Large Directoire Mahogany Jardinière by Jacob Freres

Carved overall with arabesques and scrolls, the lid centering a crowned armorial. César Bagard was born in Nancy in 1620. Most of the work known to have been carved by him was comp...

Of oval form with a pomegranate finial, the hinged top opening to a fitted interior, and lion mask ring handles at the sides, raised on ebonized paw feet.  

Finely carved overall with arabesques, birds and scrolls, the top centered by a cartouche. César Bagard was born in Nancy in 1620. Most of the work known to have been carved by him ...

A Directoire Mahogany Bergère Attributed to Georges Jacob, its curved back and padded armrests with finely carved baluster-shaped supports raised on turned front legs and sabre back legs. With a spurious Jacob stamp to back rail. The term "Directoire" refers to a historical period following the French Revolution (1789) and preceding the First Empire when Napoleon reigned, but also to a style of furniture and decoration covering a longer period from 1789 to 1804. It is characterized by the production of furniture with simplified forms and ornaments, inspired by antique decorations. The profound social and political upheavals that marked this period had a direct impact on the production of Directoire furniture. The stripping down of furniture pieces, which had begun in the 1780s under the influence of Greek art, was accentuated during this period. The abolition of guilds by the revolutionaries also forced manufacturers in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine to simplify shapes and materials. Elegant and graceful, the furniture is generally small-scale. They retain the Louis XVI structure. The Directoire style adopts clean shapes, straight lines, simple curves, flat surfaces and right angles. Lines accentuate geometric shapes inspired by Antiquity. A typical trait is the pronounced rolled-over back, similar to a scroll illustrated in our bergere, evocative of the klismos chair. Only the more luxurious pieces of furniture use mahogany, an exotic and expensive wood. Despite his humble origins, Georges Jacob rose to become one of the most renowned menuisiers of his day. Unlike many artisans who joined their fathers or brothers in the middle-class family trade of furniture making, Jacob was from a peasant family and moved to Paris at sixteen to begin his career. He apprenticed in a joinery workshop and eventually became a master in 1765. He developed a reputation for producing inventive designs for chairs, beds, and screens carved with such motifs as twisted ribbons, guilloches, beading, and fluting. Jacob's reputation grew quickly, eventually spreading outside France; the future King George IV of England, Gustavus III of Sweden, and several German princes...

This is a large antique sarcophagus cellarette. An English, mahogany and lead lined wine cooler or centrepiece, dating to the Regency period, circa 1830. Striking Regency centrepiece...

A French Ormolu-Mounted Neoclassical Jardinière Constructed using flamed Cuban mahogany and dressed with hand-chased and gilded bronze mounts, supported on scrolled foliate feet, th...

A striking and most decorative French early 19th century 1st Empire period Mahogany planter. The planter is raised by an exceptional bottom tier with a most elegant concave front, ba...

An exceptional and most decorative French early 19th century Directoire st. Mahogany and ormolu jardiniere planter circa 1805. The planter is raised by an elegant bottom tier with fi...