Furniture fit for an emperor

Paul Sormani’s cylinder bureau

Italian cabinetmaker Paul Sormani’s (1817-1877) pieces are some of the most coveted antiques on the market today. This September, we will be putting one of his so-called mahogany cylinder bureaus under the hammer. The bureau is testament to the extremely high quality Sormani’s furniture is famous for. It is signed on the lock and dates from around 1860. Moreover, it is adorned with elegant gilt bronze ornamentation in the form of twining foliage and rosettes. The bureau is, without a shadow of a doubt, a truly wonderful piece of furniture design!

The empress’ favourite cabinetmaker

Napoleon III’s style-conscious wife, Empress Eugenie (1826-1920), liked to furnish her palace with pieces in the old styles of Louis XV and Louis XVI, so original furniture from the 18th century and magnificent reproductions graced the halls of her home. She commissioned the top ébénistes of the day to make the beautiful reproductions, among them, Sormani. He was born in Venice, but moved to Paris, where he opened his own business upon completing his apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker in 1847.

Quality and an eye for detail

Sormani soon became one of the Empress’ favoured cabinetmakers. With his eye for detail and quality, he was so skilled at his craft that the reproductions often surpassed the originals in terms of quality and craftsmanship. And that is precisely why Sormani’s distinctive furniture is still some of the most coveted 18th century-style furniture to this day.

Auction: Wednesday 19 September

Preview: 13-17 September

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