Restoration. Conservation. Creation
The restoration of this Empire dining table is now complete. The work focused primarily on the finishing touches. We removed the previously applied polyurethane varnish and applied a French polish to the solid mahogany top and its four-legged base decorated with swan neck motifs and lion's paw feet. The apron features an oak frieze. Length x Width = 162 x 140 cm. Length x Width with extensions = 252 cm.
Restoration of an Empire period desk veneered in mahogany burl on an oak frame. The four "chimera thigh" legs are connected by intermediate stretchers and rest on lion's paw feet. The Empire style, which emerged in the early 19th century during the reign of Napoleon I, is an artistic and decorative expression closely linked to the Emperor's desire to create a new, grandiose, and imperial aesthetic, befitting his power. Heir to the Neoclassical movement that began in the 18th century, […]
Restoration of a late Empire inkwell, rectangular in shape, surmounted by a central dish with a lid pierced with palmettes and handles in the form of flowering tassels, held by two winged putti with quivers on their backs and volute tails, flanked by two inkwells decorated with trellis patterns and surmounted by a pierced lid with acorn-shaped knob, the body with an inset pen niche, the frieze centered by a mask of Apollo emitting stylized foliate trails, on a molded plinth, on feet. Simply veneered with a […]
Restoration of an Empire-period somno in mahogany burl veneer. You might be wondering what a somno is? Created during the Consulate, in the early years of Napoleon I's reign, the somno, or somneau, is a small piece of furniture in the shape of a cylindrical or square table, with a closed section providing storage space. It is placed in the bedroom, often next to the bed to serve as a nightstand. It was during the Empire period that this table acquired the name "somno," from the Latin somnus […]
Restoration of a mahogany burl veneer commode with three drawers. The uprights are straight and Corinthian pilasters, the front feet are claw feet, and the rear feet have three decreasing balls, known as a beaded arrangement. It is topped with a Belgian black granite slab and has retained all its original gilt bronze mounts, as well as its trefoil locks and key. Regarding the gilt bronze mounts, the Corinthian capitals are decorated with projecting bird heads, palmettes, acanthus leaves, flowers, and scrolls with a beautiful alternation of […]
Restoration of an Empire-style mahogany burl veneer pedestal table. It was in rather poor condition upon arrival at the workshop; the bronze mounts were heavily soiled, there was significant structural delamination, and veneer was missing. The restoration therefore consisted of re-gluing the structural elements and the veneer. This operation was carried out under vacuum with the injection of a penetrating adhesive for the upper apron and the central shaft. The few old grafts, which had been done with the grain running in the wrong direction, were removed and replaced with a matching veneer […]
Here are some images of the restoration of this desk, with a solid mahogany base and mahogany burl veneer for the rest. Note that the recessed top is made from a single 12mm thick plank of solid mahogany burl. Here is the desk before restoration. The bulk of the work is on the legs. They are broken at the middle joint. They have already been repaired and are held together only by additional screws. Two cracks can be seen at the […]
A beautiful restoration and, above all, conservation effort has been undertaken on this lovely Empire-period dressing table. Its frame is made of oak and poplar, veneered with mahogany burl. The drawer sides and bottoms are solid mahogany. It rests on four column legs ending in casters and joined by an H-shaped stretcher. The frieze opens with a drawer revealing a writing surface lined with blue morocco leather, a pen case, and two compartments for inkwells, as well as two large drawers on either side for essentials […]
Here are some images of the restoration of this Empire-era console table. But first, a little history: do you know what a console table is and what its use was? Primarily a decorative piece of furniture placed in the entrance hall of apartments or between two windows, the "console table"—as it was called during the reign of Louis XV—consists of a marble top supported by two scrolled legs and placed against the wall. During the reign of Louis XV, console tables were often elaborately crafted and adorned with highly detailed motifs. Sculptures and reliefs, arched legs […]
You remember the Empire chest of drawers with the quivers. Well, here is the secretary desk with the quivers. It is built in exactly the same way as the chest: same construction, same solid woods used, and same mahogany veneers. As for the restoration, it is identical to that of the chest of drawers. The aim is to preserve as much as possible and restore the piece of furniture to its original function without altering its history. The work therefore consisted of reattaching the structure and the few detached veneer elements. And to […]
This week, here are some photos of the restoration of this Empire-style chest of drawers veneered in mahogany burl. This chest is truly unique due to the quality and originality of its bronze mounts. Indeed, they form quivers along with the side columns. The keyhole escutcheons are composed of two crossed laurel branches held together by a ribbon. Originally, they were mercury-gilded, as can be seen from the gilding stains on the back. Unfortunately, only a few partial traces remain on the front […]
