the 19th century. It was during this time that French furniture makers, desi...
Category
Antique 1870s French Louis XIV Center Tables
Materials
Wood, Walnut
Rare 17th Century Oak and Brass 4-Door Buffet from Saint-Malo, France, C. 1690
Located in Dallas, TX
This grand and distinctive piece of furniture from Northern Brittany is known as a “buffet malouin” and was created in the late 17th century. These types of cabinets were created for important homes in the historic port city of Saint-Malo. The design, with large octagonal molded panels, double colonettes, and finely cut brass fittings, is unique to other French furniture of the period. The design was directly influenced by the Dutch mariner carpenters living in Saint-Malo at the time (the Dutch beeldenkast cabinet shows similarities)
The large four-door cabinet was carved in oak, as was most of the other “malouin” furniture pieces. It is an imposing and impressive piece, standing over 7 feet tall and nearly 7 feet wide. The front of the piece has twisted, double colonettes, multi-profiled cushion-shaped octagonal panels, and finely cut brass key hole escutcheons, drawer pulls, and lozenge plates. There are 3 drawers, 2 of which are full sized, with a smaller drawer in the center. 3 large bun feet along the front hold up the entire piece, while 2 block feet support the rear.
Each door has its own functioning key and lock, with a yet another key for the center drawer. Door and drawer panels are solid and impressive old pieces of oak, which still open and close with ease, indicating the quality of construction and great care that this piece has received over the centuries.
The “meuble malouin” in the form of a large 4 door buffet is not often easily found. Research shows photos of several models in various states that have come to surface, but they were not nearly pervasive as French case...
Category
Antique 1690s French Louis XIV Cupboards
Materials
Brass
Antique French Zinc Oeil De Boeuf Window Frame, Circa 1890
Located in Dallas, TX
Sometimes referred to as a dormer, this zinc oeil de boeuf window frame is from France, circa 1890. First used during the 17th century, the dormer...
Category
Antique 1890s French Windows
Materials
Zinc
Circa 1730 Bleached Oak Buffet Deux Corps from Laval, France
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved in Laval, France, circa 1730, this oak buffet deux corps has been bleached, allowing the motifs of the Louis XV cabinet to gain promi...
Category
Antique 1730s French Louis XV Buffets
Materials
Oak
18th Century French Cherrywood 'Bureau de Pente' Slant Top Writing Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Larger than the typical Louis XV writing desk, this cherrywood bureau de pente was hand-carved in France during the late 1700’s, just after the period ended. This type of desk went by several names, including bureau dos d’âne and secrétaire à dessus brisé, and they almost always featured a fold-down writing surface.
Four long, slender cabriole legs, which are typical of Louis XV writing desks, provide a sturdy base for the beautiful desk. The curvaceousness of the legs continues throughout the desk, from the subtly contoured sides to the highly sinuous apron on all sides. Set within the apron are two drawers with round bronze pulls that flank a faux center drawer with a foliate and shell handle.
The fold-down writing surface, which has a functioning lock with a foliate escutcheon, opens to reveal eight small arbalete drawers arranged in four columns. Above the topmost drawers of each column is an open storage compartment. There are two more larger storage compartments in the center above a false-bottom hidden compartment. The fold down writing surface is held by a set of polished steel arms.
A graceful and functional bureau de pente from the late 18th century, this cherrywood slant top writing desk...
Category
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Large Painted Oval Wooden Wall Panel from Florence, Italy
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-painted in Florence, Italy, this fantastic oval wooden wall panel features a large urn with a scrolled handle. The urn is adorned with a fluted...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Paintings
Materials
Wood, Paint
Circular Lobed Marble Font Basin from Italy
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved in Italy during, this circular lobed marble font basin would make a great vide-poche. A vide-poche (literally “empty pocket”) is a small storag...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Materials
Marble
Stripped 19th Century French Oak Renaissance Style Table with Marble Top
Located in Dallas, TX
As is the case with most French Renaissance style furniture, this beautiful stripped oak table with marble top features elaborate sculptural ornamen...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Renaissance Side Tables
Materials
Marble, Metal, Brass
Pair of Tall French Louis XVI Style Gilt Bronze Sconces, C. 1880
Located in Dallas, TX
This large pair of wall sconces is made of gilt bronze and dates to the late 19th century. The design of the sconces is in the Louis XVI taste, as evidenced by the lyre-form body, t...
