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Napoleon III Stools

NAPOLEON III STYLE

Under Napoleon III’s rule, Paris underwent a great rebuilding overseen by Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, which created grand avenues and lavish landmarks like the Paris Opera. Antique Napoleon III–style furniture was flamboyant and eclectic. It was also known as Second Empire style since it followed and referenced the Empire style of his uncle Napoleon I.

Developing from 1852–70, Napoleon III furniture was plush and ornate, matching the fashion for masked balls and socializing in salons. It borrowed freely from earlier French styles including Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI as well as aesthetics from around the world, from antiquity to Asian art. As writer Gustave Claudin remarked in 1867, the country’s architects worked in “a style which one would be tempted to call neo-Greco-Gothico-Pompadour-Pompeian.”

Napoleon III chairs were completely covered with velvet and lined with tassels; pouf footstools invited people to put up their feet. Sofas were upholstered with tapestries, and beds were adorned with gilt bronze and theatrical canopies. The addition of conservatories to homes led to new indoor-outdoor furniture, while the spirit of hygiene promoted by Baron Haussmann inspired bright, floral motifs.

Although the most ostentatious designs were for the elite, as seen in the Napoleon III apartments preserved in the Louvre, where red velvet, gilding and chandeliers create a cacophony of luxury, these trends influenced homes across classes as manufacturing made design increasingly accessible. Papier-mâché furniture allowed for elaborate shapes that would have been difficult to carve in wood. The malleable material was painted with chinoiserie patterns and decorative designs. It was mass-produced by factories such as Jennens and Bettridge with varnishing and mother-of-pearl inlays creating an effect reminiscent of Asian lacquer. (Surfaces that had been “japanned” — a specialty of Jennens and Bettridge — were intended to resemble lacquer work that was created in East Asia.)

Find a collection of antique Napoleon III decorative objects, tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Napoleon III
Pair of 19th Century French Upholstered Stools
Located in High Point, NC
Pair of 19th century oak stools from France with newly upholstered tops. The seats are newly upholstered in linen and have nail head trim decoration. The frames of the stools are...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Abalone, Oak

4 Theodore Alexander Napoleon III Mahogany Scoop Back Brown Leather Bar Stool
Located in Dayton, OH
Set of 4 An Evening At Ease by Theodore Alexander. Inspired by Napoleon III and Louis XV styling. Features a hand carved mahogany scoop back, a padded brown leather upholstered sea...
Category

