Ref.2503
Monumental oak wood fireplace with painting on canvas depicting Joan of Arc

This large antique Neo-Renaissance style fireplace was made out of oak wood during the 19th century. Coming from the Lille region, the fireplace is decorated with a painted canvas featuring the profile of Jeanne d'Arc set in a medallion surrounded by a floral wreath. On one side of the medallion is the coat of arms of Jeanne d'Arc, made up of a sword supporting a crown and two fleurs de lys, and on the other side is the coat of arms with the cross of Lorraine which is often associated with Jeanne d'Arc. The fireplace is elaborately carved with lions' heads, columns rising to capitals, and a colonnade. An enameled faience plaque decorates the opening of the fireplace, which is decorated with dragons and foliage.

Ref.03167
A sumptuous sculpted credenza coming from an exceptional furniture set realized by Moses Michelangelo Guggenheim for the Palazzo Papadopoli in Venice, Italy

This unique cabinet in two parts forms a credenza in its lower part. The base consists of a background decorated with three rectangular molded panels. The shelf rests on two armored and winged lions sculpted in the round. Their massive limbs are as impressive as their mouths, which seem to be more like dragons than those of lions. The quality of the sculpture is evident in the representation of hairs, scales that cover their chests and the extremely muscular necklines. The upper part of the credenza consists of two panels alternating with three women depicted in the bust and ending with a sheath and a sculpted wreath of acanthus leaves. Both panels are entirely sculpted: a fantasy architecture, inhabited by a bulging muscled putti supported by two griffins, shelters a medallion sculpted with a trophy of arms. The two panels meet symmetrically while the backings of the piece are also decorated with sculpted panels with motifs of arms trophies. The entablature has a frieze of festoons alternating with masks and encircled by shell motifs. Each sculpted panel has a texturized bottom, which increases the relief of the sculpted motifs and plays with the light on the prominent parts. Each surface of this cabinet is covered with carvings, in a kind of horror of emptiness that is typical of the 19th century interiors. The shape, inspired by the two-pieced cabinets of the Renaissance, has an affirmed architectural structure associated with an abundance of sculptures of dazzling skill. There is a real attention to woodworking, which offers stunning carved designs through their quantity and quality of execution.   In the nineteenth century in Europe, production of manufactured goods underwent an unprecedented growth: the decorative arts become the "arts applied to industry." Production of decorative arts in the second half of the nineteenth century faced dilemma: how to reconcile art with the appearance, around 1850, of mechanization and industrialization? How to reconcile traditional craftsmanship and mass production? Some, like the Guggenheim in Venice, were convinced that an alliance was possible, even necessary, between art and industry. It was necessary to reflect on the ways to produce artworks of extraordinary quality and that would still be able to profit from the possibilities offered by the evermore efficient technical means. In many factories, this was demonstrated by the collaboration between artists and manufacturers. In Stabilimento d'Arti Decorative e Industriali, Guggenheim himself occupied all these positions: antiques buff, he had built a personal culture second to none and used his library and his personal collection of artwork as a repertoire of designs that needed to by studied and understood. This was characteristic of the time, which held the conviction that the renewal of decorative arts was inseparable from the study of historical styles. The direct inspiration of these past decors shows a great passion for history, quite representative of Guggenheim .

Ref.15822
Kayser Sohn, Renaissance Figures – Pair of Decorative Corviniello Chargers, dated 1884

Rare pair of decorative metal chargers, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell using the patented "Corviniello" technique perfected by Otto von Corvin. This exclusive electroplating process, developed by the Kayser Sohn manufactory at the end of the 19th century, allowed for extremely fine inlays set into a metal base, resulting in exceptionally detailed and luxurious decoration. Each charger features a central bust of a Renaissance figure—one male, one female—dressed in richly detailed period attire, with facial features and garments finely rendered in a combination of mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, copper, and brass. The intricate design of the faces, jewelry, and folds in the fabric showcase impressive realism, while the shimmering natural materials enhance the ornate headdresses and accessories. The similar treatment of the eyes and hands suggests both figures were designed by the same artist. The wide borders are elaborately engraved with stylized foliage in contrasting gilt and patinated copper, arranged in arabesques on a textured background. The precision and refinement of the workmanship reflect the technical mastery achieved by Kayser Sohn during its peak. The raised mark on the back—"CORVINIELLO PATENT 84"—confirms the date of manufacture (1884) and indicates the use of this patented decorative method. An exceptional pair of historicist decorative pieces, combining late 19th-century industrial innovation with artisanal virtuosity.