Antique French Ebonised Inlaid Pier Cabinet c.1860

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Antique French Ebonised Inlaid Pier Cabinet c.1860

About the Item

This is a unique, antique Napoleon III ebonised and ormolu mounted, abalone, brass and mother of pearl pier cabinet c.1860. This beautiful cabinet is of bow fronted form and is profusely inlaid with flower-filled urns, birds, ribbon-tied garlands and scrolling acanthus. The panelled door enclosing a bird's eye maple interior with two shelves flanked by two fluted baluster turned columns with ormolu capitelli. The cabinet is surmounted with a striking Nero Portoro marble top and rests on a plinth base terminating in elegant toupie feet. With working lock and original key. It is an absolutely unique piece which would look amazing wherever it is placed. Condition: In excellent condition having been beautifully restored in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 116 x Width 86 x Depth 45 Dimensions in inches: Height 3 feet, 10 inches x Width 2 feet, 10 inches x Depth 1 foot, 6 inches Abalone is a common name for any of a group of small to very large edible sea snails. The shell of the abalone is exceptionally strong and is made of microscopic calcium carbonate tiles stacked like bricks. The inner shell is an iridescent swirl of intense colours, ranging from deep cobalt blue and peacock green to purples, creams and pinks. Therefore each pearl, natural or cultured, will have its own unique collage of colours. The highly iridescent inner nacre layer of the shell of abalone has traditionally been used as a decorative item, in jewellery, buttons, and as inlay in furniture and in musical instruments such as guitars, etc. Mother of pearl, is an organic-inorganic composite material produced by some molluscs as an inner shell layer; it is also what makes up the outer coating of pearls. It is strong, resilient, and iridescent. The outer layer of pearls and the inside layer of pearl oyster and freshwater pearl mussel shells are made of nacre. Both black and white nacre are and were used for design purposes. They were used as decorative motif used in cabinet making or silversmithing. The natural nacre may be artificially tinted to almost any colour. Nacre tesserae may be cut into shapes and laminated to a ceramic tile or marble base. The tesserae are hand-placed and closely sandwiched together, creating an irregular mosaic or pattern (such as a weave). The laminated material is typically about 2 mm thick. The tesserae are then lacquered and polished creating a durable and glossy surface. Ormolu (from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze.The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as 'gilt bronze'. The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object. No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury. Therefore, other techniques were used instead but nothing surpasses the original mercury-firing ormolu method for sheer beauty and richness of colour. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver, to produce silver-gilt (also known as vermeil). Our reference: 06016

Dimensions:
Height: 45.67 in (116 cm)Width: 17.72 in (45 cm)Depth: 33.86 in (86 cm)
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
1860-1869
Date of Manufacture:
c.1860
Condition:
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 060161stDibs: LU95061494522