Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 19

Antique French Vernis Martin Display Cabinet Vetrine Circa 1880 19th Century

$5,410.32
£3,950
€4,642.77
CA$7,469.68
A$8,281.24
CHF 4,352.12
MX$101,348.80
NOK 54,353.49
SEK 51,016.19
DKK 34,655.42

About the Item

This is a stunning antique French louis XV Revival Vernis Martin display cabinet, circa 1880 in date. The cabinet features a shaped top with  impressive ornate ormolu mounts and the body is serpentine shaped. It has a glazed ormolu mounted door that features a fantastic Vernis Martin hand painted panel of a courting couple, with the two side panels depicting country scenes. The interior is lined with the rich original pink fabric which beautifully complements the cabinet. Complete with original working lock and key. It is very rare to find such an exquisite cabinet and it is sure to attract a lot of attention from your guests. Condition: In excellent condition having been beautifully restored and reupholstered in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 170 cm x Width 80 cm x Depth 45 cm Dimensions in inches: Height 5 foot, 7 inches x Width 2 foot, 7 inches x Depth 1 foot, 6 inches Vernis Martin is a lustrous lacquer substitute widely used in the 18th century to decorate furniture and such personal articles as brisé fans,  snuffboxes and clocks. The process of adding bronze or gold powder to green varnish was perfected by the French brothers Guillaume and Etienne-Simon Martin, hence its name “Vernis Martin”, as Vernis is French for varnish. It is said to have been made by heating oil, copal and amber and then adding Venetian turpentine and the Martin brothers perfected the process with inclusions in the varnish, sprinkling spangles of silver plated copper wire into the wet varnish ground. Highly praised by Voltaire, it was developed to imitate East Asian lacquerware which was being imported into France during the Louis XV period. Vernis Martin was made in several colours, green, black and a golden red being the most characteristic. 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: A2184b
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 66.93 in (170 cm)Width: 31.5 in (80 cm)Depth: 17.72 in (45 cm)
  • Style:
    Revival (In the Style Of)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    circa 1880
  • Condition:
  • Seller Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: A2184b1stDibs: LU950646485012

More From This Seller

View All
Antique French Vernis Martin Display Cabinet, 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a fabulous antique French Louis Revival Vernis Martin ormolu mounted display cabinet, circa 1880 in date. This beautiful cabinet has hand painted decoration, exquisite ormolu mounts and a beautiful marble top. The central panel has a beautiful painting depicting a courting couple in a boat and the two side panels have paintings of country scenes. The cabinet has serpentine glass to the sides with a capacious cupboard in the bottom. Complete with working lock and original key. The quality and attention to detail throughout is second to none. Add a touch of unparalleled style to your home. Condition: In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned polished and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 160 x width 88 x depth 34 Dimensions in inches: Height 5 foot, 3 inches x width 2 foot, 11 inches x depth 1 foot, 1 inch Vernis Martin is a lustrous lacquer substitute widely used in the 18th century to decorate furniture and such personal articles as brisé fans...
Category

Antique 1880s French Cabinets

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Antique Large French Vernis Martin Display Cabinet C1880 19th Century
Located in London, GB
A stunning antique Louis XV Revival French Vernis Marten five panel display cabinet of extravagantly shaped serpentine form, Circa 1880 in date, with exquisite hand painted decoratio...
Category

Antique 1880s Cabinets

Materials

Other

Antique French Vernis Martin Vitrine Display Cabinet 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a stunning antique French louis XV Revival Vernis Martin display cabinet, circa 1880 in date. The cabinet feature a shaped top with impressive ornate ormolu mounts, the body is serpentine shaped with a glazed ormolu mounted door that features a fantastic Vernis Martin hand painted panel of a courting couple, with the two side panels depicting country scenes. The interior is lined with the rich original pink fabric which beautifully complements the cabinet. Complete with original working lock and key. It is very rare to find such an exquisite cabinet and it is sure to attract a lot of attention from your guests. Condition: In really excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 170 x Width 85 x Depth 43 Dimensions in inches: Height 5 foot, 7 inches x Width 2 foot, 9 inches x Depth 1 foot, 5 inches Vernis Martin is a lustrous lacquer substitute widely used in the 18th century to decorate furniture and such personal articles as brisé fans...
Category

