Skip to main content

Ormolu Furniture

to
1,035
4,164
2,215
6,576
8
2
1,880
704
567
398
134
122
116
37
35
24
24
11
9
4
2
294
5,498
784
10
419
101
39
116
9
19
18
17
9
4
7
8
3
6,586
355,018
295,345
224,712
150,471
6,121
5,415
320
278
171
6,586
6,586
6,586
82
54
50
34
28
Material: Ormolu
Antique French Grand Tour Souvenir Casket, Beveled Glass & Eglomise of Opera
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Antique French Églomisé Casket - Souvenir from France, circa 1900 A charming French antique casket from circa 1900 with gilt brass fittings and clear glass panels. The hinged lid fe...
Category

Early 1900s French Belle Époque Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Ormolu

Antique Ormolu Jewelry Box French Casket Bevelled Glass Paris Village Suisse
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Antique French Églomisé Casket - Souvenir from France, circa 1900 A charming French antique casket from circa 1900 with gilt brass fittings and clear glass panels. The hinged lid fe...
Category

Early 1900s French Belle Époque Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Ormolu

Mid-19th Century French Banded Agate and Ormolu Jewel Casket, Miniature
Located in Atlanta, GA
Mid-19th Century French Banded Agate and Ormolu Jewel Casket A refined French banded agate and gilt bronze (ormolu) rectangular jewel casket, mid-19th century, of hinged form with c...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Agate, Ormolu

Vintage Sorrento Italian Marquetry Drinks Trolley Mid 20th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a very entertaining vintage two tier Italian Sorrento drinks trolley, mid century in date. The oval top with flaps featuring floral marquetry decoration with a central bouqu...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Antique French Grand Tour Ormolu Griffin Sculpture Early 19th Century
Located in London, GB
A beautiful French Grand Tour ormolu griffin sculpture, early 19th Century in date. The finely cast winged beast features the head of an eagle and the body of a lion with large ange...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Slate, Ormolu

Pair Late 19th Century Candlesticks - French Empire Style - Ormolu gilt Bronze
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
Elegant pair of French gilt bronze candlesticks, circa 1880. These finely cast candlesticks feature a tapering column with detailed foliate ornamentation, resting on a tripod base wi...
Category

1880s Empire Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Antique Vintage French Gilt Marble Religious Holy Crucifix Jesus Christ Cross
Located in Dublin, Ireland
An Exceptionally Fine Museum Quality Example of a Well Cast Parian (unglazed porcelain) Figure depicting Jesus Christ nailed to a plain black marble standing Cross of impressive prop...
Category

19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Belgian Black Marble, Ormolu

Early 20th Century Holy Water Font - France - Onyx, Bronze and Crystal
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
Elegant French holy water font dating from circa 1900–1910, crafted from richly veined onyx, adorned with an ormolu gilt bronze relief depicting the Virgin Mary with Child, and fitte...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Onyx, Brass, Bronze, Ormolu

Vintage Italian Sorrento Marquetry Drinks Trolley Mid 20th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a very entertaining vintage two tier Italian Sorrento drinks trolley, mid century in date, The oval top with flaps featuring marquetry decoration of a crane, flowers, butter...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

A French Empire Ormolu Bronze Mantle Clock after Percier et Fontaine
Located in Long Island City, NY
A French Empire Ormolu Bronze Mantle Clock after Percier et Fontaine, 19th Century. In the hallowed halls of horological history, this Empire gilt-bronze ormolu mantle clock, a subl...
Category

19th Century French Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Antique French Walnut & Marble Louis-Philippe Walnut Commode Chest Drawers 1840
Located in Portland, OR
A very fine antique French Louis-Philippe figured burl walnut & marble top commode, chest of drawers, circa 1840. The commode is in excellent condition, it is made from the finest vi...
Category

1840s French Louis Philippe Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Vintage Ormolu Mounted Coffee Table Marble Top Mid 20th Century
Located in London, GB
This is an exquisite continental ormolu-mounted walnut and marble top coffee table, circa 1950 in date. This wonderful coffee tabl...
Category

Mid-20th Century Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Faux Malachite Empire style Centre Table
Located in London, GB
Stunning French Empire Style Center Table Faux Malachite Stunning Center Table
Category

