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sellingantiques.co.uk
ID #SA1193245
FOR SALE
£1,275
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Antique French Empire Revival Mahogany & Ormolu Mounted Armchair 19th C
Regent Antiques
for sale €1,492     $1,619
£1,275
Regent Antiques

Regent Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Sep 2016
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  • About Us
    We specialise in english and continental furniture, silver, porcelain and decorative items.
  • Trade Associations
    Regent Antiques is a registered member of LAPADA  CINOA
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Id #SA1193245
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Antique French Empire Revival Mahogany & Ormolu Mounted Armchair 19th C

19th century
For Sale by Regent Antiques
Description

This is a fine antique French Empire Revival ormolu mounted mahogany armchair, Circa 1880 in date.

The bow-shaped chair features superb ormolu decoration including anthemion, rosettes and palmette mounts. The top rail above a central shaped slat backrest, the overstuffed-seat is upholstered in its original tan leather and it is raised on square tapering legs terminating in ormolu lion's paw feet.

It is an absolute masterpiece which is sure to get a lot of attention wherever it is placed.

Condition:

In excellent poriginal condition having only been beautifully cleaned and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 82 cm x Width 60 cm x Depth 54 cm Height 49 cm  - Seat height

Dimensions in inches:

Height 2 foot, 8 inches x Width 2 feet x Depth 1 foot, 9 inchesHeight 1 foot, 7 inches - Seat height

Gilt Bronze / Ormolu - (from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze.The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as 'gilt bronze'.

The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object.

After around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury other techniques were used instead. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver, to produce silver-gilt.

Our reference: A5034

Physical Dimensions
Height
82cm (32.28")
Width
60cm (23.62")
Depth
54cm (21.26")
Declaration

Regent Antiques has dated this French Empire Mahogany Armchair to the 1880s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1193245
Dealers Internal Reference
A5034
Description
This is a fine antique French Empire Revival ormolu mounted mahogany armchair, Circa 1880 in date.
“
The bow-shaped chair features superb ormolu decoration including anthemion, rosettes and palmette mounts.
Regent Antiques

The top rail above a central shaped slat backrest, the overstuffed-seat is upholstered in its original tan leather and it is raised on square tapering legs terminating in ormolu lion's paw feet.

fig 1. A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts.
fig 1. Antique French Empire Revival Mahogany & Ormolu Mounted Armchair 19th C

It is an absolute masterpiece which is sure to get a lot of attention wherever it is placed.

Condition:

In excellent poriginal condition having only been beautifully cleaned and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.

fig 2. A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts.
fig 2. Antique French Empire Revival Mahogany & Ormolu Mounted Armchair 19th C

Dimensions in cm:

Height 82 cm x Width 60 cm x Depth 54 cm Height 49 cm  - Seat height

Dimensions in inches:

Height 2 foot, 8 inches x Width 2 feet x Depth 1 foot, 9 inchesHeight 1 foot, 7 inches - Seat height

fig 3. A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts.
fig 3. Antique French Empire Revival Mahogany & Ormolu Mounted Armchair 19th C

Gilt Bronze / Ormolu - (from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze.The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as 'gilt bronze'.

fig 4. A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts.
fig 4. Antique French Empire Revival Mahogany & Ormolu Mounted Armchair 19th C

The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object.

fig 5. A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts.
fig 5. Antique French Empire Revival Mahogany & Ormolu Mounted Armchair 19th C

After around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury other techniques were used instead. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver, to produce silver-gilt.

Our reference: A5034

Height
82cm (32.28")
Width
60cm (23.62")
Depth
54cm (21.26")
Date of Manufacture

Regent Antiques has dated this French Empire Mahogany Armchair to the 1880s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1193245
Dealers Internal Ref
A5034
Regent Antiques
Regent Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Sep 2016

We specialise in english and continental furniture, silver, porcelain and decorative items.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Regent Antiques Profile Page

Trade Associations

Regent Antiques is a registered member of LAPADA  CINOA

Relevant Links
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A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts.
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Archive I A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts.

Antique French Empire Revival Mahogany & Ormolu Mounted Armchair 19th C

Archive II A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts. View II
Archive III A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts. View III
Archive IV A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts. View IV
Archive V A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts. View V
Archive VI A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts. View VI
Archive VII A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts. View VII
Archive VIII A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts. View VIII
Archive IX A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts. View IX
Archive X A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts. View X
Archive XI A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts. View XI
Archive XII A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts. View XII
Enlarged Archival View
Regent Antiques

Regent Antiques
Telephone 020 8809 9605 or 020 8802 3900
Location
Manor Warehouse
318 Green Lanes
London
N4 1BX
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/regentantiques
Verified Since Sep 2016
Items For Sale 659
Items Sold 2,608
Regent Antiques
Regent Antiques
Verified Since Sep 2016
View Dealer Info
Location: Manor Warehouse, 318 Green Lanes, London, N4 1BX, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/regentantiques
Verified
Sep 2016
For Sale
659
Sold
2,608
A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts.
Antique French Empire Revival Mahogany & Ormolu Mounted Armchair 19th C
Ref: SA1193245
A 19th-century French Empire Revival mahogany curved barrel armchair featuring tan leather upholstery, brass studding, and detailed ormolu mounts.
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FAQs

French Empire Revival furniture draws inspiration from early 19th-century Napoleonic design, incorporating classical Greek, Roman, and Egyptian motifs. Common elements include solid mahogany construction, dark leather upholstery, curved silhouettes, and gilded bronze or brass ormolu mounts depicting laurels, caryatids, and mythical creatures.

These pieces were predominantly constructed from dense hardwoods such as mahogany or rosewood, paired with high-grade leather or silk damask upholstery. Decorative embellishments were formed using chased brass or cast ormolu, fastened with traditional upholstery studs and mortise-and-tenon joinery.

Authentic 19th-century examples display period-correct joinery, heavy cast ormolu metalwork with precise chasing, and natural patination across both timber and leather elements. Look for hand-finished timber undersides and age-consistent oxidisation on bronze or brass fittings.

A French Empire armchair functions effectively as a focal desk seat in a home study or library. Its structured mahogany silhouette and brass detailing provide grounding contrast when paired alongside clean-lined modern desks or minimalist neutral surroundings.

Timber surfaces require regular dusting with a soft, lint-free cloth and occasional application of high-grade beeswax polish. Leather elements should be treated with a specialist leather conditioner to prevent cracking, keeping the chair positioned away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
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