Bonheur du jour Empire stamped by Antoine-Nicolas Lesage
Restoration of an Empire bonheur du jour in mahogany veneer, stamped Antoine-Nicolas Lesage: top reattached, veneer missing, gilt bronzes cleaned and shellac finish redone.
Plating
Restaurant Secretary
Restoration of a drop-front secretary desk from the Restoration period (1815–1830), veneered in burr mahogany and topped with Carrara white marble. The front legs are rounded and the rear legs are square. The frame is made of oak and softwood. An inventory mark (I91) is found inside the lower drawer on the right side. The Restoration style? After Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo on June 18, 1815, Louis XVI's two brothers regained power. The Count of Provence initially reigned as Louis XVIII (1815–1824). […]
Empire Console
Here are some images of the restoration of this Empire-style 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, the console table was placed in the entrance hall of apartments or between two windows. The "console table," as it was called during the reign of Louis XV, was placed against the wall. Its marble top rested on two scrolled legs. During the reign of Louis XV, console tables were often elaborately crafted and adorned with highly elaborate motifs. Sculptures and reliefs, arched legs and curved fronts… Louis XV console tables […]
Mahogany games table, late 18th – early 19th century
96 x D 47.5 x H 74 cm. Open: 96 x 95.5 cm. Restoration of a folding games table, veneered in burr mahogany commonly known as Cuban mahogany. According to the recent book "L'essence du bois" (The Essence of Wood) by Patrick George, Emmanuel Maurin, and Marie-Christine Trouy-Jacquemet, it would be more accurate to call it Saint-Domingue mahogany. The base is veneered in solid oak, and the top in poplar. The moldings are solid mahogany. The table rests on tapered legs ending in bronze casters. Under the […]
Secretary of the Board of Directors
Here is a secretary desk in the most understated style of the Directoire period. Its frame is made of solid beech and conifer, and it is veneered with mahogany and mottled mahogany. It is very simply adorned with bronze handles in the form of a lion's head holding a ring in its mouth. The keyhole escutcheons are in the form of a shield. The interior has seven drawers, the middle one of which locks. The drop-front closes with a period three-point lock. The lower section has three drawers, onto which Louis XV style pull rings have been added.
Jacob Frères bench and armchairs on rue Meslée
Extensive restoration and conservation work has been undertaken on this bench and its four armchairs from the Consulate period, stamped Jacob Frères, rue Meslée. Their front and rear legs are made of solid Cuban mahogany, with veneered crossbars. The armrests, supported by Egyptian heads, are made of light mahogany from Santo Domingo, contrasting with the uprights. They are adorned with carved palmettes and rosettes in Cuban mahogany. The front legs are tapered and end in claw feet, while the rear legs are arched. The bench is a converted sofa. Due to reupholstering […]
Empire Chest of Drawers with Quivers
This week, here are some photos of the restoration of this Empire-style chest of drawers veneered in mahogany burl. Its originality lies primarily in the quality of its bronze mounts. Indeed, together with the side columns, they form quivers. Furthermore, the keyhole escutcheons feature two crossed laurel branches tied with a ribbon. Originally, the bronze mounts were mercury-gilded, as evidenced by the gilding stains on the back. Unfortunately, only a few traces remain on the visible surface. Moreover, it is all the more unique because I must […]
Louis XVI style desk stamped KRIEGER
This desk is exquisitely crafted, with its oak frame veneered in mahogany and its solid mahogany legs. It is, in fact, a perfect example of high-quality 19th-century furniture. Indeed, the cabinetmaking is flawlessly executed, and the bronze mounts are in perfect condition. In short, everything is there; nothing is missing. The Krieger firm began its cabinetmaking business in the mid-19th century with Antoine Krieger (1804-1869). It then added a significant decorative department, which ensured its prestige until around 1945. Thus, it produced all […]
Napoleon III style Louis XVI work table
Here are some photos of the restoration of a small Louis XVI style work table from the late 19th century. Its legs are made of solid mahogany. Furthermore, its veneer combines rosewood and sapele, with blackened pearwood and boxwood for the fluting and stringing. Nothing too serious for this pretty little piece of furniture: just a few missing veneer patches and a small chip on the oak side of the drawer. A simple restoration: a few veneer grafts glued in place […]
Boulle box
To kick off the new year, I'm excited to present my new project. I'm embarking on a replica of this box attributed to André Charles Boulle. You'll be able to follow the progress, and even come see it in person: it will be my main subject for marquetry work at shows and events in the coming years. Yes, I'm talking about several years, because it's an extremely lengthy process. Choosing the Woods: First, I had to find and select the woods for the marquetry. The background […]
Empire Bed
The "boat" bed, with its characteristic curve, is a French invention that appeared during the Directory period. It then became very fashionable during the Empire and the Restoration. Here, the Empire style is recognizable by its lion's paw feet. Two mahogany pieces. However, the varnish on this bed had worn away, so that the two pieces of mahogany that make it up were no longer distinguishable. The restoration. The biggest task was therefore to revarnish the bed: a major undertaking, given the surface area to cover. But it was necessary […]
Majorelle Table
Here is a table in pure Art Deco style. It is veneered with Macassar ebony, and its legs are mahogany. It probably dates from the 1920s. Louis Majorelle is best known as one of the great cabinetmakers of Art Nouveau. It is too often forgotten that he was also one of the forerunners of Art Deco, as this table perfectly demonstrates. As for restoration, as always, the veneer requires the most work: there are gaps, it is peeling… But the most difficult thing on this table is the […]
Louis XV commode stamped JC Ellaume
Restoration of a Louis XV period commode stamped JC Ellaume. This commode is veneered in rosewood and palisander with floral marquetry on the drawer fronts. The frame is made of oak and softwood. Jean-Charles Ellaume, whose name is also spelled Allaume, became a master craftsman in Paris on November 6, 1754. Many pieces of furniture bearing his stamp are known, mostly Louis XV commodes. For over thirty years, in his workshop on Rue Traversière, he produced numerous high-quality pieces. These are primarily […]
Tool cabinet – Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam
I indulged myself with this marquetry project; I had always wanted to recreate this famous marquetry fresco. This allowed me to revisit David Roentgen's "mosaic marquetry" technique. I created a pack with a hornbeam leaf, a sycamore maple leaf, and a pear leaf to make the figures, as pear wood is the best for reproducing skin tones. To tint the background, I dipped it in different baths to produce this effect of […]
Tool cabinet – The sculptor
With this tool cabinet, I wanted to explore and put into practice several avenues I was researching. One of them was to tackle the marquetry technique of a famous 18th-century cabinetmaker, David Roentgen. This "mosaic marquetry" involves cutting a single sheet of veneer using a conical saw. Each piece is then colored by dipping it in a chosen dye. However, there were two difficulties: the conical sawing, which is tricky on 0.6 mm veneer, and the dyeing of the wood. When I make […]
