Ref.14863
Jean-François GECHTER (1796-1844) (follower of) Pair of Candelabras in bronze

This exceptional Neo-Renaissance style pair of candelabras in silvered bronze, representing two warriors in armour, was modelled by Jean-François Théodore Gechter and made around 1860. The expert work of carving each minute detail of the armoury, is characteristic of the sculptor’s style and emphasizes his technical brilliance. Jean-François Théodore Gechter exhibited regularly at the Salon from 1824 to 1844, from subjects in the Romantic movement to historical themes, through which he could express his talent for archaic scenes, featuring characters with elaborate costumes, sometimes whimsical and anachronistic, but representative of the troubadourian aesthetic he was engaged in. The treatment of the costume and human figure is extremely tactile in this pair of candelabra providing Gechter the opportunity to sculpt a wealth of detail with extreme precision. This pair of candelabras were modelled after a drawing by Gechter and made after his death.

Ref.11220
Pair of gilt bronze and blue and pink porcelain chandeliers dating from the Napoleon III reign

This pair of Napoleon III chandeliers in porcelain and gilt bronze was crafted in France around 1860. Each chandelier is centered around a porcelain stem, one in pink and the other in turquoise blue. From the lower level, sixteen light arms extend, following the seemingly irregular and asymmetrical curves of remarkably chiseled acanthus leaves that adorn them. The ornamentation ends at the lower part with a delicate gilt bronze pendant featuring four small flowers in relief. The differences in levels among the light fixtures, and the ornamentation with curves and counter-curves, belong to the Rocaille style, which was popular in the first part of Louis XV's reign (1723-1774). However, the curved shapes of the central porcelain shaft only appeared during the reign of Charles X (1824-1830). Thus, these objects fit perfectly into the decorative arts trends under Napoleon III (1852-1870).

Ref.14968
Alphonse GIROUX (in the manner of), Bamboo Decorated Gueridon, first half of the 19th century

This gueridon with bamboo decor was made in the spirit of Alphonse Giroux during the first half of the 19th century. In the late 1790s, Alphonse Giroux (1775/76–1848) established a store selling artistic supplies and small objects at 7 Rue Coq-Saint-Honoré in Paris. He collaborated with artists and had a strong influence on the design of the items he sold. His shop catered to a highly distinguished clientele, including kings Louis XVIII and Charles X. In 1833, his sons, André (1801–1879) and Alphonse-Gustave (1809–1886), joined the business; under Alphonse-Gustave’s influence, the store began to create small furniture pieces like the one in question. André and Alphonse-Gustave took over the business in 1838 and remained at its helm until 1867, when it was taken over by Ferdinand Duvinage (1813–1876) and two associates. This small table rests on four legs crafted to imitate bamboo stalks. Each protrusion marking the height of the legs is accentuated by a gilt bronze element, itself mimicking bamboo, like a mise en abyme. The gueridon has three tiers. Two of these intermediate tiers are arranged around a circle connecting the four legs, bordered by two fine golden bamboo rods. The center is occupied by a stretcher of partially frosted glass, as if surrounded by lace and sprinkled with small flowers. The top tier features decoration that also plays on transparency – and the absence of transparency – though in a more complex manner: the center is marked by a circle adorned with a frieze of garlands; on the outside, the floral motif from the lower levels reappears, itself encircled by a delicate frieze of flowers and leaves; lace transitions to the bamboo, then to two wood veneers linking the four gilded bronze caps crowning the table’s legs. A fine gilt bronze interlacing crowns the piece. The bamboo motif was used in decorative arts from the late 18th century, which explains its presence in this period. It also returned to fashion at the end of the 19th century, aligning both with the taste for revival furniture and the vogue for Japonism. The designer of this piece offers a particularly refined and delicate interpretation of the bamboo motif with this gueridon, following in the tradition of prestigious 18th-century cabinetmakers and anticipating the trend for East Asian-inspired arts to come.