Symbolist Art Nouveau Picture Frame and Sarah Bernhardt Photography, circa 1890

Known throughout France for its Belle Époque furniture and decorative objects, Maison Millet was one of Paris’s most formidable furniture makers during the 19th century.

The company was founded in 1853 by Théodore Millet, a talented cabinetmaker who specialized in crafting artistic bronzes and making 18th-century reproductions of furniture, particularly in the Louis XVI style.

During the mid-1800s, Maison Millet’s designs consisted of elaborate and skillfully embellished furniture that was elegant and luxurious. Pieces such as cabinets, cupboards and vitrines were made from fine wood and gilt bronze. Table lamps featuring Cipollino marble and wall sconces were highly decorative, ornamented with hand-chiseled ribbons, bows and flowers. For Maison Millet’s bronze pieces, it is said the company collaborated with many well-known Parisian sculptors and bronze casters, including Claudius Marioton.

By the late 19th century, Maison Millet’s reputation for exquisite furniture was firmly established. At the Paris Universal Exposition in 1889, the firm won the gold medal, and at the 1900 Universal Exposition, it won the grand prix and three diplômes d’honneur. In 1902, Maison Millet was given the distinguished honor of being one of a few furniture makers authorized by the Château de Versailles to make a replica of Marie-Antoinette’s famed Grand Cabinet à Bijoux (a jewelry case).

Following Maison Millet’s accomplishments and the success it enjoyed towards the end of the 19th century, furniture production slowed in the early 1900s. By 1906, its remaining pieces had been auctioned off, and by 1918, the company had closed. 

Today, Maison Millet’s name continues to resonate among interior designers and avid collectors of 18th- and 19th-century furniture.

On 1stDibs, find a range of antique Maison Millet case pieces and storage cabinets, lighting, tables and more.