Category
Antique 1880s French Louis XVI Wall Lights and Sconces
Materials
Bronze
Antique French Neoclassical Grisaille Overdoor Painting, Circa 1815
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-painted in France, this handsome grisaille overdoor painting is from the neoclassical period, circa 1815. Grisaille is a monochromatic painting ...
Category
Antique 1810s French Neoclassical Paintings
Materials
Canvas
French Carved Oak Coffre Chest or Trunk with Shaped Legs, 20th Century
Located in Dallas, TX
Chests are one of the oldest pieces of furniture, as ancient Egyptians first used them around 3000 BC. During the early Renaissance, taller chests, such as this French oak coffre chest...
Category
20th Century French Blanket Chests
Materials
Oak
Louis XIV Cherrywood Commode from France, Early 18th Century
Located in Dallas, TX
The straight grain and rich color of the cherry tree made it a desirable wood for constructing luxury furniture during the 18th century. One beautiful example is our period Louis XIV commode, which was hand-carved in France in the early 1700’s.
Augmenting the lovely reddish-brown color of the commode is an arbalete top that slightly hangs over the three stacked drawers below. Each drawer has three bronze foliate fittings set inside geometric panels with recessed molding (two pierced foliate swag pulls flanking a small keyplate surrounded by a parted leaf). There is a unique, shallow pullout drawer with two concentric circle pulls built into the molded frieze. This drawer was most likely used to store jewelry and other small valuables.
Canted corners can be seen along the front of the shaped top, with elongated asymmetrical panels beneath that flank the tiers of drawers...
Category
Antique Early 18th Century French Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Bronze
Small Italian Beige and Burgundy Marble Lobed Basin or Vide Poche
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved in Italy during the 1900’s, this small marble lobed basin would make a great vide-poche. A vide-poche (literally “empty pocket”) is a small storage bowl for everyday items, such as car keys, loose change, wallets, etc.
A marble basin of this size might have originally been used in a Catholic church as a holy water vessel. The gadrooned lobes carved along the outside give the appearance of a stylized scalloped shell. On the back of the shell is an excavated block of marble, which is how the basin would have been affixed to a wall. The beautiful beige colored marble with burgundy inclusions and white veining has been carved with a quarter round molding along the rim. A versatile item, our small Italian marble shell basin...
Category
20th Century Italian Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Materials
Marble
Carved Italian Marble Sundial with Iron Gnomon
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved in Italy, this beautiful marble sundial has a turned iron gnomon that mirrors a thin twisted rope molding along the outer edges. Beneath the gnomon attachment are colored inserts that form a blue, red, yellow, and green compass rose, providing a colorful contrast to the cream marble with subtle tan and gray veining.
As the earth rotates on its axis, the gnomon casts a shadow onto the marble which is incised with Roman Numerals on a stylized scroll. Directly under the tip of the angled gnomon is “XII”, indicating noon. The numbers to the left of XII run counterclockwise, starting with “VI”. On the opposite side, the numerals continue in a counterclockwise manner, terminating in a second “VI” (which would be PM if the sundial...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Sundials
Materials
Marble, Iron
Large 18th Century French Oil on Canvas Painting depicting a Hunt Scene
Located in Dallas, TX
This large (96 3/4 inches high) oil on canvas painting depicts a man and his dog on a hunt in the French countryside. A hunter dressed in red and tan with a mauve overcoat can be seen following behind a white retriever...
Category
Antique 18th Century French Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Wood, Paint
Large 18th Century French Oil on Canvas Painting Depicting a Hunt Scene
Located in Dallas, TX
This large (110 inches high) oil on canvas painting depicts a successful hunter, with his felled game displayed near his retriever dogs. Our hunter is leaning against a stone pedestal, clad in blue coat and pants with his rifle beneath his right hand. The man is wearing a gold cap with red fabric attached to it and has a sword on his left hip. Three retriever dogs stand to the hunter’s left, while a fourth sits in front of him (the man appears to be motioning to this dog with his left hand).
An orange terra cotta vase adorned with spiral fluting sits on top of a molded plinth at the top of the pedestal. Ivy has begun to wrap around the vase, which also is festooned with green drapery. On a ledge at the base of the pedestal is the felled game: a rabbit and three birds. The hunting display is surrounded by numerous trees and shrubbery. Mountains and a lake can be seen in the background, beneath a blue sky with pink and orange clouds and birds flying.
