Imperial Furniture

Napoleon III’s style-conscious consort, Empress Eugenie (1826-1920), liked to decorate her palace with furniture in the old styles of Louis XV and Louis XVI – not only original 18th century furniture, but also sensational reproductions adorned the halls of her home. She would often commission the best ebonists of the age - cabinetmakers, that is - to make these beautiful reproductions. One of them was Paul Sormani (1817-1877), who was born in Venice but moved to Paris where he opened his own business when he had served his apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker in 1847.

Paul Sormani soon became one of the empress' favourite cabinetmakers. He was so good at his craft that the reproductions often surpassed the originals in quality and workmanship. Today, therefore, Paul Sormani's works rank among the most cherished furniture in the style of the 18th century.

Sormani's furniture was characterised by his great solicitude for detail and his pervasive attention to quality as is evident in the two writing tables, the so-called bureau plats, offered for sale at the auction. One of the tables is made by Sormani from a model by Charles Cressent (1685-1768), who was a prominent cabinetmaker in the Regency period and a pupil of the illustrious French cabinetmaker André Charles Boulle (1642-1732). The other table, in mahogany, is stylistically and technically close to it. They both date from around 1860, they are both signed in the lock and they are both mounted with gilt bronze busts of ancient military commanders, mascarons and winding foliage.

Preview: 12 - 17 November

Auction: 18 - 28 November

View all items