{"id":3514,"date":"2020-11-19T09:40:05","date_gmt":"2020-11-19T08:40:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebenisterie-mathieuvath.fr\/?p=3514"},"modified":"2026-10-27T16:29:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T15:29:46","slug":"commode-sauteuse-louis-xv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebenisterie-mathieuvath.fr\/en\/2020\/11\/19\/commode-sauteuse-louis-xv\/","title":{"rendered":"Louis XV commode"},"content":{"rendered":"

The commode sauteuse appears to have been invented during the Regency period, between 1705 and 1730, by the cabinetmaker Charles Cressent<\/a>. It became widespread during the reign of Louis XV. It typically has only two drawers, or two rows of drawers. Its body is raised on cabriole legs of medium height: the body occupies half the height of the piece, the legs the other half. This gives the observer the impression that the piece has legs allowing it to hop like a frog. The width offers straight, curved, or crossbow-shaped forms. The marble top follows the line of the front and sides. A horizontal rail separates each drawer; the bottom one is adorned with a bronze-mounted finial. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Upon his arrival at the workshop<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The frame of this chest of drawers is made of solid beech. It is veneered with rosewood, framed with violet wood. The three front rails are veneered with satinwood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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State of affairs report<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Upon arrival at the workshop, this chest of drawers presented a major problem: nothing was holding together. All the joints and glues had come loose, and the back legs were completely detached from the side panels. A considerable amount of veneer was also missing, precisely because of the poor condition of the frame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Right side before restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Left side before restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Rear front restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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rear foot lifted <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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rear foot lifted <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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rear foot lifted <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lack of amaranth veneer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Front shoe restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Fall before restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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veneer splinter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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veneer splinter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Veneer torn off and poor veneer grafting<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lack of veneer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lack of veneer <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lack of satin finish<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lack of satin finish<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lack of veneer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Several veneer defects<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Before restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lamp base<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Veneer missing and old restoration <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Veneer chips<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lock entry before restoration <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lack of violet wood<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lack of violet wood <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Drawer bottom before restoration <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lack of violet wood<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Old beechwood flipot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Veneer shortages<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Background before restoration <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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rear cross pin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Dovetail joint at the front<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Restoration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To begin, the piece of furniture had to be completely disassembled. It wasn't very difficult; half the work was already done. A small surprise that I greatly appreciated: a small piece of evidence of a former colleague's visit, with this barely legible inscription: "Restored in 1881 on August 11th." The disassembly also allowed us to identify some tool marks and observe previous restorations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Restored in 1881 on August 11th <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Traces of a chisel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After disassembling the piece, I reattached the rear legs to the sides. I first positioned the missing veneer patches, scraping, sanding, and sizing them to the correct thickness to avoid having to redo them once glued. I then applied a vacuum sealant and re-glued the veneer. I did the same for the drawer fronts. For the crossbeams, I re-glued the veneer using traditional methods, with a hot block and clamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before gluing the box back together, I adjusted the panels to the correct width by gluing a piece of wood to each side, set in a groove to remain invisible. I glued the frame back on with fish glue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Currently being dismantled<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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After disassembly<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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After disassembly<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Traces of a toothed iron on the back of the satin veneer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Re-gluing the drawer veneer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Re-gluing the veneer to the crossbeams<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Re-gluing the side veneer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Vacuum re-gluing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Fir graft to fill a crack on the left side<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Regluing the case<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Stripping<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I then stripped the old varnish with a product that removes the film without affecting the wood pores, thus preserving the original filler. I oxidized the grafts, then applied a French polish made with sandarac, elemi, mastic, and colorless shellac. I found this recipe in a late 19th-century book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Veneer torn off and poor veneer grafting<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Violet wood graft on the left upright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Veneer graft on the left upright after restoration <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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After restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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After restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Left side after restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Right side after restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Grafting after restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Grafting after restoration <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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After restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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After restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Hoof after restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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After restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Fall after restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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After restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Grafting of the rightful amount after restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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After restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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You can see some of the steps involved in restoring this chest of drawers in the following video\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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