20th Century French Empire Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Antique Grand Tour Souvenir Casket, Eglomise Breslau, Wrocław, Poland 1900s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Antique Ormolu and Églomisé Casket - Souvenir from Breslau, Poland circa 1900 A charming antique casket from circa 1900 with gilt brass fittings and clear glass panels. The hinged l...
Category

Early 1900s Polish Belle Époque Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Ormolu

Antique French Louis Revival Dining Table and 6 Chairs 20th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful dining set comprising an antique French Louis Revival dining table, Circa 1920 in date, and a beautiful set of six Gondola Dining Chairs C1950.   This antique Fre...
Category

20th Century French Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Vintage Boxed Cartier Crystal Ice Bucket Sterling Silver-Gilt Tongs 20th Century
Located in London, GB
An elegant vintage Cartier ice bucket, presented in its original fitted box, complete with sterling silver-gilt ice tongs. This piece was retailed as part ...
Category

20th Century French Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Sterling Silver, Ormolu

19th Century Bust – F. Aulde – Gilt Bronze – César
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
Elegant late 19th century gilt bronze bust of César, attributed to French maker F. Aulde. Executed in a neoclassical style, the bust represents a Roman figure—likely Julius Caesar—dr...
Category

1880s French Classical Roman Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Antique Ormolu Jewelry Box Souvenir Casket Bevelled Glass Grand Tour France 1900
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Antique French Églomisé Casket - Souvenir from Verdun, France, circa 1900 A charming French antique casket from circa 1900 with gilt brass fittings and clear glass panels. The hinge...
Category

Early 1900s French Belle Époque Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Ormolu

Antique Pair Chinese Famille Rose Porcelain Ormolu Table Lamps Blue Green Gilt
Located in Dublin, Ireland
An Exceptionally Fine Pair of Cantonese Hand Decorated Porcelain Oil Lamps with ornate Ormolu bases now converted to Electric Table Lamps, of medium proportions, (see last image in s...
Category

19th Century Chinese Late Victorian Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

A Magnificent French Ormolu-Mounted Green Painted Chinoiserie Commode
Located in Queens, NY
A Magnificent French Ormolu-Mounted Green Painted Chinoiserie Commode with Original Marble Top An exceptional French ormolu-mounted commode, richly decorated in vibrant green polych...
Category

20th Century French Chinoiserie Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

French Antique Ormolu and Limoges Enamel Jewellery Box
Located in Newark, England
LIMOGES ENAMEL PANELS From our Decorative collection, we are delighted to offer this French Napoleon III Ormolu and Enamel Jewellery Box. The Jewellery...
Category

Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Enamel, Ormolu

Antique Famille Rose Medalion Canton Cantonese Chinese Porcelain Ormolu Vase Urn
Located in Dublin, Ireland
Stunning and very large Chinese Canton famille verte ormolu mounted porcelain vase of museum quality, from the city of Canton, is decorated in the so-called Famille Verte manner, mid...
Category

19th Century Chinese Early Victorian Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Antique Georgian Long Case Grandfather Clock Higgs & Evans London Spanish Market
By Robert and Peter Higgs of London
Located in Portland, OR
A fabulous investment quality antique George III Flame mahogany & gilt bronze eight day movement tall case grandfather clock, by Robert & Peter Higgs & David Evans, made for the Span...
Category

1770s English George III Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Brass, Bronze, Ormolu

Antique French Sèvres Style Porcelain Ormolu Gilt Bronze Dore Vase Centerpiece
Located in Dublin, Ireland
Stunning imposing Pair of French Sevres Style Soft Paste Porcelain and Ormolu Twin Handle Electric Table Lamps of traditional bulbous form, and of good size proportions, raised on a ...
Category

