French Louis XVI Style Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany Vitrine Table, C. 1880

A Fine Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Ormolu Mounted Mahogany Bookcase Bibliotheque, circa 1900 Of palatial size, this extremely elegant and lavish bookcase is carved from mahogany woo...

French Ormolu and Vernis Martin Vitrine, French, late 19th or early 20th century. An exceptional quality vitrine, in the Louis XVI-style with jewel quality ormolu bronze mounts wit...

An exceptional quality Louis XVI style French ormolu-mounted mahogany and leather coffee center table, attributed to Francois Linke, Paris, circa 1880. With exceptional quality or...

An Exquisite and Rare French Louis XVI Style Ormolu-Mounted Bloodstone Inkwell, circa 1875. A truly exceptional and jewel like quality inkwell encrier, made with the finest ormolu, mounted on bloodstone. A true collectors and one of a kind piece. Revival of the ancient régime in the late 19th century was paramount to the French furniture and bronze casting firms of the Belle Epoque. Imitation in the highest regard and replication of those tastes and styles was prevalent throughout the Paris Faubourg, where the most talented bronziers and ébénistes established their workshops. The present inkwell encrier recalls the late 18th century's obsession with hardstones - a taste expounded above all by the duc d'Aumont and, subsequently Marie-Antoinette. Such hardstone-mounted pieces, reminiscent of Renaissance schatzkammer objects, enjoyed a revived popularity at the end of the 18th century through the impetus of both the marchands-mercier and, more importantly, the hôtel des Menus-Plaisirs, where the duc d'Aumont himself established a workshop in 1770 specializing in the cutting and polishing of precious hardstones. This exceptional inkwell encrier, sumptuously-mounted with finely chased gilt-bronzes, incorporates a highly-prized material such as bloodstone. Sometimes called the Sunstone, the meaning of Bloodstone comes entangled in fascinating history. The Ancient Greeks held the Bloodstone as a gem with glorious powers. They referred to it as Heliotrope, which directly translates to Sunstone. It was believed to have heavenly healing powers gifted by the gods and most certainly when it came to healing all things related to the blood. Even as we move forward into the Middle Ages, the Bloodstone takes another mystical story under its wing. It was believed to be formed from Christ's blood. It was said that during the Crucifixion, a few red spots of his blood dripped...

A Fine Louis XV Style Gilt-Bronze Mounted Table Vitrine by François Linke. French, circa 1900. Linke Index Number 131. The lockplate signed 'F.Linke', the mounts variousl...

A fine quality French late 19th century mahogany hand carved inlaid oval table bijouterie cabinet in Louis XVI style. The glass top opening to access the red velvet interior. Raised ...

A fine gilt-bronze mounted mahogany table vitrine by Georges-Francois Alix. French, circa 1890. Stamped to the underside and to the reverse of th...

19th century Louis XV style curio display table, mahogany with bronze mounts French Louis XV style elegant mahogany and bronze decorated display...