Antique 1880s French Cabinets

Materials

Ormolu

Antique French Vernis Martin Vitrine Display Cabinet 19th Century
By Vernis Martin
Located in London, GB
This is a stunning antique French wood and Vernis Martin vitrine cabinet, in the Louis XV manner, Circa 1880 in date, with exquisite hand painted decoration and exquisite ormolu moun...
Category

Antique 1880s French Louis XV Cabinets

Materials

Ormolu

Antique Large Vernis Martin Bombe' Display Cabinet 19th Century
Located in London, GB
A stunning large antique French wood Vernis Martin five panel display cabinet in the Louis XV manner and of extravagantly shaped Bombe form, circa 1870 in date, with exquisite hand painted decoration and exquisite ormolu mounts. It has five decorative Vernis Martin panels with beautiful hand painted decoration, the central panel depicting a courting couple and the others with classical figures in pastoral country scenes. The central panel bears the artists signature, Le Brun. The large central clear serpentine glazed door opening to a large capacious cupboard below, flanked by clear glazed serpentine panels, with further shaped glass on the sides. It is smothered in gorgeous gilded ormolu mounts, the shaped apron with foliate mounts and sabots, standing on cabriole legs. The mirror backed interior is fitted with glass shelves, the lower shelf lined with golden velvet, to display your collection of china or silver beautifully. This magnificent piece is in excellent condition and the quality and attention to detail throughout is second to none. Add a touch of unparalleled style to your home. Condition: In really excellent original condition having only been beautifully cleaned, polished and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: height 193 x width 115 x depth 50 Dimensions in inches: height 6 foot, 4 inches x width 3 foot, 9 inches x depth 1 foot, 8 inches Vernis Martin is a lustrous lacquer substitute widely used in the 18th century to decorate furniture and such personal articles as brisé fans...
Category

Antique 1870s French Louis XV Cabinets

Materials

Ormolu

Antique Pair French Vernis Martin Vitrine Display Cabinets 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a stunning pair of antique French louis XV Revival Vernis Martin display cabinets, circa 1880 in date. The cabinets feature shaped tops with impressive ormolu mounts,  the b...
Category

Antique 1880s Revival Cabinets

Materials

Ormolu

You May Also Like

French Empire Vitrine Display Cabinet 1860
Located in Potters Bar, GB
French Empire two door display vitrine Shaped glass to doors and original ormulo fittings Intricate marquetry panels on lower doors Hand crafted from kingwood circa 1860 Bought from ...
Category

Antique 1860s Empire Cabinets

Materials

Glass, Kingwood

Antique Quality Kingwood Ormolu Mounted French Vernis Martin Display Cabinet
Located in Suffolk, GB
19th century antique quality kingwood and ormolu mounted French Vernis Martin display cabinet having an attractive shaped top with an impressiv...
Category

Antique 1860s French Victorian Cabinets

Materials

Ormolu

Antique Quality Kingwood and Ormolu Mounted French Vernis Martin Display Cabinet
Located in Suffolk, GB
19th century antique quality kingwood and ormolu mounted French Vernis Martin display cabinet having an attractive shaped top with an impressive...
Category

Antique 19th Century French Cabinets

Materials

Other

Superb quality antique Victorian French kingwood display cabinet
Located in Ipswich, GB
Superb quality antique Victorian French kingwood display cabinet, having a serpentine shaped glazed top with quality ornate ormolu mounts above a hand pained door opening to reveal a...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Early Victorian Cabinets

Materials

Kingwood

An unusual showcase, France, circa 1880.
Located in Chorzów, PL
An unusual showcase, France, circa 1880. Very good condition. wood: walnut dimensions: height 190 cm x width 115 cm x depth 48 cm
Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Vitrines

Materials

Walnut, Glass

French Vitrine Display Cabinet Painted Vernis Martin, 1870
Located in Potters Bar, GB
Elegant period French vitrine or display cabinet. We date this to circa 1870 and it features painted panels in the Vernis Martin manner Offered in great shape ready for home use ri...
Category

Antique 1870s Cabinets

Materials

Mahogany