19th Century French Late Victorian Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Antique Large Vernis Martin Bombe' Display Cabinet 19th Century
Located in London, GB
A stunning large antique French wood Vernis Martin five panel display cabinet in the Louis XV manner and of extravagantly shaped Bombe form, circa 1870 in date, with exquisite hand painted decoration and exquisite ormolu mounts. It has five decorative Vernis Martin panels with beautiful hand painted decoration, the central panel depicting a courting couple and the others with classical figures in pastoral country scenes. The central panel bears the artists signature, Le Brun. The large central clear serpentine glazed door opening to a large capacious cupboard below, flanked by clear glazed serpentine panels, with further shaped glass on the sides. It is smothered in gorgeous gilded ormolu mounts, the shaped apron with foliate mounts and sabots, standing on cabriole legs. The mirror backed interior is fitted with glass shelves, the lower shelf lined with golden velvet, to display your collection of china or silver beautifully. This magnificent piece is in excellent condition and the quality and attention to detail throughout is second to none. Add a touch of unparalleled style to your home. Condition: In really excellent original condition having only been beautifully cleaned, polished and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: height 193 x width 115 x depth 50 Dimensions in inches: height 6 foot, 4 inches x width 3 foot, 9 inches x depth 1 foot, 8 inches Vernis Martin is a lustrous lacquer substitute widely used in the 18th century to decorate furniture and such personal articles as brisé fans...
Category

1870s French Louis XV Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Vintage Italian Oval Sorrento Marquetry Drinks Tray Mid 20th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a lovely vintage Italian Sorrento walnut and ormolu drinks tray. The oval tray is very decorative, with profuse floral marquetry decoration with a central bouquet of flowers...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Antique Austrian Biedermeier Mahogany Secretary Desk Tabernacle Cabinet 1820
Located in Portland, OR
A fine, elegant, antique Austrian mahogany Biedermeier secretary desk cabinet, circa 1820. The cabinet in two sections, the top with a curved architectural pediment, below is a curved door tabernacle cupboard, flanked by a pair of columns with gilt bronze bases and capitals. The base with a series of four graduated drawers with shield shaped lock-plate escutcheons inlaid with bone, to the center is a fall front writing surface enclosing a fitted interior with a series of drawers, pigeon holes and a central locking door, the doors and drawers are inlaid with satinwood stringing. All the locks are fully operational and keys are present. The cabinet is raised upon a plinth base, the secretary cabinet is made from the finest figured Cuban mahogany, condition is very good, no condition issues or restoration. This very elegant Biedermeier secretary cabinet...
Category

1820s Austrian Biedermeier Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

A French 19th C. Louis XV Style Ormolu Cherub Clock & Candelabra Garniture Set
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An Assembled Very Fine French 19th Century Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze and White Marble Figural Mantel Clock and Candelabra Garniture Set. The finely chased ormolu clock body, with it...
Category

Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Marble, Bronze, Ormolu

Exceptional C19th French Boulle Mantle Clock
Located in London, GB
A very Important French Ormolu Mounted Boulle Mantel Clock Inlaid Brass in The Regency Style Each Corner Decorated with Recumbent Horses Nice Large Dial 8 and a half inches surround...
Category

19th Century French Regency Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Brass, Ormolu

Antique French Louis Revival Ormolu Mounted dining table desk 20th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful antique French Louis Revival ormolu mounted dining table / desk, circa 1920 in date and in 18th Century style. The elegantly crafted oval walnut top features exq...
Category

20th Century French Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Pair 19th Century Ebonized Empire Style Black Hair Hide Armchairs
Located in Houston, TX
Pair of 19th Century ebonized mahogany Empire style fauteuil with winged caryatids, newly upholstered in a deep espresso hairhide.
Category

Late 19th Century European Empire Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Early 19th Century French Mantel Clock, signed Ferey au Havre, Ormolu
Located in Greven, DE
Small mantel clock with bas-relief France Bronze, enamel early 19th century Dimensions: H x W x D: 33 x 19 x 9 cm Description: Antique, fire-gilt portal clock with figurative, Gre...
Category

Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu

Vintage Italian Sorrento Marquetry Drinks Tray Mid 20th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a lovely vintage Italian Sorrento walnut and ormolu drinks tray. The shaped tray is very decorative, with profuse floral marquetry decoration with a central bouquet of flowe...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Set or Pair of Marble and Ormolu Mounted Garniture Urns or Vases
Located in Nashville, TN
A set of satin polished garnitures with ormolu or gilt bronze mounts , The exceptional crispness of well chased realistic mounts in form of floral garlands or festoons joined at eac...
Category

