Louis XVI Stool by Claude Sené

This 1930s Italian bench is so over-scaled, and monumental in appearance, that it seems to have been made for the large room it was destined, rather than the comfort of a typical sitter. As such, it would function equally well as a low side table or a high cocktail table. We’ll allow the buyer to determine its use. The designer was Pierluigi Colli, and the fabricator Martinotti, the Turin furniture and interior decorating firm that was established in 1831, and exhibited at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition and the 1904 St Louis World’s Fair. Colli’s family owned a textile company that supplied Martinotti with upholstery fabrics, suggesting nepotism had something to do with his being hired as the firm's director in 1926. Nevertheless, he proved himself worthy as a designer and a businessman. Having studied in Paris at the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs, he befriended leading French designers, and arranged for Martinotti to retail Lalique glass and Jean Perzel lighting. In addition, the quality of their work, and Colli’s dedication to the modern design movement, prompted Carlo Mollino, Gio Ponti, and Gino Levi-Montalcini, among others, to have Martinotti fabricate some of their furniture. Colli’s claim to fame, however, is his own work as a designer, and his ability to master the vocabularies of every trend from Art Deco to midcentury modern. During the Great Depression, when nearly every nation floundered economically, fascist Italy...

This Surreal-looking object was made as a wig stand in mid-19th century France by Louis Danjard. It was probably in the legendary Folk Art collection of the important American sculpt...

This comfortable, superbly carved pair of Louis-Philippe armchairs is unusual in having been made of rosewood, an exotic timber that was rare in France at the 1840s. It is now upholstered in grey felt with black gimp. The chairs come from the estate of the international socialite KK Auchincloss. Born Boston in the 1940s, she moved to Manhattan where she launched a clothing line, designed jewelry for Tiffany, and said yes to a marriage proposal from “Shipwreck” Kelly, the legendary football hero. She would say yes again to Peter Larkin, an heir to the 825,000 acre King Ranch...

This painted-and-gilded fire screen in the Louis XVI style was made by Francois Linke (1855 - 1946), the greatest maker of furniture in Belle Epoque Paris...

Pair of French Louis XVI style ottomans after Jansen. These stunning French Maison Jansen style ottomans, benches or stools have a matte ebonized finish, tapered legs with brass sabo...

A very stunning and very elegant Louis XVI period banquette from the Provence region of France. Soundly constructed from painted wood with 5 fluted and tapered legs. The central leg ...

French Louis XVI Style Giltwood Semi-Circular bench, Model inspired by Georges Jacob. Resting of giltwood legs carved in the neo-classical vernacular mastered by Georges Jacob, ma...

Finely carved arched back and seat carved with ribbon and leaf tip raised on circular tapered stop fluted legs. One chair stamped on base C Sene.