Based on the size and vertical orientation, the scene was most likely part of a French boiserie room...
Category
Antique 18th Century French Louis XVI Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Wood
A Long 17th Century Carved Oak Baluster Leg Table from Flanders
Located in Dallas, TX
At over nine feet long, this sumptuous oak baluster leg table was hand-carved with an H-stretcher in Flanders, circa 1680. Long tables such as these...
Category
Antique 17th Century Belgian Baroque Sofa Tables
Materials
Oak
Weathered Cast Stone Pig and Piglets from England, 20th C.
Located in Dallas, TX
Cast in England in the 1900s using reconstituted stone, this charming pig and four piglets statue has developed a lovely weathered patina from exposure to the elements. Reconstituted stone is organic stone that has been crushed into small bits (if you look closely, you can still see pebble inclusions within the casting). These fragments are then combined with cement and sometimes coloring pigments are added to the mix. The resulting aggregate is poured into a mold where it is left to harden. After the blend has set, the mold is removed, rendering a durable work of art. Our weathered cast stone pig...
Category
20th Century English Animal Sculptures
Materials
Stone, Cast Stone
Antique Forged Iron Fleur-de-Lys Torchere Sconce from France, circa 1900
Located in Dallas, TX
From France, this antique forged iron torchere style sconce has a large single fleur-de-lis at the top and a thick scroll at the bottom of it. The sconce’s stem is at an angle, held to the backplate by a twisted iron bar. There is a flame style glass...
Category
Antique Early 1900s French Medieval Wall Lights and Sconces
Materials
Iron
Antique Wrought Iron Torchere from Italy, 18th Century
Located in Dallas, TX
This stately 18th century torchere from Italy has a pyramid shape at the top which has been hand-hammered and is removable (see photos). It holds...
Category
Antique 18th Century Italian Torchères
Materials
Wrought Iron
18th Century Carved Wooden Statue from France
Located in Dallas, TX
This antique French hand carved wooden statue is of a bearded man wearing a robe tied at the waist with a long scarf draped over his shoulder...
Category
Antique 18th Century French Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Miniature Antique Louis XV Style Chest of Drawers from France, circa 1910
Located in Dallas, TX
This antique miniature French table top commode dates to the early 1900s. It is in the Louis XV style with splayed feet, shaped (or "bombe") sides, and bronze hardware throughout. Th...
Category
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Models and Miniatures
Materials
Fruitwood, Walnut
Antique Painted Iron Floor Torchere from France, Early 1900s
Located in Dallas, TX
This five light, antique French cast iron torchere has been painted deep green with gold colored bands around the motifs. The motifs are trefoils, ...
Category
Early 20th Century French Gothic Floor Lamps
Materials
Iron
Rare 18th Century Commode with Side Doors Walnut, Rhone Valley, France
Located in Dallas, TX
Walnut and burled walnut.
In 1700s France, the commode was considered the finest piece of furniture in the chateau. It was also placed in the most important areas so it could be seen. This particular commode from Bourgogne or Vallee du Rhone area, is very rare in its shape and storage area. The shaped sides are small cabinets with one shaped shelf each. Each door opens to the back so that the contents are kept private from any guests. The 'galbee' front features three full drawers with brass hardware. The veneered wooden insets on the drawers and sides are all burled walnut wood. All this rests upon four outward shaped feet. There are three keys for opening the side cabinets and front drawers. This rare and large French commode...
Category
Antique 18th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
$16,800 Sale Price
31% Off
Antique Napoleon III Giltwood Firescreen from France
Located in Dallas, TX
This antique French giltwood framed oval needlepoint firescreen was originally used to cover the opening of the fireplace during the warmer mont...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Fireplace Tools and Chimney Pots
Materials
Silk, Textile, Wood
17th Century Granite Rose Mortar from Brittany, France
Located in Dallas, TX
This granite rose mortar was hand-carved in Northern Brittany, France during the 1600’s. Granite is formed when magma is cooled underground, which causes various minerals to become e...
Category
Antique 17th Century French Decorative Bowls
Materials
Granite
Pair of Tall 19th Century Chapel Doors from Belgium
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved in Belgium, circa 1860, this 11 foot tall pair of doors (132.88 inches) were recently salvaged from a Belgian chapel. They can be considered of the Gothic style, which is sometimes referred to as “pointed architecture”, because of the prevalence of pointed arches in buildings.
