estampille Archives • Ébénisterie Mathieu Vath

Regency chest of drawers stamped Merchant

March 9, 2026March 11, 2026 Mathieu Vathviolet wood, convenient, stamp, Veneering - Marquetry, regency, furniture restoration, 18th century

Restoration of a Regency period commode, stamped with the name Nicolas Jean Marchand, veneered in violet wood with a diamond-point pattern on an oak frame. It opens with four drawers. The whole is adorned with chased bronze mounts bearing the crowned C, including thick drop handles, large gadrooned rosettes, cartel-shaped keyhole escutcheons, and espagnolette drops ending in eagle-claw feet. The crowned C: The royal edict of 1745 required bronze workers to affix a distinctive mark, a […]

Louis XV secretary stamped C.Chevallier

March 21, 2024March 21, 2024 Mathieu Vathrosewood, violet wood, KNIGHT, Vacuum bonding, conservation, stamp, Veneering - Marquetry, furniture restoration, secretary

Restoration of a Louis XV period drop-front secretary, also known as a cabinet, stamped by Charles Chevalier, with curved sides and a front without an intermediate rail. Constructed of oak and softwood, it is veneered with marquetry of maple, boxwood, blue-stained maple, holly, hornbeam, and barberry on a rosewood ground framed by violet wood. The drop-front opens with its original three-point lock, revealing a compartment containing seven shelves in four rows and four drawers. The whole contains […]

Transitional chest of drawers stamped SAUNIER

January 31, 2024January 31, 2024 Mathieu Vathamaranth, rosewood, violet wood, Bronzes, Vacuum bonding, convenient, conservation, stamp, Veneering - Marquetry, furniture restoration, Transitional style, French polish, 18th century

Restoration of a transitional two-door commode veneered with bottomless cube marquetry. The frame is oak for the uprights and rails, the side panels are softwood, and the two doors are walnut. The bottomless cubes are veneered with rosewood, violetwood, and tobacco-stained maple. The entire piece is framed with a stringing of green-stained maple and boxwood. The uprights and door frames are veneered with violetwood and rosewood. The sides […]

Louis XVI secretary stamped TOPINO

November 16, 2023September 4, 2024 Mathieu Vathamaranth, rosewood, Bronzes, Vacuum bonding, stamp, Louis XVI, Marquetry, Veneering - Marquetry, sawn veneer, furniture restoration, secretary, 18th century

Restoration of a Louis XVI secretary desk stamped by Charles Topino. Typical of Topino's style, this secretary is constructed of oak and softwood. The front opens with a drawer and a drop-front covered in red leather tooled in gilt, revealing two compartments and four drawers veneered in rosewood. The lower section opens with two doors revealing a shelf. These are decorated with marquetry depicting a vase and drapery on a tobacco-colored ground, while the drop-front is inlaid with musical instruments, ribbons, and foliage on […]

Louis XVI gueridon stamped JH RIESENER JME

July 18, 2022March 28, 2024 Mathieu Vathmahogany, stamp, Veneering - Marquetry, Louis XVI style, 18th century

A minor restoration is needed for this "shelf-style" pedestal table, also known as a "dumb servant." It is made of solid mahogany, mahogany veneer, and Aleppo breccia marble. It bears the stamp of the lesser-known cabinetmaker to the Crown Furniture Collection, Jean-Henri Riesener. Does Jean-Henri Riesener (July 4, 1734 – January 6, 1806) really need an introduction? He is the undisputed master of the Louis XVI style, renowned for the breadth and diversity of his work, but above all for the exceptional quality of his furniture and the sumptuousness of the pieces commissioned by the court of […]

Louis XVI commode stamped JB.Tuart

April 8, 2022April 8, 2022 Mathieu Vathamaranth, rosewood, Bronzes, Vacuum bonding, convenient, conservation, stamp, Louis XVI, Marquetry, Veneering - Marquetry, furniture restoration, 18th century

Here is a very pretty Louis XVI period commode veneered in rosewood and amaranth with marquetry of boxwood, pearwood, maple, hornbeam, walnut, blackened pearwood, lemonwood… It is built of oak and softwood. It is stamped twice with the mark of Jean-Baptiste II TUART. But its maker is probably Jean LAPIE. From a dynasty of Parisian cabinetmakers and merchants, whose father, Jean-Baptiste I, obtained his master's certificate in 1741 and was active until around 1760, Jean-Baptiste II, born around 1720, was not a master cabinetmaker but a master furniture maker and haberdasher […]

Secretary LXVI stamped Martin Carlin

March 22, 2022March 22, 2022 Mathieu Vathmahogany, amaranth, Bronzes, stamp, Veneering - Marquetry, furniture restoration, secretary, French polish, 18th century