Late 20th Century Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Brass

A French Napoleon III Pair of Louis XVI Style Curule Stools, circa 1900
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
A French 19th Century Pair of Large Rectangular Curule Stools Partially gilt, blackened and red lacquered wood, carved decoration with acanthus leaves and rosaces. The 4 feet linked by a stretcher. Louis XVI Style Napoléon III Period Circa 1900 Used tartan chintz upholstery Attributed to Maison Jansen Jansen, the French Luxury Opulence, refinement, audacity of style marriages… so many words agree with Maison Jansen. Through this name, a whole era sounds like a reminder of a certain French chic… Some names evoke immutable images, atmospheres... Like Jansen, for example. Let’s close our eyes… The 1960s and 1970s are at their peak. France is doing well. It is a country of full employment where everything seems possible. Within the international Jet Set, a carefree crowd of movie stars, public figures, literary idols and crowned heads, we love the Maison Jansen, its taste for styles struck with a good quality exuberance, and its brilliant side. It all began in 1880, when the Dutchman Jean Henri Jansen founded the eponymous house in Paris. Jansen is part of the continuity of these world-famous furniture manufacturers and companies that operated under the Second Empire and at the time of the Universal Exhibitions, as the ‘Escalier de Cristal’ teaches. At that time, the Union Centrale des Beaux-Arts appliqués à l'Industrie and the Société du musée des Arts Décoratifs merged to form the Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs. Supported by both gallery owners, collectors and manufacturers, this organization gives the «la» to the whole profession, and in the prevailing politico-ideological slump (France was defeated by Prussia in 1871 and Napoleon III is in exile), the ‘Union Centrale des Art Décoratifs’ focuses production on the celebration of past styles. While this nostalgia evokes memories of an era that we imagine more stable, an innovative exoticism will be all the rage: the reign of Turkish style and Japonisme. The Jansen house masterfully rushed into the «exotic» trend, but quickly developed a style derived from the ornamental splendor of the eighteenth, then a little later, so-called «imperial» styles mainly intended for royal families. After the First World War, J.H Jansen was joined by the cartoonist Albert Cazes, by Stéphane Boudin and by Pierre Delbée, who successively directed the house when it disappeared in 1929. At the end of the Kennedy era, Boudin completely redecorated the White House, at the request of the First Lady, Jackie, who had fallen in love with his work after discovering it at Malmaison. In 1971, Jansen joined forces with Leleu-Deshays and continued its quest for excellence. From 1969 to 1979, the dandy decorator Serge Robin took the reins of the house, granting it an eclectic and luxurious style: he revisited the great eras of French art, from the Renaissance to Louis XVI, by modernizing them with more contemporary pieces in Plexiglas or wrought iron. His recom-posed and sophisticated style met with resounding success. When Jackie Kennedy, who became the wife of the great Greek shipowner Aristotle Onassis, moved to France, the young architect married Louis XVI-style furniture to modernist designs from the 1950s. When the Shah of Iran decided to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Persian Empire in 1971, Serge Robin and his teams turned to the grandiose and ephemeral setting of Persepolis. A hundred semi-trailers then left the workshops on Rue Saint-Sabin to reach Teheran. At the same time, Princess Soraya of Iran commissioned her a sumptuous palace for Avenue Montaigne, the princes Faisal bin Fahd of Arabia and Mubarak Al-Sabah, and the Agnelli snatched it. On the French side, he puts his talent at the service of Brigitte Bardot, for whom he completely revamped the Madrague and the Lannes boulevard. Serge Robin embodies all the audacity of the name Jansen with the most im-probable weddings. With him, Plexiglas tables, Japanese chairs from the 50s, gold thread curtains, zebra sofas and leather Louis XVI style chests of drawers decorated the most fashionable apartments of the «seventies». All the best stories have an end. At the dawn of the 1990s, weakened by the changes of a society plagued by concern, the disappearance or the remoteness of noble families, and the increasing scarcity of bourgeois residences, the Jansen house lost its aging clientele. The brand is missing the turn of modernity, and cannot adapt to changes in society, changing tastes, and the importance of design. In 1989, it was closed. Jansen has not disappeared from the landscape: the house’s creations are still present on the market and in the French auction houses, but also in the United States, where they are very appreciated. Transparent Plexiglas tables, leather and metal armchairs, zebra sofas, exotic cabinets...
Category

1890s French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Wood

Napoleon III Giltwood Rope Tabouret
Located in Essex, MA
Circular with new muslin upholstery, conforming carved rope legs and stretchers ending on tassel feet, casters. Completely regilded with 23-karat gold leaf.
Category

1860s French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Other

Pair of 19th Century Turned French Stools
Located in High Point, NC
Pair of 19th century oak stools from France with newly upholstered tops in linen finished with a single welt. The frames have hand-turned barley twist legs, joined by matching stretc...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Linen, Oak

Pair of 19th Century Turned French Stools
Located in High Point, NC
Pair of 19th century oak stools from France with newly upholstered tops in linen finished with a single welt. The frames have hand-turned barley twist legs, joined by matching stretc...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Linen, Oak

20th Century Napoleon III Style Lacquered Rope Twist Upholstered Tabouret
Located in Dallas, TX
Napoleon III style stool or ottoman with twisted rope design after the model by A.M.E. Fournier, circa 20th century. Lacquered, the piece has a fabric circular seat on rope-twist molded seat-rails on knotted rope legs...
Category

20th Century Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

Modern Twisted Rope Sculptural Tabouret Stool after AME Fournier, 21st Century
Located in Troy, MI
Sculptural rope leg stool by Ballard Designs 21st Century production A modern adaptation of the 19th Century Napoleon III tabouret stool by A.M.E. Fournier Twisted and knotted rope ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Linen, Beech