Each door is composed of six vertical planks constructed with mortise and tenon joinery. All planks have been adorned with iron pyramid protuberances, placed in a repeating pattern. The planks and iron retain their white paint, now naturally weathered over the years, perfect for those who appreciate original condition. At over 11 feet tall, these 19th century chapel doors...
Category
Antique 1860s Belgian Gothic Doors and Gates
Materials
Iron
19th Century Carrara and Sicilian Marble Table from a Villa in Turin
Located in Dallas, TX
Discovered in a villa in Turin, Italy, this beautiful table features two types of marble, which were hand-carved in the 1800’s. The rectangular top with canted corners has been carve...
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Center Tables
Materials
Marble
18th Century Italian Silvered and Giltwood Parecloses Mirror with Sunburst Crest
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved in Italy in the 1700’s, this silvered and giltwood parecloses mirror has a large sunburst crest. The central sun is surrounded by a stylized circular cloud, with beams of...
Category
Antique 18th Century Italian Wall Mirrors
Materials
Glass, Wood, Giltwood
Silver Plated French Bacchanalian Jardiniere, Circa 1880
Located in Dallas, TX
Produced in France, circa 1880, this impressive silver plated jardiniere has elements of Greek mythology, making it Neoclassical style. On each side of the jardiniere is a mascaron o...
Category
Antique 1880s French Neoclassical Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
Materials
Metal, Silver Plate
Large Carved Oak Renaissance Style Armchair from France, C. 1890
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved in the Renaissance style in France, circa 1890, this imposing oak armchair features a verdant tapestry affixed with iron nailheads. The sc...
Category
Antique 1890s French Renaissance Armchairs
Materials
Tapestry, Upholstery, Oak
Antique Forged Iron Candelabra Torchere from Spain, Circa 1900
Located in Dallas, TX
Forged in Spain, circa 1900, this iron candelabra torchere has three arms embellished with angular protrusions, in the form of stylized leaves emanating from a plant stem. Each arm i...
Category
Antique Early 1900s Spanish Torchères
Materials
Iron
Pair of Italian 18th Century Painted and Gilt Putti with Cornucopia Torcheres
Located in Dallas, TX
Standing at just under 4 feet high and hand-carved in Italy during the 1700’s, this fabulous pair of hand-painted and gilt putti torcheres have sinuous corn...
Category
Antique 18th Century Italian Torchères
Materials
Iron
Fine French Terracotta Bust of a Woman with Wreath and Veil, 19th/20th Century
Located in Dallas, TX
This terracotta bust of a woman has some exquisite details. Sculpted in France in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s, our subject has long, straight hair emerging from underneath a hood...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Busts
Materials
Terracotta
Small Italian Carved Marble Shell Basin or Vide Poche, 20th C
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved in Italy during the 1900’s, this small marble shell basin would make a great vide-poche. A vide-poche (literally “empty pocket”) is a small sto...
Category
20th Century Italian Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Materials
Marble
Antique Wooden Statue of Wenchang Wang, God of Literature and Culture
Located in Dallas, TX
This fascinating antique wooden statue depicts the Taoist God of Literature and Culture, Wenchang Wang. The statue was likely hand-carved in China in the 1700’s, but it is quite possible that it predates the 18th century. An iron stand has been added to the back more recently, although a portion of the back is excavated, indicating that the statue was once part of a larger installation.
Wenchang has been posed in a seated position with his hands clasped in front of his body, which is a common representation of the god in artwork. The hands have a shallow incised section, indicating that Wenchang once held an object. Based on other statues and drawings of Wenchang from this time, it was most likely a hu scepter that once accompanied the statue. Wenchang is clad in an ankle-length robe and a ridged headdress. Although the statue’s color is predominantly natural wood, very old traces of polychrome can be seen throughout the piece indicating that it was once vividly painted.
In China, those who study hard, and test well are often rewarded with high-ranking civil service jobs. The common belief is that Wenchang guides these scholars, leading many to seek his assistance. A statue of this size indicates it could have once been commissioned for a Chinese temple. Today, our wooden statue of Wenchang Wang would make a perfect piece of art in a study or library. It would work well with any contemporary interior, or with an interior displaying other very old Chinese artifacts...
