Antique Louis XVI style ormolu mounted mahogany bed

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Description

The bed is designed in a grand Neoclassical style, after furniture created in France during the reign of Louis XVI (1774-1793). It is crafted from mahogany wood and decorated with ormolu (gilt bronze) mounts.

This bed stands on four short tapered legs, with ormolu egg-and-dart tops, on ormolu feet. The bed’s bottom rail (on the front and sides) is decorated with plain ormolu bands and beautiful openwork ormolu mounts, composed of flower wreaths, arrows and quivers, burning torches, flower and foliage trails. The corners of the bottom rail are mounted with ormolu square rosettes.

The bed’s footboard slat features a shaped central panel which is decorated with an ormolu flower wreath and swags, set within a rectangular ormolu frame. The side panels of the slat are mounted with ormolu frames and an openwork ormolu frieze, composed of fauns blowing into horns and scrolled leafy, fruiting vines, some of which terminate in bird heads. Squirrels inhabit the vines and are depicted nibbling on clusters of grapes. The footboard slat is flanked by a pair of cable fluted columns, their flutes partially decorated with ormolu husk trails. These columns feature ormolu bases and capitals, and they are topped by ormolu waisted forms which feature twisted fluting. The top rail of the slat is mounted with an ormolu band and its corners are topped by ormolu leafy finials.

At the other end of the bed, there is a tall headboard slat which is similarly decorated. The main section of the slat is left plain and is framed by an ormolu border with rosettes in its corners. The slat is flanked by columns with smooth lower shafts and cable fluted upper shafts, partially filled with ormolu husk trails. The columns stand on ormolu bases, and they are topped by ormolu Corinthian capitals. The top rail of the headboard is decorated with an openwork ormolu frieze, which is divided into a central and side panels and framed by ormolu border. This frieze features ormolu rinceau motifs, composed of stylised leafy scrolled vines. The central rinceau panel features a classical mask at its middle, flanked by a pair of cornucopias and goats. The vines in the side panels are inhabited by fauns, squirrels and birds, and the ends are decorated with ormolu square rosettes. The corners of the top rail are surmounted by ormolu pinecone finials. Topping the headboard slat is a shaped crest rail, which is edged with ormolu and mounted with an ormolu motif, which features foliage, a flower wreath, and a quiver of arrows which is crossed with a burning torch and tied with ribbons.

The bed can be purchased as a single item or paired with this bedside cabinet, which is of identical design and origin.

Details

Country of Origin
French
Date of Manufacture
Late 19th Century
Period
Late 19th Century
Style
Louis XVI, Neoclassical
Material
Mahogany, Ormolu (Gilt Bronze)
Colour
Brown, Gold

Dimensions

Height
158 cm / 62.2 inches
Width
161 cm / 63.4 inches
Depth
214 cm / 84.3 inches

Reference:
16065C

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