It was listed by Regent Antiques. Sold pieces stay on Sellingantiques as a record of what has passed through, and the next one is rarely far away.
Regent Antiques has dated this piece to the 19th Century.
The arms of the sofa and chairs terminating in classical female masks while standing on elegant tapering legs that terminate in ormolu paw feet and upholstered in a fabulous Lelievre Tassinari green and golden fabric.
The round center table features a gray Belgian fossil marble top on tripod legs united by an undertier.
This gorgeous antique suite will be a wonderful addition to one special room in your home.
Condition:
In excellent condition having been beautifully cleeaned, polished and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 99 x Width 66 x Depth 61 - Armchairs
Height 94 x Width 49 x Depth 50 - Side Chairs
Height 98 x Width 141 x Depth 66 - Sofa
Height 73 x Width 90 x Depth 90 - Table
Dimensions in inches:
Height 3 foot, 3 inches x Width 2 foot, 2 inches x Depth 2 foot - Armchairs
Height 3 feet, 1 inch x Width 1 foot, 7 inches x Depth 1 foot, 8 inches - Side Chairs
Height 3 foot, 3 inches x Width 4 foot, 7 inches x Depth 2 foot, 2 inches - Sofa
Height 2 foot, 5 inches x Width 2 foot, 11 inches x Depth 2 foot, 11 inches - Table
Empire style,
is an early-19th-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts followed in Europe and America until around 1830.
The style originated in and takes its name from the rule of Napoleon I in the First French Empire, where it was intended to idealize Napoleon's leadership and the French state. The style corresponds to the Biedermeier style in the German-speaking lands, Federal style in the United States and to the Regency style in Britain. The previous style was called Louis XVI style, in France.
The Empire style was based on aspects of the Roman Empire. It is the second phase of neoclassicism which is also called "Directoire", after a goverment system.
Furniture typically had symbols and ornaments borrowed from the glorious ancient Greek and Roman empires.
The furniture was made from heavy woods such as mahogany and ebony, imported from the colonies, with dark finishes often with decorative bronze mounts. Marble tops were popular as were Egyptian motifs like sphinxes, griffins, urns and eagles and the Napoleonic symbols, the eagle, the bee, the initials "I" and a large "N."
Gilded bronze (ormolu) details displayed a high level of craftsmanship.
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.
No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury. Therefore, other techniques were used instead but nothing surpasses the original mercury-firing ormolu method for sheer beauty and richness of colour. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver, to produce silver-gilt (also known as vermeil).
Regent Antiques has dated this piece to the 19th Century.
We specialise in english and continental furniture, silver, porcelain and decorative items.
You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Regent Antiques Profile Page
Regent Antiques is a registered member of LAPADA CINOA
Antique French Empire Ormolu Mounted Six Piece Salon Suite 19th C