Category
Antique 18th Century Chinese Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Iron
Large 19th Century French Cherub Statue in Terra Cotta Tinted Plaster
Located in Dallas, TX
This large French cherub or cupid statue from the 1800’s is made from plaster that has been tinted to mimic the natural color of terra cotta. The figure ...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Neoclassical Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Plaster
circa 1880 French Plaster Sculpture of Francois Rene De Chateaubriand
Located in Dallas, TX
Made in plaster, circa 1880, this interesting French sculpture depicts Francois Rene de Chateaubriand sitting with his legs crossed in an armchair. A rolled scroll is in his right hand, which rests on his thigh and books and scrolls are strewn beneath the chair. Chateaubriand’s long overcoat is unbuttoned and gathered, showing an elegant frock and bowtie ensemble beneath. Beneath the chair is a shaped plinth with cavetto molding on all sides and “Chateaubriand” incised along the front.
Francois Rene de Chateaubriand was born in Saint-Malo, France in 1768, the youngest of 10 children. A noted politician, historian, and author, Chateaubriand had a profound effect on literature, being the first major figure of Romanticism. Chateaubriand was also the original man of letters, a group of French authors that also had burgeoning political careers. A fellow man of letter, Victor Hugo was so inspired by Chateaubriand that he is known for having said “To be Chateaubriand or nothing”. This French plaster sculpture...
Category
Antique 1880s French Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Plaster
Carved Limestone Horsehead from Italy
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved by an Italian stone mason, this quaint limestone horsehead has excellent proportions. The contour of the cheek, the thick mane, and the slightly open mouth give the head a sense of realism. Carved with amazing precision, the horse can stand upright (face up) without the aid of a stand. Of course, it can also be hung on a wall in the proper orientation. Decorative horse heads of this size were often seen hanging on the exterior wall of a horse barn.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Garden Ornaments
Materials
Limestone
Carved Limestone Horsehead from Italy
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved by an Italian stone mason, this quaint limestone horsehead has excellent proportions. The contour of the cheek, the thick mane, and the slightly open mouth give the head a sense of realism. Carved with amazing precision, the horse can stand upright (face up) without the aid of a stand. Of course, it can also be hung on a wall in the proper orientation. Decorative horse heads of this size were often seen hanging on the exterior wall of a horse barn.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Garden Ornaments
Materials
Limestone
Antique Marble Basin from an Italian Villa, Early 1900s
Located in Dallas, TX
Salvaged from the garden of an Italian villa, this marble basin was hand-carved in the early 1900’s and most recently used as a planter. The ovate shaped bowl has an exterior width of 31 inches and has a small drainage hole in the bottom. A square, rough-cut block that extends from the backside would be used to affix the basin to a wall. The gray marble is naturally weathered, giving the stone a matte finish with a nice speckled black patina. Not only would this piece be a unique garden planter, the antique basin...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Stone Sinks
Materials
Marble
Finely Carved Italian Limestone Statue of a Woman Holding a Bird
Located in Dallas, TX
This finely carved statue depicts a woman holding a bird close to her chest. It was hand-carved in Italy from one block of stone. The solemn woman can be seen kneeling on her left kn...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Statues
Materials
Limestone
Antique Marble Basin from an Italian Villa, Early 1900s
Located in Dallas, TX
Salvaged from the garden of an Italian villa, this marble basin was hand-carved in the early 1900’s and most recently used as a planter. The ovate shaped bowl has an exterior width o...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Stone Sinks
Materials
Marble
Double Eagle Cartouche Plaque in Carved Limestone
Located in Dallas, TX
Reminiscent of a late 15th century coat of arms, this double eagle cartouche plaque has been hand-carved in limestone in Italy. A square top shield wi...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Renaissance Wall-mounted Sculptures
Materials
Limestone
Monumental Italian Wall Fountain in Carved Verona Rossa Marble, Early 1900s
Located in Dallas, TX
This monumental Italian wall fountain was hand-carved in verona rossa marble in the early 1900’s. Truly the work of a master mason, the fountain is comprised of four thick pieces of richly carved marble, with each piece weighing several hundred pounds. The marble has lovely salmon color with cream inclusions that has developed a soft patina.
The 3 ¼” deep back wall is adorned with a repetitive C-scroll border. A winged lion mascaron hovers above a geometric panel filled with nondescript interlaced carvings. Below the panel is a scalloped shell with sprawling barbed rinceaux that flows between a pair of volute scrolls on the edge of the wall. The shell has a small, incised circle where a spout or tap can be placed, depending on the desired use.