Pair of French Turned Stools
Located in High Point, NC
Pair of turned oak stools from France, circa 1900. The seats have beveled edges and follows down to simple aprons and hand turned splayed legs, joined by simple stretchers with mold...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Oak

19th Century French Oak Turned Stool
Located in High Point, NC
19th century oak stool from France. The seat has a wide molded edge, surrounding a banded seat with a handle I the center for easy portability. The seat measures 12.88 inches x 12....
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Oak

Napoleon III Off White Lacquer Piano Stool, 19th Century
Located in Lisbon, PT
A Napoleon III off white lacquer refinished piano stool from the 19th century, crafted from solid wood and upholstered in mustard velvet. A rare decorative gem. This tripod piano sto...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Fabric, Walnut

Napoleon III Walnut Piano Stool French, circa 1880
Located in Labrit, Landes
Piano stool height-adjustable to be recovered. Circa 1880, French, of the period Napoleon III Good condition. Shipping: L35 P35 H49 7,2 kg.
Category

1880s French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Upholstery, Walnut

Theodore Alexander Bar Stools Napoleon III Mahogany Scoop Back Brown Leather
Located in W Allenhurst, NJ
Theodore Alexander bar stools Inspired by Napoleon III and Louis XV styling. Features a hand carved mahogany scoop back, a padded brown/co...
Category

20th Century Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

Napoleon III Mustard Velvet Piano Stool, 19th Century
Located in Lisbon, PT
A Napoleon III piano stool from the 19th century, crafted from solid wood and upholstered in mustard velvet. A rare decorative gem. This tripod piano stool embodies the elegance and...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Upholstery, Chestnut

Napoleon III Black Lacquer Piano Stool, 19th Century
Located in Lisbon, PT
A Napoleon III black lacquer refinished piano stool from the 19th century, crafted from solid wood and upholstered in mustard velvet. A rare decorative gem. This tripod piano stool ...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Fabric, Walnut

Antique French 19th C Napoleon III Style Stool or Foot Bench
Located in AMSTERDAM, NH
Refined 19th Century Napoleon III Style Stool or Foot Bench with a distinctive blue linen upholstery, ca. 1880. This exquisite stool serves as a comfortable complement to any sofa, ...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Linen, Wood

Napoleon III Stool
Located in Houston, TX
Napoleon III stool, circa 1870-1889: ebonized frame newly covered in white linen. Note: Regional differences in humidity and climate during shipping may cause antique and vintage wood...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Linen, Wood

French Napoléon III 1870s Walnut Upholstered Stools with Scrolling Accents
Located in Atlanta, GA
A pair of French Napoléon III walnut stools from the late 19th century, with scrolling accents and new upholstery. Created in France at the end of Emperor Napoléon III's reign, each ...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Upholstery, Walnut

19th Century Oak Stool, Leather Upholstery, Napoleon III Period.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
19th century oak stool, leather upholstery, Napoleon III period. 19th century oak stool, leather upholstery, Napoleon III period. H: 38cm, W: 73cm, D: 43cm
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Leather, Oak

Pair of Walnut French Napoleon III Style Stools
Located in New York, NY
Pair of walnut French Napoleon III style stools /ottomans. Upholstered in a linen-blend.
Category

1950s Vintage Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Linen, Walnut

Children's Stool in the Style of Thonet, circa 1880
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Children's stool in the style of Thonet, circa 1880.
Category

Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Cane, Beech

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French Vintage Brass Curule Stool
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Stool from France made with a solid gilt brass structure. The structure has beautiful ridged curule leg design with stretcher. The seat has been upholstered in a black leather. This ...
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1930s French Vintage Napoleon III Stools