1830s French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Art Nouveau Ormolu and Satin Glass Trinket Jewelry Box, France, circa 1900s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A gorgeous glass trinket box with ormolu mounts. No restoration has been carried out on this charming little trinket box, which remains in very stabile and functioning condition, wea...
Category

Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Antique French Louis XV Marble Top Ormolu Bombe Shape Inlaid Tulip-wood Commode
Located in Portland, OR
A fine quality antique French Louis XV style marble top & ormolu mounted tulipwood & kingwood bombe shape commode chest, circa 1900. The serpentine shaped top having the original var...
Category

Early 1900s French Louis XV Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Pair of Louis XVI gilt bronze - ormolu candlesticks - 19th century - 11" 3/4
Located in GRENOBLE, FR
Antique French pair of candlesticks, beautiful finely chiseled ormolu (solid bronze gilt with fine gold) Louis XVI style pattern. Our model is richly ornamented with pearls, gadroons...
Category

19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Antique French Vernis Martin Vitrine Display Cabinet 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a stunning antique French louis XV Revival Vernis Martin display cabinet, circa 1880 in date. The cabinet feature a shaped top with impressive ornate ormolu mounts, the body is serpentine shaped with a glazed ormolu mounted door that features a fantastic Vernis Martin hand painted panel of a courting couple, with the two side panels depicting country scenes. The interior is lined with the rich original pink fabric which beautifully complements the cabinet. Complete with original working lock and key. It is very rare to find such an exquisite cabinet and it is sure to attract a lot of attention from your guests. Condition: In really excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 170 x Width 85 x Depth 43 Dimensions in inches: Height 5 foot, 7 inches x Width 2 foot, 9 inches x Depth 1 foot, 5 inches Vernis Martin is a lustrous lacquer substitute widely used in the 18th century to decorate furniture and such personal articles as brisé fans...
Category

1880s French Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Antique Pair French Bleu Celeste Sevres Urns 19th C
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful antique pair of French Sevres style porcelain and ormolu mounted twin handled urns, in the Louis XV manner, Circa 1870 in date. The bleu celeste...
Category

1870s French Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Antique Pair Ormolu Hand Carved Bovine Candlesticks Table Lamps Chinese Japanese
Located in Dublin, Ireland
An exceptionally fine and quite rare Pair of Asian Hand Carved Bovine and ormolu early Victorian Single Light Candlesticks of tall slender form and fairly large proportions, now conv...
Category

19th Century Chinese Neoclassical Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Silver Plate, Ormolu

19th Century Empire Walnut Secretary
Located in Houston, TX
French first Empire period Secretaire à Abattant, also known as a drop-front secretary, fall front or cantilevered desk. Under the dark grey marble top is a secret, entablature drawe...
Category

Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Pair 19th Century Italian Empire Consoles
Located in Houston, TX
A stately pair of 19th Century Italian Empire white marble top mahogany consoles supported by ebonized caryatid columns.
Category

19th Century Italian Empire Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

French Ormolu-Mounted Kingwood and Parquetry Vanity Dressing Table
Located in Doylestown, PA
French Louis XV style ormolu-mounted kingwood and satinwood parquetry dressing table or coiffeuse, late 19th century. Incredibly luxurious petite dressing table...
Category

Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Antique Louis XVI Style Walnut Armoire w/ Brass Ormolu, Inlay and Parquetry
Located in Pasadena, TX
This armoire is made in the Louis XVI style. Its made of walnut. Its has finely done Urns and botanicals inlaid on the front doors. The side doors are done in a parquetry and have he...
Category

1920s French Louis XVI Vintage Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Brass, Ormolu

Antique French Empire Marble & Ormolu Occasional Table 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful antique French Empire circular occasional table with ornate ormolu decoration typical of the Empire period surmounted with a beautiful Verde Antico  marble top, c...
Category

Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Antique Gilt Bronze Renaissance Revival Table Lamp, 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a truly superb large French antique Renaissance Revival ormolu table lamp, circa 1870 in date. It is relief cast with grapevines, cherubs and acanthus leaves, the serpentine handle rising to a seated winged amorini and descending to a mask at the figural relief cast body with waisted stem and terminating in a circular base. This gilt bronze 19th century ewer...
Category