Beneath the vertical wall is an 8 ½” thick sinuous bowl embellished with thick quarter round molding. The front façade has a stylized coat of arms consisting of a shaped shield emblazoned with a fleur de lys. Inside the basin, the back wall has been carved with a pair of volute C-scrolls surrounding bundled leaves. At the base of the leaves is a small drainage hole.
Three volutes highlight the luxurious column that sits on a rectangular plinth with two canted corners. All three volutes are in the traditional S-shape, with two of them flanking the larger channeled scroll. A small fleur de lys graces the front of the plinth, which has gently sloped top edges. There is a thin grooved molding near the base.
A natural conversation piece for any courtyard or garden setting, the Renaissance style Italian wall fountain can be used indoors or outside. It could also be used as a large sink...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Renaissance Fountains
Materials
Marble
Pair of 19th Century French Balcony Corbels in Carved Pierre de Villebois Stone
Located in Dallas, TX
Recently salvaged from an important French building in the Lyon area, this pair of balcony corbels are from the Napoleon III period (sometimes called Second Empire style). Each corbel was hand-carved in pierre de villebois stone, which is a very hard limestone used...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Architectural Elements
Materials
Limestone
Antique Dutch Oil on Board Painting of Cattle, Signed and Dated 1858
Located in Dallas, TX
This oil on board pastoral painting of two cattle is signed and dated by the artist in the lower right corner “F.J. Dierckxsens 1858”. There is also a handwritten paper affixed to th...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Dutch Paintings
Materials
Wood, Giltwood
Antique 19th Century Italian Maiolica Pot of the Renaissance Style
Located in Dallas, TX
Vivid colors, hand-painted in the Renaissance style, enhance this large maiolica pot from the 1800’s. Maiolica is tin-glazed pottery from Italy that has been decorated over a white background. This pot is considered an istoriato, which is to say that the pot has been decorated with figures, rather than strictly geometric patterns or floral designs.
The maiolica does incorporate floral and foliate motifs, with white flowers that have yellow centers surrounded by blue rings. There are also yellow flowers that are depicted in various stages of nyctinasty (the closing of flowers during the night). The flora is all connected by a series of green and yellow curled leaves. Behind the vegetation is a dark blue background. There are two portraits inside large yellow cartouches that are painted in the middle of the pot. The first is a bearded man, dressed in a light brown tunic...
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Renaissance Vases
Materials
Maiolica
Large Antique Italian Blue and White Lidded Urn, 19th Century
Located in Dallas, TX
This stunning lidded urn might have once been found in a 19th century Italian apothecary. The front of the shaped urn body has the hand-painted phrase “C. Violaru”, which is the heavily abbreviated form of the Latin word for violet (violaceum). Up until the mid-1700’s, apothecaries would make syrups from violets and use it to treat kidney ailments.
Above the Latin wording is a whimsical musical scene with a man blowing a horn leading a couple who is holding hands over rocky terrain lined with shrubbery. A large house and trees can be seen behind the trio with a pair of mountains in the distance. On the opposite side of the urn is a floral display with a bird perched on a rock. Beneath the bird is a geometric design, possibly a stylized sun with radiating beams of light. Both scenes are segmented by a pair of thin quarter round moldings that encircle the entire vase.
Other hand-painted motifs include floral and foliate margents, geometric patterns, and Vitruvian waves that are infilled with horizontal fluting. The sides of the urn have a fish-scale background beneath two mustachioed mascarons. Both men have been styled in grotesque fashion, with a pair of spiraled horns emanating from their heads. In between the horns is a looping handle that is affixed to the body in similar tight spirals. The domed lid has three scrolled arms that merge in a geometric finial.
The base color of the urn is white, with illustrations in a monochromatic cobalt oxide blue, reminiscent of Delft blue pottery...
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Urns
Materials
Porcelain
Early 1800s Heraldic Cast Iron Fireback from France
Located in Dallas, TX
Heraldic cast iron fireback’s go back 500 plus years. They would depict a family’s coat of arms at the center, and symbols in the form of animals, birds, plants, and numerous other i...