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Brass

French Vintage Brass Curule Stool
French Vintage Brass Curule Stool
$2,150
H 17.25 in W 14 in D 10.5 in
Art Deco Vintage Red Lavender Blossom Pouf Stool Tabouret, Austria, 1930s
Located in Vienna, AT
Art Deco vintage stool ottoman pouf from red coral fabric and lavender cords designed and manufactured Austria 1930s. A high quality textured t...
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1930s Austrian Vintage Napoleon III Stools

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Fabric, Beech

French Louis XVI Style Giltwood Footstools, Green Silk Damask Upholstery
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Pair of French ottomans, upholstered, padded and buttoned, with separate top cushions, Napoleon III Style, often referred to as "Le Style Rothschild...
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19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

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Damask, Silk, Giltwood

French Pair of Curule Style Stools, Nubby Textured White Upholstery
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French pair of wooden curule style stools, with upholstered seats. These vintage stools from France have been created in the Curule (or often ref...
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20th Century French Napoleon III Stools

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Wood

French 19th Century Oak & Upholstered Bench
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A French, 19th century rectangular turned oak footstool with (more recent) printed canvas upholstery on the seat. Perfect to use as a small bench or vanity stool, the cushioning is d...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Upholstery, Oak

French 19th Century Oak & Upholstered Bench
French 19th Century Oak & Upholstered Bench
$1,250
H 19 in W 23.75 in D 16 in
Pair of Spanish Style Iron Leather Curule Stool Benches
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Gorgeous pair of mid-century modern wrought iron stools or benches featuring greco-roman style curule legs. Crafted from solid wrought iron having a desirable aged patina with an app...
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20th Century American Napoleon III Stools

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Wrought Iron

19th Century French Petit Point Stool
Located in Winter Park, FL
A small 19th century Louis XIII style stool with solid walnut frame and carved medallion detail. Wool verdure petit point upholstery fabric is in good condition with vibrant color. D...
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19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Tapestry, Wool, Walnut

19th Century French Petit Point Stool
19th Century French Petit Point Stool
$695
H 12.5 in W 19.5 in D 16 in
Four Theodore Alexander Style Leather and Walnut Finish Bar Stools
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Dimensions - H: 46 in W: 22 in D: 23 3/4 in SH: 31 in This distinguished set of four custom bar stools exemplifies the refined elegance and superior craftsmanship synonymous with T...
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Late 20th Century Unknown Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Metal

Pair of Theodore Alexander Director's Stools in Leather
Located in High Point, NC
A sable mahogany and brass mounted stool in the manner of Thomas Hope, with slung seat, with lion head arm terminals, on a turned ‘X’ base. The look of original Regency period furni...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Leather

Pair of Theodore Alexander Director's Stools in Leather
Pair of Theodore Alexander Director's Stools in Leather
$5,495 / set
H 25.25 in W 26 in D 22.5 in
French 19th Century Oak Piano Stool
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A nifty, 19th century piano stool made in France with adjustable height. The top cushion is upholstered in a weathered, cut-velvet of chevron design in autumnal tones that compliment...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Brass

French 19th Century Oak Piano Stool
French 19th Century Oak Piano Stool
$475
H 19.75 in W 13.38 in D 13.38 in
Ann Morris Bar Stool - Mahogany
Located in New York, NY
Available in any wood finish or paint color Custom made to any seat height The A-M Bar Stool is completely custom made. The seat height is custom and can be any height not exceedin...
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21st Century and Contemporary American Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Wood

Ann Morris Bar Stool - Mahogany
Ann Morris Bar Stool - Mahogany
$3,995 / item
H 38 in W 16.25 in D 16 in
Louis XV-Style Giltwood X-Shaped Folding Stool / Curule Seat
Located in Dallas, TX
a Louis XV-style carved and gilded X-shaped folding stool / curule seat with a plump red and gold Damask printed velvet cushion / pillow with elaborate passementarie embellishments i...
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20th Century French Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Velvet, Trimming, Giltwood, Wood

Previously Available Items
Antique Upholstered Piano Chair from France, circa 1880
Located in Schwerin, MV
Antique French Piano Stool, Swivel Stool - Napoleon III, circa 1880 Discover the charm and elegance of this antique French piano stool: The stool...
Category

