Antique French ivory inlaid occasional table by Sormani

The ebony occasional table rests on four legs and features a rosewood veneer on its top and apron, which is inlaid with decorative ivory motifs.

The piece is raised up on four turned feet, which extend upwards to form tapered and fluted legs. These feature turned tops, which mirror the shape of the feet. Above, on the sides and top, the table is decorated with a rosewood veneer, which is set within an ebony frame.

A central floral motif, crafted from inlaid ivory, decorates the front panel and smaller rosewood sections that surmount the legs. Each panel is also articulated by an ivory border. Behind the front facade is a lockable drawer, signed on the lock plate 'Vve P Sormani & Fils, 10 rue Charlot, Paris', for Paul Sormani.

The rosewood veneer added to the top of the piece has been arranged so that the grain forms a diamond shape. At its centre, there is a scrolling floral motif, which is composed of inlaid ivory. Surrounding this central panel is a slim ivory and ebony border, which is enclosed by a second frame, featuring a floral ivory pattern in each of its corners.

Paul Sormani was an Italian cabinetmaker who was based in Paris in the mid-19th Century, where he ran a successful workshop. His 'de luxe' (luxury) furniture was considered highly fashionable, being both of fine quality and styled in the image of decorative arts produced in the Louis XV and Louis XVI periods.