Category
Antique Early 1800s French Fireplace Tools and Chimney Pots
Materials
Iron
Pair of 19th Century Nature Morte Hunt Trophy Paintings
Located in Dallas, TX
Nature morte (French for “still life”) paintings first became popular in the Netherlands in the 16th century. Assemblies of flowers, fruit, and dead game were the main subject matters, and hundreds of artists from Western Europe would eventually participate in the genre. French artists such as Jean-Baptiste Oudry painted some exquisite scenes, depictions of hunt motifs including game and dogs. These subjects remained highly popular and were used in hunt lodges throughout France. The pair of paintings seen here are very well done 19th century examples of such hunt scenes, each one measuring over 57 inches wide.
Both of our paintings depict hunting trophies displayed on an outdoor veranda. The balcony is elaborately styled with cavetto molding, volute scrolls, and a shaped cartouche beneath a bulbous gadrooned finial. Both paintings contain half of the cartouche and most of the finial, as if they were a continuous panoramic scene, complete with a blue sky and large trees in the background
The left painting features three felled birds piled on top of a deer carcass, with fruit scattered around them. Beneath the trophies is a coiled horn with a red tassel tied to it. A similar scene can be found on the right painting, with three birds displayed on the edge of the balcony. The birds lie on top of a pale green fabric with tassels that has been loosely folded. Under the textile is a hunting rifle and another horn. A garland of fruit is draped across the rifle’s stock, rising onto the balcony.
A beige fabric matte board and molded giltwood frame surround this pair of 19th century nature morte hunt trophy...
Category
Antique 19th Century European Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Giltwood, Paint
C. 1840 French Boiserie Painting, the Allegory of Spring and the Arms of France
Located in Dallas, TX
This beautiful boiserie panel depicting an allegory of Spring and the Arms of France was hand-painted in France, circa 1840. Boiserie is ornate wooden paneling that covered walls and ceilings of luxurious chateaus in France. The use of these panels became more prevalent at the end of the 17th century, before exploding in popularity during the 1700’s, thanks to multiple installations at the Palace of Versailles. Lengthy paintings such as this (ours is over 112 inches long) would often be placed above a doorway, forming a continuous theme with the rest of the room.
The arrival of Spring is depicted by four winged cherubs frolicking among pink, white, and yellow flowers. None of the cherubs are clothed, although two of them are draped in colored textiles. The putto on the far left has a billowing peach colored material hanging from the left shoulder as he holds a sheer piece of fabric. The transparent veil stretches across most of the canvas, extending to the right hand of a female cherub wearing a jeweled tiara on the far right.
On the same side of the canvas, but more medial, is another putto loosely draped in green fabric. To the left is the fourth cherub, a female with a laurel leaf tiara that is holding onto the edge of the Arms of France. A gold oval medallion, adorned with volute scrolls at the top and bottom, encircles a representation of the coat of arms of France from the Bourbon Restoration (1814/1815-1830). There is a large, curled leaf rising from the top volute with a husked border surrounding the light blue background with three gold fleur de lys.
Our magnificent French painting gives off a warm and lively feel. Although it could still be used as part of a boiserie room...
Category
Antique 1840s French Paintings
Materials
Wood, Canvas
Unusual Carved Walnut Wood Inkwell from France, Circa 1880
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved from walnut in France, circa 1880, this unusual inkwell features foliate and floral motifs. A flip-top lid adorned with a pair of bas relief flowers tops the central pen ...
Category
Antique 1880s French Inkwells
Materials
Walnut
15th or 16th Century Marble Gargoyle Fountain Spout from Arezzo, Italy
Located in Dallas, TX
Although when most people hear the word “gargoyle”, they probably envision small, winged creatures with grotesque visages. However, the phrase has a deeper meaning, encompassing any carved head (animal or human) that function as waterspouts.
From the Early Renaissance (late 1400’s/early 1500’s), our gargoyle fountain spout features a human-like face with pointed ears, possibly representing a centaur or a satyr. The roughly rectangular block of marble was hand-carved in Arezzo, in the Tuscany region of Italy. All sides except the front of the cream-colored stone have a sawed finish, resulting in a rough texture. The back has been excavated, adding to the character of the gargoyle. A 1 ½” diameter hole has been cut all the way through, forming an open mouth of the gargoyle. The gaping mouth was often a symbol used to conjure images of devouring giants and used to remind people that they are susceptible to certain forces.
Our 15th/16th century marble...
Category
Antique 16th Century Italian Renaissance Fountains
Materials
Marble
