Restoration of a Louis XVI period chiffonier table, stamped Jean-Baptiste VASSOU (1739-1807). It is made of solid mahogany and mahogany veneer, on oak and softwood frames. It is, in fact, a very finely crafted piece of furniture, with beautiful veneer and a beautiful finish. Turquin blue marble.
What is a chiffonnier table?
The first mention of a "chiffonnière table" appears in the journal of the haberdasher Lazare Duvaux (1703-1758) in 1755. In 1763, the post-mortem inventory of Jean-François Oeben mentions a "frame for a chiffonnière made of alder wood." The model became common in the second half of the 18th century. Roubo describes it as follows: "Chiffonnières are a type of small chest of drawers used by ladies when they are working, either sewing or embroidering. These tables have two or three drawers in front, or..." "It's better to place it along the side of the table so as not to inconvenience those using it."»
Jean-Baptiste VASSOU
Born in 1739, he obtained his master craftsman's certificate on January 28, 1767, in Paris. He initially established himself on Rue Saint-Nicolas, under the sign of "La Tête Noire" (The Black Head). Then, from 1799 onward, he moved to Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine. He worked primarily for merchants, supplying them with high-quality furniture. He prospered even during the Revolution, during which he purchased several houses.
Finally, his youngest son, Jean-Louis, succeeded him, before handing over the workshop himself to his son-in-law.
State of affairs report
The varnish was moldy, so much so that the old restorations, such as the makeup and stains, showed through. But the biggest problem with this piece of furniture lay elsewhere: the front part of the lower shelf was missing, gnawed by a dog.
The Restoration
What a surprise, when peeling back the old varnish, to discover magnificent mahogany veneers, disguised during a restoration! Strange: what was my predecessor trying to do? Perhaps he thought they were holes? Or maybe he didn't like the wood's natural movement? Curious. Luckily, beneath the disguise and fuchsin, the veneer was intact.
The bulk of the work therefore consisted of recreating the missing section of the lower shelf. Fortunately, I had a piece of mahogany in stock that perfectly matched the original veneer. As for the front trim, I used the gallery's curves as a guide for its reproduction.
Next, I applied a light coat of clear varnish with a pad. Finally, the bronzes were simply cleaned with a microfiber cloth.
