Breton Carved Mahogany Buffet/Bas d'Armoire from Nantes, France c.1895

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About the Item

A striking carved mahogany bas d'armoire from the Belle Epoque period in Nantes, France c.1895. The gorgeous combination of carved motifs across the entire facade of this cabinet possess a symmetry and balance that create an extraordinarily pleasing appearance. The unusual name of this piece, "bas d'armoire", refers to the composition of the cabinet that has two doors as opposed to a buffet that includes drawers. "Bas" is French for low so a bas d'armoire is a low armoire. This is an important distinction because the naming of individual pieces of furniture enabled an accurate inventory to be taken when possessions were being counted during the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries before a photograph could document items. This cabinet is also rare because it is constructed of solid mahogany not the typical cherry or walnut or oak found in most french furniture. The port city of Nantes, where this cabinet is from, is the westernmost port in France and during the eighteenth century was the first port where commodities from the colonies were off loaded from the ships. Mahogany, an important and valuable resource from the French owned plantations, was often used both as ballast in the ships and for selling to the French market. The introduction of mahogany to both the French and English market beginning in the seventeen hundreds was monumental in its effect upon furniture design and construction and its high cost as an imported luxury good restricted its availability to only the most affluent. From a design perspective this cabinet owes a debt to the designs of the area of Brittany in northwestern France especially the circular medallions set in the centre of each door. Please use the zoom feature on our website to see that these medallions are distinguished by individually turned spindles set in a continuous pattern around the entire circle to create a sense of three dimensional depth and movement. The two cabinet doors are each made in a square shape and are flanked by a vertical stile in the centre with fish scale carving (the term for the overlapping disks that reach from top to bottom) as well as on the left and right vertical side of the facade. These three vertical sections reinforce the sense of balance seen across the entire front. Another element that enhances the impoact of the cabinet is the sheer depth of the carved moulding seen everywhere on the piece. The edge of the solid mahogany top is bold in its teardrop motif and has a centre point from which the drops move away to the left and right that visually pulls the eye across the expanse of the cabinet. Beneath the top edge is a recessed band of carved moulding that is again the fish scale motif and when looking at either the left or right sides these moulded edges continue from the front increasing the interest of the sides. The entire cabinet stands upon turned column legs at the front that are variations of the Louis XVI period leg known as a "toupie" foot notable for its circular profile and tapered shape. The circular quality of this foot relates beautifully to the circular medallions in each of the front doors. The bacl legs are also shaped but to a lesser degree than the front in order to blend into the wall the cabinet is set against. The apron of the cabinet also features a centre carved design set directly beneath the centre of the doors that repeats the theme of circles with a large circular medallion flanks by a scrolled profile that each conatin a smaller madallion on the left and the right. The right door is opened with a key and the interior lock must be turned twice in order to engage and disengage the lock. Interestingly when the doors are unlocked and opened the locking mechanism is revealed to be an entire vertical frame of brass that contains a bolt that moves vertically to lock the door at the top and the bottom. Once the key is removed there is virtually no way to open the doors. So don't lose the key! When the doors are opened the full storage space is revealed with a shelf that is able to be adjusted to any heifght desired by changing the supporting brackets at the left and right sides. Because there is not a divider between the doors the entire width of the cabinet is able to be used to place objects behind the doors. This is an excellent example of French craftsmanship and design melded into one that continues to be as visually powerful and eminently usable today as when it was first constructed.

Dimensions:
Height: 36 in (91.44 cm)Width: 52 in (132.08 cm)Depth: 18 in (45.72 cm)
Style:
Belle Époque (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Mahogany
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1890
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Houston, TX
Reference Number:
Seller: EEF4011stDibs: LU8668732928

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