Skip to main content
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 16

1880s Set of 2 French Giltwood Opera Chairs

About the Item

A delightful pair of French lacquered giltwood 'Chaises Volantes', complementary in design but not identical. Designed to be lightweight and easily transportable, this style of chair features an airy structure, with slender uprights and legs generally made from turned wood, which is usually counterbalanced by an exuberant style of decoration. These wonderful examples date from the Napoleon III era, and are comfortably upholstered with luxurious tufted red velvet seat cushions, secured with a nailhead trim. The gleaming golden seat backs are especially ornate; one features a ladder-style back embellished with carved swirls and drops, and ball-shaped finials on each stile, while the other is fitted with turned banisters on its upper half, below a beautifully shaped crest rail. Turned stretchers provide stability for both chairs, which also feature turned and tapered front legs. The undersides of each seat are stamped “Aux Deux Magots, Tapisseries, Tentures, Alger” – in reference to the renowned shopping emporiums of the 1920s and 30s on the fashionable Rue Bab-Azoun, in Algiers.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 33.86 in (86 cm)Width: 16.93 in (43 cm)Depth: 15.75 in (40 cm)Seat Height: 18.12 in (46 cm)
  • Sold As:
    Set of 2
  • Style:
    Napoleon III (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Giltwood,Velvet,Lacquered
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Circa 1880
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    LA CIOTAT, FR
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU6419234937222

More From This Seller

View All
1860S French Fireside Chair and Matching Footstool
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A pretty Napoleon III fireside slipper chair, with deep-buttoned back rest, luxurious yellow velvet upholstery and a plush sprung seat. Dating f...
Category

Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Chairs

Materials

Wood, Velvet

Set of 14 Dining Chairs, Empire Period
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A very smart set of fourteen solid and elegant dining room chairs dating from 1820' s between the Empire and the Restauration period. Although very similar...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Chairs

Materials

Velvet, Walnut

1880s Oil on Canvas by Victor Costes
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A small oil on canvas, “Still Life with Fish and Crustaceans”, by the great Provencal painter Victor Coste (1844-1923). Born in Marseille, Coste went on to study at the Ecole des Bea...
Category

Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Giltwood

Pair of Napoleon III Side Chairs with Blue Leather Upholstery
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A fabulous pair of 19th century Napoleon III carved wooden side chairs, each with a delicate spindle back and ornately shaped top rail. The se...
Category

Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Chairs

Materials

Leather, Fruitwood

1880s Silver Plated & Crystal Centerpiece
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
This elegant centerpiece is a striking example of refined neoclassical style from the late 19th century, combining silver-plated metalwork with the timeless clarity of crystal. Desig...
Category

Antique 19th Century French Centerpieces

Materials

Crystal, Silver Plate

Pair of Empire Period Gondola Children Chairs
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
This exquisite pair of children's chairs embodies the elegance and sophistication of the 19th-century Empire Period. Crafted from fine veneers and intricately carved wood, these chai...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Empire Chairs

Materials

Beech, Upholstery

You May Also Like

Pair of Hand-Painted Napoleon III Chairs - France, 1880s
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Exquisite pair of ebonized side chairs, hand-painted with a decor of birds, butterflies and foliage. Original deep pink satin seat cover...
Category

Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Side Chairs

Materials

Wood

Harnisch and Co chair Wiena 1880s Set of Two
Located in Čelinac, BA
Wiena 1880s chair by Harnisch Co
Category

Antique 1880s Austrian Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Bentwood

Harnisch and Co chair Wiena 1880s  Set of Two
$1,568 Sale Price / set
20% Off
1880s Chinese Upholstered Chair
Located in High Point, NC
This exquisite 1880s Chinese upholstered chair showcases the timeless elegance of traditional Chinese design with a modern touch. Its sleek black upholstery complements the clean lin...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

1880s French Wooden Chair With Upholstered Seat
Located in High Point, NC
This 1880s French wooden chair is a testament to the elegance and craftsmanship of the period. Its beautifully curved backrest is adorned with intricate hand-painted details in gold,...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

1880s Texas Horn Chair
Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID
This horn chair came from Texas and was made for the Glantz Ranch between 1880 and 1900. The piece was inherited by Ruth Glantz around 1920 and purchased from her daughter by Fred an...
Category

Antique 1880s American Chairs

Materials

Antler, Leather, Horn

1880s Danish Antique Miniature Chair
Located in Hudson, NY
The antique miniature chair, shown here, is from Kim Antons & Co., Denmark. Made during the 1880s, the scale and age-worn patina of the chair m...
Category

Antique 1880s Danish Chairs

Materials

Wood

Recently Viewed

View All