19th Century French Renaissance Revival Signed Hunt Cabinet

About the Item

A magnificent antique French Renaissance Revival hunt sideboard, signed, circa 1854. Exquisitely hand-crafted in France in the mid-19th century, finely hand carved and sculpted solid oak with beautifully aged mellow warm patina, two-piece, the upper having an ornate scrolling foliate crest centering protruding figural hound dog mask, surmounting two open shelves for displaying your finest china. Mounted atop a case decorated with elaborate sculptural game carvings including fox and pheasant, flanking a pair of drawers, above two locking cabinet doors, faced with hand painted floral roundels, molded base embellished with relief ornamentation, rising on substantial bun feet in the front and sturdy block feet rear. One painting is signed and dated 1854. Dimensions: (approx) 76.75" High, 49.75" Wide, 24.5" Deep An outstanding example. Museum quality. In excellent original antique condition with nicely aged patina over the whole. Delivered cleaned, hand waxed, polished French patina finish, ready for immediate use and generational enjoyment! What is a French Hunt Cabinet? French Hunt Cabinets are typically a two-piece cabinet with base and top. Of course, the top section might have glass fitted in the doors and/or is used primarily for display. Typically, the bottom cabinet has two drawers and two cupboard doors. Consistent with all Hunt Cabinets, though, is the theme of the carvings and decoration. The hunt, or in French, “La Chasse,” is an age-old pastime of French nobles and elite. The sport of the hunt became increasingly popular in the 19th century. As a demonstration of valor and bravery, hunting in the perilous French woods became both a symbol of wealth and masculinity. Of course, these country homes were no small cottages, but rather showy estates. Often built of stone with turrets and fortresses, many dating back to feudal times, these manor houses called for large and impressive furniture. Thus, nearly all antique French Hunt Cabinets feature a strong Renaissance Revival or Gothic taste. Heavy carvings, deep exaggerated carvings and dark finishes also characterized hunt furniture. Often, hanging pheasants, hares, deer, stags and other prey elaborately hang from the doors and drawers of these antique cabinets. Typically, realistic leaves, branches and flowers also make up the carvings of a hunt cabinet. The three-dimensional quality of these antique cabinets was meant to impress! Craftsmanship of this caliber took weeks and sometimes months of work to complete and was no easy or inexpensive task.

Dimensions:

Height: 76.75 in (194.95 cm)Width: 49.75 in (126.37 cm)Depth: 24.5 in (62.23 cm)

Style:

Renaissance Revival (In the Style Of)

Materials and Techniques:

Oak,Hand-Carved,Hand-Crafted,Hand-Painted

Place of Origin:

France

Period:

19th Century

Date of Manufacture:

circa 1854

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use. An outstanding example. Museum quality. In excellent original antique condition with nicely aged patina over the whole. Delivered cleaned, hand waxed, polished French patina finish, ready for immediate use and generational enjoyment!

Seller Location:

Forney, TX

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU5977232159072

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