19th Century French André-Charles Boulle Style Cave à Liqueur

Description

The incredibly intricate brass inlay that embellishes the lid and front façade of this cave à liqueur is reminiscent of … more The incredibly intricate brass inlay that embellishes the lid and front façade of this cave à liqueur is reminiscent of the technique utilized by Andre-Charles Boulle while hand-crafting furniture under Louis XIV. A cave à liqueur is an ornate box that opens to reveal decanters of liquor and aperitif glasses; they were very popular during the reign of Napoleon III when our cave was crafted (circa 1850). Beneath the pierced arabesque of flowers, sprawling leaves, and latticework is a red and black tortoiseshell veneer. Exotic materials were often used for luxury items during the Second Empire of Napoleon III (the sides, back, and interior are mahogany).

The lid has a center cartouche with the monogram “J B”, indicating that this particular cave was commissioned during the mid-19th century by someone of great wealth. Both side walls and the lid swing open to reveal an elaborate tray adorned with golden foliage. In the middle are a set of four decanters, each topped with a grape cluster stopper. On each side is a two-tiered shelf that holds the smaller aperitif glasses (although some of the glasses are missing). All of the glasses and decanters are etched with leaves and geometric banding. Our Boulle-style cave à liqueur would make quite an impression in a living room, study, or bar area. less