French 19th C Satinwood Bronze Table Desk by Escalier De Cristal

Description

Fresh from a lavish New York City estate, we have a greatest pleasure to be able to offer you this … more Fresh from a lavish New York City estate, we have a greatest pleasure to be able to offer you this MUSEUM Quality Antique French 19th Century Table converting to a DESK made by L'Escalier de Cristal from Paris. Truly a phenomenal piece, jewelry quality work made in Louis XVI style. Table stands on four straight bronze edged downward tapering legs, ending in bronze cups. Top of the oval table features a finest imaginable inlay, framed in with a wide bronze band (rim). Table is made out of great quality rich healthy color satinwood, kingwood and mahogany, and further adorned with beautiful gilt bronze mounts. When the front drawer is pulled out, a leather lined writing surface appears, which when slid back reveals brighter satinwood interior with 4 drawers. Please see the photos, even the small drawers are dovetailed, absolutely fantastic. Best part, if this was not enough, are the pair of "secret" side drawers / compartments, which spring open by the press of a bronze button below the piece (see the very last photo), and then they unfold again, as another hinged drawer comes out. Below the piece is the maker's mark (branded stamp) Condition is good overall, showing light age / use wear if any as it was recently refinished (please see photos). Size is large 29.75" in height, width overall is 30", and it is 21.75" deep when closed. This will be a crown jewel in any setting!

NOTES ABOUT THE MAKER:

Dating back to the Bourbon Restoration in France and the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, l’Escalier de Cristal (the Crystal Staircase) was founded by Madame Veuve Désarnaud as the first company to offer decorative objects made from crystal and gilded bronze. The firm was located in the Palais Royal in Paris, opposite the Louvre. It grew through a series of owners to become the gold standard for reproductions of 18th-century furniture — so perfect they were often mistaken for originals.

Désarnaud won numerous awards for her creations, including a gold medal at the 1819 Paris Exposition des Produits de l’Industrie Française for a dressing table featuring her signature bronze-crystal combination. A tailor named Boin bought the company around 1830; he in turn sold it to Pierre-Isidore Lahoche in 1840. Lahoche’s son-in-law, Émile Pannier, joined in a partnership in 1852 before Émile’s sons took over in 1885, establishing Pannier Frères. The company ceased commercial production in 1923.

The stylized furniture was a huge success and earned the company many awards, including the gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. Others who contributed to this stylistic trend included French artist Émile Gallé, French glassmaker and ceramicist François-Eugène Rousseau, French furniture designer Louis Majorelle and French cabinetmaker Gabriel Viardot. Henry Pannier made a constant effort to sketch each object the company sold and record it in his notebooks. Over 50 years, he recorded 2,800 furniture designs, each with its own name, date of sale and price. On some pieces, l’Escalier de Cristal signed the models, adding a layer of authenticity and distinction for today’s collectors.

Museums around the world have collected pieces from l’Escalier de Cristal, including the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and the Corning Museum of Glass in New York. less