polite

Wild herb table

Mathieu VathMarquetry, Rio Rosewood, Veneering - Marquetry, polite, furniture restoration, 17th century
Ebénisterie Mathieu Vath

Restoration of a solid walnut marquetry table with "architectural whimsy" and "wild herbs" motifs, originating from the Austrian Tyrol in the mid-17th century. The piece rests on four twisted legs, adorned with flattened ball feet, connected by an X-shaped stretcher. It opens with a wide drawer in the front and is surmounted by a rectangular top. This top is decorated with a rosewood border, followed by bands delimited by wide bog oak fillets, themselves framed with boxwood. These elements […]

Read more

Augsburg Cabinet, 17th century

Mathieu VathCabinet, Marquetry, Veneering - Marquetry, polite, furniture restoration, 17th century
EEbénisterie Mathieu Vath

Restoration of a small table cabinet (Height: 14.3 cm – Width: 17.3 cm – Depth: 13 cm), likely a traveling model, made of solid wood with intarsia on all sides, opening with a drop-front concealing eight drawers (the bottom one simulating two drawers). Its composition is particularly rich, incorporating eight different wood species. The frame, made of fir and cherry for the visible parts, is inlaid with large central panels of sycamore maple. These are framed by bands of plum wood, themselves bordered by a double band […]

Read more

Flat Greek-style desk stamped DUBOIS

Mathieu Vathamaranth, violet wood, Bronzes, Desk, polite, furniture restoration, satin, Louis XVI style, Transitional style, 18th century
Ebénisterie Mathieu Vath

One desk, one stamp, three cabinetmakers? The desk we are about to discover, a masterpiece of French cabinetmaking, embodies the culmination of 18th-century Neoclassical taste. The question that immediately arises upon contemplating this exceptional piece is: why three cabinetmakers for a single desk? The answer lies in the complex interplay of succession, talent, collaboration, and opportunism that characterized the craftsmanship of the period. This flat desk, known as a "Greek-style" desk, is a perfect example of the Louis XVI style. Made from a blend of […]

Read more

La Rochelle chest of drawers in "Isles wood"«

Mathieu Vathmahogany, Solid Wood, Bronzes, convenient, ebony, polite, furniture restoration, 18th century
Ebénisterie Mathieu Vath

A look back at the restoration of this rare port chest of drawers, crafted from solid woods brought back from both the Orient and the West Indies, combining four precious woods: mahogany, satinwood, Palo Santo, ebony, and, most notably, a fifth wood, Royal ebony. This chest of drawers opens with three wide drawers in three rows of Palo Santo, interspersed with Ceylon ebony crossbars, and is topped with a solid framed top composed of parquet flooring, primarily enlivened by Royal ebony crossbars against a mahogany background (some sections are mottled or […]

Read more

Louis XIV commode

Mathieu VathBronzes, Vacuum bonding, convenient, conservation, graft, Louis XIV, walnut, Veneering - Marquetry, polite, furniture restoration, 18th century
Ebénisterie Mathieu Vath

Restoration of a Louis XIV period commode veneered in olive burl, ash, and walnut, likely from the Dauphiné region. This type of commode (D-shaped), along with the Mazarine commode, was among the very first commodes popularized under Louis XIV. Indeed, the appearance of the earliest French furniture resembling the commode dates only from the 1700s; thus, the oldest known and datable Parisian commodes are those delivered by André-Charles Boulle to Versailles around 1708. Their very simple decorations are inspired by Dutch designs, often executed by […]

Read more

RELIGIOUS CLOCK, Sarrabat Paris

Mathieu VathBronzes, Vacuum bonding, conservation, Louis XIV, Boulle marquetry, pendulum, polite, furniture restoration
Ebénisterie Mathieu Vath

Restoration of a 'religious' clock with a striking mechanism on the half-hour, signed (dial and movement) 'Sarrabat à Paris', third quarter of the 17th century. Religious clocks were the earliest form of clocks during the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King. Their popularity increased from 1660 onwards, thanks to Huygens' discovery of the regulator pendulum. This particular clock features Boulle marquetry of red tortoiseshell, brass, and pewter on a walnut frame, decorated with gilt bronze mounts and ebony moldings. The lower molding is also ebony and rests on […]

Read more

Louis XV corner cabinet

Mathieu Vathcorner, Marquetry, Rio Rosewood, Veneering - Marquetry, sawn veneer, polite, furniture restoration, 18th century
Ebénisterie Mathieu Vath

Restoration of a Louis XV corner cabinet in marquetry of various woods (maple, hornbeam, boxwood, and holly). Except for the green leaves, the colors of some flowers and ribbons have faded. This marquetry is executed on a rosewood background framed by a boxwood stringing and a rosewood frieze. The frame of this corner cabinet is made of solid oak assembled with dovetail joints. Condition report: As you can see in the following photos, the surface of the varnish was heavily sun-faded, the glues of the marquetry on the doors were in […]

Read more

Louis XV/Transition Commode by Nicolas Abraham Couleru

Mathieu Vathamaranth, rosewood, Vacuum bonding, convenient, Louis XVI, Rio Rosewood, Veneering - Marquetry, sawn veneer, polite, furniture restoration
Ebénisterie Mathieu Vath

This slightly curved commode, composed of three drawers and veneered with bottomless cubes of walnut, plum, and cherry, has a marquetry top depicting a bouquet of flowers on an amaranth ground. Plum or Quetchier wood is easily recognizable by its sapwood markings, which create a lighter pattern and lend an irregularity to the decoration. The frame is made of fir and walnut. It is difficult to define a precise style for this commode. Although Louis XV, it clearly foreshadows the arrival of the style's more restrained appearance […]

Read more

Transitional dresser

Mathieu VathVacuum bonding, convenient, conservation, Veneering - Marquetry, sawn veneer, polite, restoration, furniture restoration, Transitional style
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

Here is a very simple chest of drawers from eastern France, probably dating from the late 18th century. The front is slightly curved and the uprights are chamfered. It should be noted that the bronze mounts are probably not original. The frame is made of solid softwood, and the uprights are oak. The drawer bottoms are set in rebates and slide on the drawer fronts, which is typical of provincial work. A small peculiarity: this chest of drawers does not have top panels, the […]

Read more