Important Marble Chimneypiece and Overmantel, France, Circa 1880

Beautiful Neoclassical chimney mantelpiece carved in Portor marble. The fluted lintel is decorated with a central rectangular cartouche in red marble and ends with a red marble pyramid...

Elegant sculpted giltwood mirror, of curved shape, with a rich rocaille openwork decoration of flowers, scrolls and acanthus leaves.

Marked on the dial Furet & Bon, Hrs du Roy, à Paris Measures: Clock – Height 98 cm (38 1/2 in.), width 70 cm (27 1/2 in.), depth 25 cm (9 3/4 in.) Candelabra – Height 116 cm (45 ...

Large veneered wood flat desk attributed to G. Durand, opening with three frieze drawers. Mounted with Rocaille style chiseled ormolu representing shells, foliage and flower garlands. Raised on four cabriole legs ornamented with chiseled ormolu. This flat desk is inspired by the one executed by the cabinet-maker Joseph Baumhauer, which was offered by King Louis XV to Empress Elisabeth...

Cut and engraved crystal and silvered bronze decor sugar bowl and cover.

Total height with mirror: 383 cm (151 in.) Console : Height : 97 cm (38 in.) ; Length : 291 cm (114 in.) ; Depth : 47 cm (18 in.) Height with pedestals : 178 cm (70 in.) – Width of pedestals tops : 36 x 23 cm (14 x 9 in.) Provenance: Hôtel de Bourbon-Condé, for the Conte de Chambrun, 12 rue Monsieur, 7th arrondissement, Paris. This magnificent white carrare and bleu turquin marble Louis XVI style console is embellished with carved and gilded bronze ornaments. The belt, adorned with a fluted frieze, masks of Bacchus and rosettes, is standing on six spirally fluted feet with foliage on the extremities. The part meant to be placed against the wall is divided in several pannels framed with moulded and beaded bronze. Above the console stands a giltwood and white-painted mirror, richly decorated at its top with a carved head of Apollo flanked by acanthus leaves and treillis. The mirror is framed by two patinated bronze female figures, each holding seven-light candelabra and standing on pedestals richly adorned with laurel garlands and bronze frames. These are casts by F.Barbedienne, after models by J.A.J. Falguière and P.Dubois (they are signed to the base, one ‘FALGVIERE and F.BARBEDIENNE. FONDEUR’, the other ‘P.DUBOIS’ and ‘F.BARBEDIENNE’). The original models of these bronzes were shown at the 1867 Exposition Universelle before being installed at the Château de Compiègne for the enjoyment of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie. The masterful console was commissionned to Barbedienne around 1880 to garnish the interiors of the Conte de Chambrun at the Hôtel de Bourbon-Condé, 12 rue Monsieur, 7th arrondissement, Paris. This console was part of the sale of the count’s art and furniture collections that took place on the 18th of June 1900 after the count’s death (listed as lot n°52 in the sale catalogue). Born in 1810, died in Paris in 1892, Ferdinand Barbedienne, the most important caster of bronze pieces of art during the second half of the 19th Century, created and directed in Paris one of the major artistic founderies of his time. Barbedienne specialised in classical reproductions, whose models were exposed in famous European museums. Their illustrated catalogues included many diverse objects such as busts, ornemental sculpture (clocks, candelabras, cups) sometimes even life-sized and also bronzes for furniture. Apart from his own production, Barbedienne worked for the most renowned sculptors such as Barrias, Clésinger and Carrier-Belleuse. All his works were highly esteemed and he, himself honoured by contemporary critics. At the London exhibition in 1851 Barbedienne's firm won two « Council medals ». At the 1855 Universal Exhibition, he won a medal of honour. The success of Barbedienne's firm brought him many official commissions. At the London Universal Exhibition of 1862 Barbedienne won medals in three different categories : Furniture, Silversmith work and Artistic bronzes. Barbedienne was made an officer of the Légion d'Honneur in 1867 and Commander in 1878 when he was compared with « a prince of industry and the king of bronze casting ». His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes. Paul Dubois (1829-1905) studied law before entering the workshop of Toussaint, then the School of Fine Arts. After travelling in Italy, he participated to the Salon of 1863 and won the third medal for the sculpture category. He won several other medals : the Medal of Honour with his Florentine Singer...

A fine quality 19th century, circa 1830 French Louis XVI fireplace in veined Statuario marble. The frieze carved with flutes, exquisitely carved to the centre with fruit, flowers and...

An imposing and highly important antique Louis XV period statuary marble chimneypiece of exceptional quality and generous proportion, the serpentine opening centred with an elaborate...

With detached fluted columns terminating in ionic capitals, beneath corner blockings carved with anthemions. The chimneypiece has a center tablet that closely resembles that by Rober...

A French 1820’s chimneypiece carved in Bardiglio and statuary marble. An early 19th century French fireplace in the Egyptian revival style, the simple rectangular shelf surmounts a frieze with palmettes and rosette paterae carved in white marble. This is supported by Jambs with finely carved caryatids, palmettes at centre and feet on the footblocks. The Egyptian revival became popular in France during the era of Napoleon’s expeditions. This turned into a style in art, architecture and decorative arts especially after the Description de l'Égypte was published from 1809. Known in England as Description of Egypt...

A finely carved 18th century English white marble chimneypiece centre tablet of Neoclassical Design, circa 1788. Reclaimed from Silwood Park, a Neo...

A French Napoleon III Belgian Black marble chimneypiece, the deep moulded shelf above paneled frieze centred by roundel, the console jambs terminating in richly carved lion's paw fee...