Pair of Lacquered Wood Encoignures, by A.E. Beurdeley, France, Circa 1890

Alfred Emmanuel Louis Beurdeley was a French cabinetmaker and sculptor who was highly acclaimed for his work in the Louis XIV and Louis XV styles. Beurdeley’s grandfather, Jean Beurdeley, fought in Napoleon’s army. Following his military career, he opened a cabinetmaking business in Paris. A.E. Beurdeley’s father, Louis Beurdeley, taught him the family trade. 

In 1875 Beurdeley took over the family business after working beside his father for many years. The Beurdeley family’s fine furnishings had been popular among the elite and wealthy of the time such as Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie. To have a piece of Beurdeley luxury furniture in your home was a symbol of social status and refined taste.

A.E. Beurdeley was celebrated for his craftsmanship. In 1878, he won the gold medal at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, France. In 1893, following the Universal Exhibition in Amsterdam, Netherlands, he was awarded Chevalier de la Légion D’honneur, the highest honor given in France. Between 1894 and 1895, Beurdeley closed his shops in France and retired to his hotel in the Rue de Clichy. He spent the remainder of his life mostly in seclusion. 

In his later years, A.E. Beurdeley became a prolific art collector. He was well known for buying and selling large collections of furniture, porcelain sculptures and paintings. In 1905, he acquired an impressive collection of drawings by 18th century artists François Boucher, Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Nicolas Lancret and Antoine Watteau. When he died, he left 25,000 francs to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. In 1900, Beurdeley held the largest collection of engravings in Europe. His collections can be seen in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, the Louvre Museum in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. 

On 1stDibs, find antique Alfred Emmanuel Louis Beurdeley case pieces and storage cabinets, decorative objects and lighting.