Restoration of a Louis XVI period lady's writing desk stamped by Martin Carlin JME. The frame is solid oak, with the fall front and lower door made of softwood. The exterior is entirely veneered with Honduran mahogany, except for the upper edge, which is embellished with a thin strip of amaranth. The interiors are veneered with rosewood, amaranth, and stringing of boxwood and ebony. Of particular interest: the upper interior compartment has never been restored and retains its original finish, a magnificent polish that has preserved the […]

Marquises stamped C.SENE

March 4, 2022March 4, 2022 Mathieu Vathstamp, Seats, Louis XVI style

Conservation work for these two marquise chairs, stamped by Claude I Sené. Claude I Sené (1724-1792), son of Jean Sené, obtained his master craftsman's certificate in 1743 in Paris and worked in the same workshop as his brother-in-law, the cabinetmaker Jean-Etienne Saint-Georges, on the rue de Cléry, under the sign "du Grand Saint-Georges." His output includes numerous Louis XV chairs but very few Louis XVI pieces. Claude Sené ceased practicing his trade in 1780. He was the father of two other illustrious chair makers, Jean-Baptiste Claude and Claude […]

Directoire cylinder desk

January 18, 2022January 19, 2022 Mathieu Vathmahogany, cylinder desk, directory, stamp, Veneering - Marquetry, furniture restoration

Restoration of a late 18th-century Directoire roll-top desk veneered in mahogany burl on all four sides. It bears the mark CD or GD, a mark unknown to me. Any information regarding it would be greatly appreciated! Constructed entirely of oak (not a single piece of poplar, not even for the drawer pulls or panels), the upper section opens with a cylinder, revealing four small drawers surmounted by a niche, as well as a sliding writing surface covered in gilt tooling and two side pull-outs also covered in gilt tooling […]

Louis XVI commode stamped JA LECLERE

September 4, 2021September 4, 2021 Mathieu Vathmahogany, convenient, stamp, Veneering - Marquetry

Jacques-Antoine Leclere (1744 – January 30, 1792) obtained his master craftsman's certificate in Paris on September 29, 1779. He worked on the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine, then on the rue des Barres, and finally in the courtyard of the Jewish Quarter, a stone's throw from the Bastille. This cabinetmaker produced well-made Louis XV and Louis XVI pieces. He used rosewood, satinwood, mahogany, and also lacquer panels. His stamp can be found on secretaries, chests of drawers, and various small pieces of furniture. For example, a pair of Louis XVI half-moon commodes veneered […]

Louis XVI Molitor Console

July 3, 2021July 4, 2021 Mathieu Vathmahogany, Bronzes, Vacuum bonding, console, stamp, Louis XVI, Veneering - Marquetry

Restoration of a Louis XVI console table (1790-1795) stamped by Bernard Molitor. The structure is made of oak and solid mahogany for the legs. The panels of the lower shelf are beech. It is veneered with mahogany burl and ebony and brass stringing. Originally from Luxembourg, Bernard Molitor (1755 – November 17, 1833) obtained his master craftsman's certificate in Paris on October 26, 1787. He arrived in Paris in 1776 and worked in a small workshop located in the Arsenal district. It was after obtaining his master's certificate that he established himself on the rue de Bourbon-Saint-Germain. The austerity […]

Hedouin commode with crowned C

August 5, 2020May 31, 2021 Mathieu Vathviolet wood, Bronzes, oak, Vacuum bonding, convenient, conservation, stamp, HEDOUIN, Louis XV, Veneering - Marquetry, sawn veneer, restoration, furniture restoration, French polish, 18th century

Extensive restoration of this superb Louis XV period commode, stamped on all four uprights by Jean-Baptiste Hedouin. The frame and drawers are constructed of solid oak, fir, and walnut. The edges of the frieze and geometric marquetry in violet wood are veneered with satinwood. Two types of violet wood are visible: one with a very tight grain and veining for the lozenges, and a second, more intricate type for the marquetry edges, uprights, and rails. The […]

Secretary stamped P.ROUSSEL JME

February 8, 2020May 31, 2021 Mathieu Vathamaranth, rosewood, Vacuum bonding, stamp, Louis XV, Marquetry, Veneering - Marquetry, restoration, furniture restoration, secretary, French polish

