Ref.2765
Large antique Neo-Renaissance style fireplace made out of carved walnut with Helm Knight decor

This Neo-Renaissance style antique fireplace in carved walnut was made in the 19th century. The jambs form columns holding up the hood. This is adorned with a knight’s helmet with carved foliage.

Ref.10958
Napoleon III style clock, in Sèvres night blue porcelain and gilded bronze

Night blue porcelain from Sèvres and gilded bronze clock, made in the 19th century. Clock with cupids , a white enamelled dial with Roman numerals adorned with an angel, two ram's heads on the sides and two covered vases decorated with gallant scenes. Dial signed "Au vase de Sèvres 15 Bd Montmartre Paris".

Ref.13467
Willy Guhl, Rare pair of tooth planters, circa 1954

This rare pair of planters was made by the Swiss designer, Willy Ghul in the 1950's in natural fiber cement. It's the edition « Eternit AG/Elo, 1954 » which is shaped as an abstract triangle reminding a tooth shape. « Willy Guhl was an inventor, an experimenter, a resercher and a visionary. Despite that, he did not get lost in utopia. He reveals himself to be pragmatic almost a genius. » Robert Haussman Willy Guhl was part of these historical designers historiques who have contributed to the international reputation of the Swiss design. He was one of the big representative of Neo-Functionalism. From a carpenter father, he follows a furniture maker formation in the Kunstgewerbeschule of Zurich – School of applied arts of Zurich here he teaches from 1941 -, and becomes the director of the interior architecture department 10 years after. He leads in the late 1940's pionneer reaserches in the plastic furniture field. He develops then a knowledge about moulding technical that we allow him to reveal himself by transposing them on a new material : the Eternit, also called fibercement, which he is one of the first to use in Europe. The Eternit is a kind of cement reinforce by asbestos and with a fiber texture which allows to create audacious pieces with new shapes. It takes the aspect of larges slabs to which it is possible to give a shape as long as they are not dried. Produced in the origin for the industry, it's a cheap material with an important resistance, so perfectly adapted for the fabrication of external furniture.

Ref.13630
Maison GIROUX and Ferdinand DUVINAGE - Exceptional and rare cup with waders with iridescent glass and electroplated decor, circa 1870-1880

This cup made in the 1870-1880’s by the maison Giroux, as indicates the signature on the mount, is a piece extremely rare because of the material used. Indeed, few models with iridescent glass are known today. The Japanese inspiration of the decor and the model of our cup indicate that it is a creation of Ferdinand Duvinage who takes the direction of the maison Giroux between 1867 and 1876, then taken by his widow when he dies. This store which was originally selling all kind of supplies and small objects such as paints, varnishes, albums, writing-papers, fans, toys, boxes and souvenirs, but also lithographs, drawings and watercolors, considerably developed in the first decades of the 19th century. First, because they count among the clients, important persons such as the Duchesse de Berry, Louis XVIII or even Charles X, then by the drive given by Alphonse Giroux’s sons who joined the firm in 1833. Thus, Alphonse-Gustave Giroux, the eldest son, had the idea to sell small furniture. Even though he was an artist himself, he worked like furniture dealers of the 18th century, with artists who did not have the right to put their signature and exerted a hold over the design of the creation that he chose. He also decided to move the store in the new Opera district on the corner of the 43 boulevard des Capucines and the 24 rue Neuve des Capucines in 1855. On this same year, the company which had already won medals for the quality of its production during previous events, sells during the World Fair, to the Impress Eugénie, a bonheur du jour, conserved today in the château de Compiègne. In 1867, the store direction is given to Ferdinand Duvinage, Harinkouck and Brune. Little things are known about Harinkouck and Brune who seem to have been associated for a short period of time as Duvinage remains the only one in 1874. Ferdinand Duvinage (1813-1876) who seems to be cousin with Alphonse-Gustave Giroux, joins the company during a few years before taking its direction, without changing the name. He files in 1874, 1876 and 1877 patents for a marquetry technique of mosaic with metallic partitioning for furniture and art objects. His method is really original because it involves the combined union of ivory as a base, wood for the designs or ornaments, and copper or other metal to partitioning the ivory fragments. The firm continues to participate to World Fairs where they win many medals, even though they are not that much mentioned by the critics, we know that the productions with the Japanese vocabulary created under the direction of Duvinage were also very appreciated and were a real commercial success. As said above, our cup takes the form of a very known Duvinage model, of which the decor was made with the cloisonne ivory marquetry, invented in 1874. Here, the silvered mount, taking the shape o three waders, supports the iridescent glass cup covered with a decor made according to the electroplated method, famous thanks to Christofle. The motif of which the vivid colors are suggested by many shades created by the proceed and the painting, is composed of a wader in a very luxurious natural decor where are coexisting insects, lizard and different Japanese plants. The scene is made particularly naturalist thanks to the precision given to the many details, which are not only on the visible side of the cup but also under it. Indeed, when we turn over the cup, we can admire the splendid mount taking the shape of blooming cherry tree branches, of which the colors are again given by the electroplated proceed, joining the feet by a medallion on the center where we can read the signature.

Ref.13566
Louis XV style fireback with the coat of arms of France

Cast iron fireback from the early 20th century, with the coat of arms of the House of Bourbon, a royal house of French origin that became a major dynasty in Europe, with kings in Spain (Navarre), France, the kingdom of the Two Sicilies and Parma. Bourbon kings ruled in France from 1589 until the French Revolution, and for short periods thereafter. The coat of arms consists of a crown surmounting a medallion adorned with three fleur-de-lis, a symbol of purity and royalty. The palm leaves, placed on either side of the medallion, symbolise victory.