Antique French Empire Mahogany Bookcase c.1820

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Antique French Empire Mahogany Bookcase c.1820

About the Item

This is a beautiful antique French Empire mahogany bookcase with fabulous ormolu mounts, circa 1820 in date. It has been crafted from flame mahogany, the glazed door is flanked with an imposing pair of columns that are capped with exquisite ormolu mounts. The interior has four adjustable shelves and there is a useful drawer in the bottom. It is a lovely bookcase which would blend beautifully with contemporary interiors. Condition: In excellent condition having been beautifully restored in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 211 x Width 112 x Depth 54 Dimensions in inches: Height 83.1 x Width 44.1 x Depth 21.3 Empire style, is an early-19th-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts followed in Europe and America until around 1830. The style originated in and takes its name from the rule of Napoleon I in the First French Empire, where it was intended to idealize Napoleon's leadership and the French state. The style corresponds to the Biedermeier style in the German-speaking lands, Federal style in the United States and to the Regency style in Britain. The previous style was called Louis XVI style, in France. The Empire style was based on aspects of the Roman Empire. It is the second phase of neoclassicism which is also called "Directoire," after a government system. Furniture typically had symbols and ornaments borrowed from the glorious ancient Greek and Roman empires. The furniture was made from heavy woods such as mahogany and ebony, imported from the colonies, with dark finishes often with decorative bronze mounts. Marble tops were popular as were Egyptian motifs like sphinxes, griffins, urns and eagles and the Napoleonic symbols, the eagle, the bee, the initials "I" and a large "N." Gilded bronze (ormolu) details displayed a high level of craftsmanship. Flame Mahogany Thomas Sheraton - 18th century furniture designer, once characterized mahogany as "best suited to furniture where strength is demanded as well as a wood that works up easily, has a beautiful figure and polishes so well that it is an ornament to any room in which it may be placed." Matching his words to his work, Sheraton designed much mahogany furniture. The qualities that impressed Sheraton are particularly evident in a distinctive pattern of wood called "flame mahogany." The flame figure in the wood is revealed by slicing through the face of the branch at the point where it joins another element of the tree.

Dimensions:
Height: 83.08 in (211 cm)Width: 44.1 in (112 cm)Depth: 21.26 in (54 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Mahogany,Ormolu
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1820
Condition:
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 058741stDibs: LU95061280170