1870s French Renaissance Revival Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Antique Pair French Ormolu Gilt Bronze Sevres Porcelain Candelabras Candlesticks
Located in Dublin, Ireland
A Fine Stylish and Imposing Pair of French Three Light Table or Mantle Sevres Porcelain Ormolu Mounted Candelabra of outstanding quality. Mid to late Nineteenth Century. Each with ...
Category

19th Century French Late Victorian Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Pair of Fine French Louis XV Side Tables After Francois Linke
Located in Forney, TX
A pair of magnificent fine quality vintage French Louis XV style gilt bronze ormolu mounted mahogany side tables after celebrated master Parisian ébéniste Francois Linke (b.1855-1946...
Category

Late 20th Century Louis XV Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Marble, Brass, Bronze, Ormolu

Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Style Twelve Branch Ormolu Chandelier
Located in Germantown, MD
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Style Twelve Branch Heavy cast Brass and Ormolu Chandelier. Great vintage condition. This heavy cast brass Jewel will not rust. Measures 28" in d...
Category

Early 20th Century American Louis XIV Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Brass, Ormolu

Late19thC Ebonized & Ormolu Mounted Jardiniere Stand
Located in Altrincham, GB
Late19thC Ebonised & Ormolu Mounted Jardiniere Stand - of tapered Aesthetic form with lion paw feet and circular top - 15" diam (13" at the top) x 37.5"h
Category

1860s English Aesthetic Movement Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

19th Century empire revival mahogany pier mirror
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
19th century empire revival mahogany pier mirror circa 1870. Excellent quality pier mirror using the finest mahogany.  Architectural cornice top with cresent shape which showcases t...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Empire Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor: An Exquisite Ormolu and Églomisé Bureau Plat
Located in Queens, NY
A Timeless Masterpiece: The Exquisite Bureau Plat of The Duke and Duchess of Windsor In the world of fine art and antiques, certain pieces transcend time, becoming symbols of opul...
Category

Early 20th Century French Louis XV Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

19th Century Louis XVI Style Ormolu Bronze Clock with Sèvres Porcelain
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
A fine quality Louis XVI style bronze ormolu mantel clock. The case is made of gilt brass and bronze ormolu casted ornaments, Roman numerals in white enameled cartouches. On top of t...
Category

1880s French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Gilt-Bronze Lacquer Low Table
Located in Huntington, NY
Two 19th Century, Brown/Red “tinta Negra” gilt decorated lacquer panels mounted on a gilt-bronze frame. Frame tightened panels touched up & waxed
Category

19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Gilt-Bronze Lacquer Low Table
Gilt-Bronze Lacquer Low Table
$3,920 Sale Price
39% Off
19th Century Louis XVI Style Bronze Ormolu Mantel Clock Garniture
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
A very fine Louis XVI style figural mantel clock with matching flanking candelabra. The clock is bronze casted and has an ormolu f...
Category

1880s French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Carrara Marble, Bronze, Ormolu

Italian Empire Style Commode
Located in Houston, TX
1900s Italian Empire mahogany chest of drawers with gilt bronze ormolu, keys and black marble top.
Category

19th Century Italian Empire Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Exquisite Baccarat "Elephant" 'Cave A Liquor' - Exposition Universelle 1878
Located in Queens, NY
The Magnificent Baccarat Elephant Cave A Liquor: A Majestic Exploration of a Timeless Masterpiece from the Exposition Universelle of 1878. The Bacca...
Category