1880s French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Metal

A French Belle Époque Curule Stool circa 1880
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
A French Belle Époque Curule Stool with armrests Gilded wood richly carved with scrolls, shells and acanthus leaves Red damask upholstery in perfect condition Louis XV Style Circ...
Category

1880s French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Silk, Giltwood

A French Belle Époque Curule Stool circa 1880
A French Belle Époque Curule Stool circa 1880
H 25.2 in W 29.14 in D 17.13 in
Pair of 19th Century French Walnut Stools
Located in High Point, NC
Pair of lovely turned 19th century walnut stools from France. The seats have been newly upholstered in linen and finished with a single welt, for added design interest. The seats a...
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19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

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Linen, Walnut

French 19th Century Mahogany and Velvet Footstool
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A French mahogany and velvet-upholstered Campaign footstool made in the 1800’s with modern appeal to use anywhere around the home. This comfortable seat is wrapped in a chartreuse ve...
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19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Textile, Mahogany

19th Century French Napoleon III Style Adjustable Curule Stool
Located in Burton, TX
This 19th Century Napoleon III Style Adjustable Curule Stool or Bench was crafted by French artisans in the late 1800's. The piece features a newly upholstered top resting on a hand ...
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Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Berlin Iron, Iron

Antique Piano Chair, 1880
Located in Schwerin, MV
Antique piano stool - hand-turned swivel stool, around 1880. This exquisite piano stool from the Napoleon III era combines historical elegance with o...
Category

1880s French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Metal

Antique Piano Chair, 1880
Antique Piano Chair, 1880
H 19.69 in Dm 19.69 in
3 Theodore Alexander Napoleon III Mahogany Scoop Back Red Leather Bar Stool
Located in Dayton, OH
Set of 3 An Evening At Ease by Theodore Alexander. Inspired by Napoleon III and Louis XV styling. Features a hand carved mahogany scoop back, a padded red leather upholstered seat,...
Category

Late 20th Century Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Brass

Napoleon III Giltwood Bamboo Silk Velvet Stool
Located in Houston, TX
Napoleon III gilt bamboo stool newly upholstered in a verde green striated silk velvet with loose down feather seat cushion.
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Silk, Velvet, Bamboo

Antique French 19th C Mustard Velvet Napoleon III Stool or Foot Bench
Located in AMSTERDAM, NH
Delight in the charm of this French 19th-century Napoleon III style stool or foot bench, featuring an elegant mustard velvet upholstery. The vintage velvet upholstery has been clean...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Cotton, Velvet

Pair of 19th Century Turned French Stools
Located in High Point, NC
Pair of 19th century oak stools from France with newly upholstered tops in linen finished with a single welt. The frames have hand-turned barley twist legs, joined by matching stretc...
Category

19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Linen, Oak

Pair of 19th Century Turned French Stools
Pair of 19th Century Turned French Stools
H 21 in W 18.25 in D 17.25 in
Pair of French Turned Stools
Located in High Point, NC
Pair of turned oak stools from France, circa 1900. The seats have beveled edges and follows down to simple aprons and hand turned splayed legs, joined by simple stretchers with mold...
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Early 1900s French Antique Napoleon III Stools

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Oak

Pair of French Turned Stools
Pair of French Turned Stools
H 17.88 in W 12.38 in D 12.25 in
Giltwood Barley-Twist Stool
Located in Houston, TX
Giltwood barley-twist stool circa 1860-1879, France. Barley-twist X-stretcher with upright center finial. Newly covered in heathered grass green wool. Not...
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Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Stools

Materials

Wool, Upholstery, Giltwood

Giltwood Barley-Twist Stool
Giltwood Barley-Twist Stool
H 19 in W 16.5 in D 16.5 in

Napoleon Iii stools for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Napoleon III stools for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage stools created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Napoleon III stools made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Austria pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original stools, popular names associated with this style include Baker Furniture Company, and Jacques Garcia. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for stools differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $748 and tops out at $7,500 while the average work can sell for $3,326.

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