19th Century Napoleon III Gilded French Oval Mirror

The French custom of a father's gift to his newborn daughter was the crafting or purchase of an armoire carved with symbols of plenty and happiness, which stored her trousseau to use in her own home once she married. This beautifully hand carved, two-door, French wedding armoire...

Extremely rare French Louis XVI Duchesse Brisee (Chaise Longue or Lounge chair) by Nicolas-Jean Marchand, circa 1730s. Beautifully hand carved oak wood, newly restored and reupholstered with Casamance blue velvet fabric. Both chairs are signed (Estampillee) by Marchand at the bottom. Nicolas-Jean Marchand was a Louis XVI cabinetmaker well known for his furniture workshop in rue Saint-Nicolas. Marchand provided the King's court through Gilles Joubert...

A beautiful large oval mirror with rich ornaments and original facetted mirror plate. The mirror has a very warm antique look and feel. The mirror has an ornate top decoration with a central “fleur de lis” with floral elements. At the bottom, there is also a smaller decoration with acanthus and floral elements. This mirror is made in Southern France and it has a solid pine frame that was smoothened with gesso. The most elevated part of the frame features a floral engraving and the inner part is adorned with a Classic pearl beading. The ornaments were casted with the use of ground cattle bone and plaster, reinforced with steel wires. The mixture of these materials is used in early mirror frames. Before casting was common practice, ornaments were hand carved in wood. A time consuming process and with the growing demand for these mirrors, new production methods were introduced. Later on larger...

Napoleon III gilt wood (gold leaf) mirror, circa 1870. With a foliate shaped pediment, gadrooned outer border and a beaded inner border.