19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Bronze, Ormolu

Antique Pair French Ormolu Mounted Parquetry Occasional Tables 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful pair of antique French Louis Revival wood and parquetry occasional tables, late 19th Century in date.   The ormolu banded round Rouge Griote marble table tops sur...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Fine French Transition Louis XV XVI Style Chest Sideboard
Located in Forney, TX
A stunning, rare, and very fine quality French Transitional Louis XV - Louis XVI style mahogany inlaid marble-top chest after Jean-François Oeben / Jean-Henri Riesener. Exquisitely hand-crafted in France, born in the late 19th / early 20th century, exceptionally executed Parisian work, retaining the original shaped marble top with contoured molded edge, over conforming solid mahogany case extensively inlaid with rich floral decoration and geometric trompe l'oeil marquetry-work. Embellished with finely sculpted and chisled gilt bronze ormolu mounts, the case fitted with three high quality locking bar mounted cabinet doors, each adorned with matched ornate escutcheon and opening thanks to the original keys, revealing a mahogany finished interior with single shelf. Featuring rare and exotic woods inlaid, all rising on bronze mounted transitional cabriole legs, ending in the finest quality patinated bronze sabots. Its three doors do not interfere with its delicate marquetry with decorations of geometric cubes and beautiful flowers on gilt gold ground, its two flat uprights with cut sides inviting finesse and harmony, while its bronzes, with antique motifs indicate the return to refined classic taste. A fine example of the Transition style, this chest subtly combines Louis XV marquetry with shapes that are already more rectilinear. From the middle of the 18th century, certain French artists, at the head of which the architects Blondel and Contant d'Ivry as well as the painter Louis-Joseph Le Lorrain, rose up against the excesses of the rococo style and advocated a calming of lines by the use of classical or even ancient principles. If the "Greek" style was too categorical a response to these requests, the Transition style, soon launched by the Marquis de Marigny, brother of Madame de Pompadour and Minister of the Arts, was much more measured and appreciated. Dutch cabinetmaker Matthijs Horrix was also front and center, a leader a Transition style. Celebrated ebanista Jean-François Oeben was one of the leaders of this new taste, with Jean-Henri Riesener following in the 19th century. Oeben a genius with inlay, he gave birth to several patterns, both sober and elegant, such as the marquetry of bottomless cubes, which was adopted by many of his colleagues including Jacques Dautriche and Charles Chevallier. Jean-François Oeben was particularly known for his "Louis XV or Transition furniture, adorned with leaf veneers, flower inlays or geometric patterns", according to Pierre Kjellberg (Le Mobilier français du XVIIIe, éditions de l'Amateur, 1989). A small secretary in the Transition cabinet...
Category

19th Century French Louis XV Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Marble, Bronze, Ormolu

François Linke French Louis XVI Ormolu Kingwood Bureau Plat Desk, c.1889
Located in King's Lynn, GB
A rare early François Linke bureau plat (c.1889, a masterwork of the Belle Époque by France’s most celebrated ébéniste. Originally from the Estelle Doheny Collection and sold at Chri...
Category

Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Ormolu Furniture

Materials

Brass, Ormolu

Antique Ormolu Clocks, Lamps and Other Furniture and Decorative Objects for Sale

Antique ormolu furniture and decorative objects can be incorporated into a variety of spaces, and while demand for the material and/or technique was at its peak in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries, ormolu is still widely loved by designers and collectors today.

What is ormolu?

Ormolu is a brilliant form of decorative trickery. To the untrained eye, ormolu clocks, jewelry boxes and other ormolu furniture and decor look like they're made of solid gold. But those in the know recognize ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — as having been essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.

“Most commonly, ormolu refers to a bronze object that has been covered with gold, typically 18 karat or 24 karat,” explains Jamie Sinai, director of the antiques specialist Mayfair Gallery, in London. “For that reason, ormolu is sometimes called gilt bronze or, in French, bronze doré. Strictly speaking, however, the term ormolu also denotes the technique of applying gold to a metal.”

“The word comes from the French or moulu, which translates as ‘ground or powdered gold’ — the form the gold takes before it is applied to a metal surface.”

From the court of King Louis XVI to that of Napoleon I, the French elite snapped up furniture mounted with ormolu, as well as sconces, candelabra and table lamps made from the material. “As the French reputation for supreme art, architecture and furniture developed, the craze for ormolu spread across Europe,” adds Sinai.

Today, antiques collectors and interior designers continue to prize ormolu for its extraordinary craftsmanship and history-infused glamour. 

“This wondrous material was highly sought after in France as the ultimate luxury. It magically resembled solid gold and sparkled under candlelight,” says Sinai.

Find antique ormolu furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.

Recently Viewed

View All