Here are some images of the restoration of a secretary desk stamped by Pierre Roussel (1723-1782). Having become a Master Cabinetmaker in 1745, Pierre Roussel set up shop on Rue de Charonne, in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, under the sign "L'Image de Saint Pierre" (The Image of Saint Peter). Thanks to his skills as a cabinetmaker and especially as an exceptional marquetry artist, he quickly gained a great reputation. In 1762, he became a sworn member of his guild. By 1767, he was considered one of the best cabinetmakers of his time. Highly regarded by his colleagues, he became a representative of the cabinetmakers' guild in 1777 and then syndic two […]

Secretary stamped Martin Ohneberg

October 23, 2019May 31, 2021 Mathieu VathLeather, stamp, graft, Veneering - Marquetry, restoration, furniture restoration, secretary, Louis XVI style, French polish

This week marks the completion of the restoration of a Louis XVI period secretary. Martin Ohneberg (Master in 1773), the cabinetmaker who crafted this piece, was an excellent marquetry artist and used very high-quality rosewood. He produced numerous pieces of furniture with very simple lines but exquisite marquetry, including an endless variety of drop-front secretaries. This particular one is veneered with rosewood and amaranth, and features a mosaic marquetry of maple blossoms on a red satinwood ground. The framing bands […]

The chest of drawers of ingratitude

September 22, 2019September 22, 2019 Mathieu Vathconvenient, stamp, Uncategorized, Louis XVI style

This year, during Heritage Days, it was possible, for the second year in a row, to visit part of the reserves and the restoration workshops of the national furniture collection. For this 2019 edition, the commode known as "The Ingratitude Commode" was on display. This commode has a very particular history: commissioned for the crown, it was delivered on July 13, 1789, the day before the storming of the Bastille. Its creator, the cabinetmaker Pierre François Guignard, who became a master on January 21, 1767, received payment from the furniture repository on the 13th […]

Majorelle Table

August 29, 2019May 31, 2021 Mathieu VathArt Deco, Art Nouveau, stamp, graft, Majorelle, Veneering - Marquetry, restoration, furniture restoration

Here is a table in pure Art Deco style. It is veneered with Macassar ebony and the legs are mahogany. This table was probably created around the 1920s. Indeed, Louis Majorelle is best known as one of the great cabinetmakers of the Art Nouveau style, but it is too often forgotten that he was one of the forerunners of the Art Deco style, this table being a perfect example. In terms of restoration, as always, the veneer requires the most work; there […]

Louis XV slant-front desk stamped HEDOUIN (Restoration complete)

August 1, 2019May 31, 2021 Mathieu Vathviolet wood, Bronzes, donkey's back desk, Leather, stamp, graft, HEDOUIN, Louis XV, Uncategorized, Veneering - Marquetry, restoration, furniture restoration, French polish

Remember that slant-front desk? Well, it's finished. It was quite a task, but now it's regained its former glory. Only the drawer keyholes and the leather upholstery remain to be fitted before it's returned to its owner. A large part of the legs has been remade from sawn violet wood. This was cut to the correct thickness, scraped and sanded, then oxidized before being glued, so as not to have to sand the entire piece of furniture […]

Louis XV slant-front desk stamped HEDOUIN

July 6, 2019May 31, 2021 Mathieu Vathviolet wood, Bronzes, Desk, donkey's back desk, stamp, graft, HEDOUIN, Louis XV, Veneering - Marquetry, sawn veneer, restoration, furniture restoration, 17th century

Thanks to its stamp, it is possible to date this slant-front desk, or cantilevered desk, between 1738 and 1783. The life of Jean-Baptiste Hedouin is relatively unknown. After becoming a master craftsman, he set up his workshop on Rue Traversière-Saint-Antoine. All the furniture he produced was of high quality. His pieces, primarily in the Regency and Louis XV styles, almost all veneered in sheets or with grid patterns, were varied: wardrobes, flat and slant-front desks, bookcases… but it was the commodes that constituted the largest part of his output.

Louis XV corner cabinet, stamped JM CHEVALLIER

July 3, 2019May 31, 2021 Mathieu Vathrosewood, violet wood, oak, KNIGHT, Vacuum bonding, stamp, flipot, graft, Louis XV, Marquetry, Veneering - Marquetry, press, restoration, furniture restoration

Here is a corner cabinet stamped by Jean-Mathieu Chevallier. It is made of solid oak and veneered with rosewood and violet wood with a boxwood inlay. Jean-Mathieu Chevallier was already established on the rue de Grenelle under the sign "à la Croix Chevallier" when he obtained his master craftsman's certificate in 1743. He subsequently expanded his business considerably, had business dealings with André-Charles Boulle, one of the sons of the famous cabinetmaker, and contributed to furnishing the Hôtel du Duc de Talmont, as well as the Château de Villegénis, which he had purchased […]