Ref.2611
Antique Napoleon III style fireplace made out of scagliola painted in Portor marble imitation

This rare antique fireplace was made in the 19th century. The shapes and curves, together with the ornamentation identify this Louis XV style fireplace as one reinterpreted by the eclecticism of art under Napoleon III. Made in scagliola, this fireplace imitates Portor, one of the most sought after types of marble in the world.

Ref.11614
Henri-Auguste FOURDINOIS (1830-1907) - Louis XVI style Bureau plat

Stamp "H. FOURDINOIS" under the top of the bureau. Fruit of a superb work of marquetry and wood veneer (walnut, cherry, blackened pear, sycamore), this Bureau plat is adorned on all sides of gilt bronze, rosettes of Louis XVI style, foliage and friezes of flowers. The desk rests on four toupies feet which develops in the shape of tapered and fluted columns, topped with asparagus heads characteristic of the Louis XVI style, and surmounted by capitals of ionic order. The gilt bronze ornaments of this flat desk are of a very high quality. The excellence of carving and gilding attest to a virtuoso work.

Ref.4197
Antique Louis XIV style Bolection mantel in Breche de Montmeyan marble from the end of the 19th century

This Louis XIV style mantel was made at the end of the 19th century. It presents a curved Bolection whose shape is embellished with counter curves at the corners, giving way to two spandrels with elegant volutes.

Ref.14644
Pair of large marble vases decorated with theatre masks

Pair of marble vases decorated with the theme of ancient theatre, made in marble in the 20th century. The top is decorated with foliage and a frieze of oves. Each side has three sculpted faces representing a man with a turban framed by two theatre masks symbolising comedy and tragedy. The surround is carved with two branches of vines tied with a ribbon and framed by two continuous mouldings. Underneath, garlands are hung with antique theatre masks. Musical instruments are depicted in slight relief on the side. The lower part of the vases is decorated with a frieze of arrows. They stand on a base sculpted with various decorative motifs.

Ref.14668
Portrait of Hans Holbein, a wood marquetry painting attributed to FOURDINOIS

This original wood marquetry painting in relief depicts a portrait of Hans Holbein, a German Renaissance painter and engraver. It is framed in blackened wood with the pure, architectural forms typical of the neo-Renaissance style. The frame bears the identity of the artist, who is portrayed in profile, in keeping with the tradition of medals during the Renaissance. This work is attributed to the Fourdinois firm, run by Alexandre and Henri Fourdinois, famous for its 19th-century decorative arts. The name of this cabinetmaker, which has won numerous awards at the Universal Exhibitions, is associated with the triumphant luxury of the Second Empire. This neo-Renaissance portrait is part of the cult of figures from the past, from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, that characterised 19th-century historicism. It is no coincidence that they paid tribute to Holbein, a painter who also fascinated the writers Jules Verne and Honoré de Balzac. The Fourdinois family had a real passion for the Renaissance. En plein marquetry was invented by Henri Fourdinois and patented in 1864. This technique is based on the inlay of wood in all its thickness, giving the sculptor a surface that can be worked in both hollow and relief.

Ref.5427
Louis XVI style mantel with garland and frieze of flowers

This Louis XVI-style mantel was carved in Carrara marble in the 19th century. At the center of the lintel, a gilded bronze garland is framed by a slightly protruding rectangular cartouche. On either side, two regular friezes of flowers surrounded by moldings echo each other. The jambs are marked by dices holding floral rosettes in ormolu, before taking the form of fluted pilasters. The rudentures are extended by ornamental bronzes in plant forms. The cast-iron interior is adorned with garlands hung with ribbons and trophies.

Ref.14040
BACCARAT, Neo-Greek Crystal Chandelier with Five Lights, after 1875

This significant five-light chandelier in the Neo-Greek style was created by Baccarat in the 19th century. Founded during the reign of Louis XV, the Baccarat crystal glassworks earned international fame through its participation in major exhibitions throughout the 19th century and up until 1937. During this period and beyond, the factory distinguished itself by the excellence of its production and its continuous search for innovation, winning numerous medals. Baccarat’s creations influenced other European glass and crystal manufacturers in the decades that followed, setting the standard for both craftsmanship and stylistic models. This chandelier reflects the Neo-Greek taste, which was prominently featured in the factory’s productions at the 1867 Universal Exhibition. Along the central stem, several friezes of meanders – a motif characteristic of ancient Greek architecture, often used in 19th-century decorative arts – are arranged. In the upper section, some pendants also feature this same motif. At the ends of the chandelier’s arms, meticulously crafted by the Baccarat workshop, five opaque globes are adorned with a frieze alternating between two different palmette designs, connected by graceful scrolls. These details were achieved through an innovative acid-etching and transfer process, developed by the chemist Kessler, which also allowed for the frosted finish on the lighting globes. The crystal pendants add a certain richness to the overall design, which remains elegant and restrained, true to the Neo-Greek aesthetic. The chandelier is signed at the base of the stem. This molded block-letter signature first appeared in 1875, allowing us to date this chandelier’s production to after that year. The 1907-1908 Baccarat catalog lists a second Neo-Greek chandelier. However, in this later model, the style is less pronounced, appearing primarily in the transparent globes surrounding each light source. This chandelier is a fine example of Baccarat’s Neo-Greek production in the 19th century, particularly highlighted at the 1878 Universal Exhibition.

Ref.14874
Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs, decorative gilded bronze plaque in the form of a shield, featuring Winged Victory and trophies of arms

A gilded bronze decorative plaque in high relief, shield-shaped with a lobed and irregular contour. The main field features a winged female figure in flight—an allegory of Winged Victory in the antique style—draped at the waist and holding a horizontal spear with both hands, set against a background of billowing clouds rendered in low relief. The model, showing great finesse in execution, displays a treatment of plumage and drapery of a quality comparable to the production of top-tier Parisian art foundries. The shield’s frame is adorned with a frieze of oves and foliage. To the left, an imposing military trophy combines a quiver filled with arrows, a torch, a plumed helmet, and a secondary shield enhanced with an effigy medallion, all linked by a chain and flanked by a high-relief garland of roses, chrysanthemums, and wildflowers. To the right, a bundle of radiant palms and, in the lower corner, a sword hilt with a rectangular guard engraved with scrolling rinceaux. At the top, a warrior’s helmet with a foliated crest completes this ensemble of trophies of arms, characteristic of the Neo-Renaissance and Second Empire decorative vocabulary. The reverse, painted in ochre yellow, bears the stamped hallmark of the Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs. Founded in 1864, this institution’s exhibitions served as the primary forum for applied arts in France under the Second Empire and the Third Republic. This stamp attests that the piece belongs to the realm of ceremonial productions intended for exhibitions or institutional commissions of the period.