Giroux, Alphonse (French, 1809-1886)

The Maison Alphonse Giroux was established in 1799 by François-Simon-Alphonse Giroux, a French cabinet maker (ébéniste) and art restorer. The Parisian business began as a small enterprise, selling only the craftsman’s cabinetmaking works. However, Maison Alphonse Giroux soon expanded its scope and began specializing in the manufacturing and retail of ornate objets d'art and technically sophisticated furniture. Patronized by various members of the French Royal Family, including Louis XVIII, Charles X, Henri V, and Napoleon III, the design house was particularly known for its high quality of ormolu and lacquer work.

In 1838, the company was taken over by Giroux's two sons, Alphonse-Gustave and André, who – under the name of Alphonse Giroux & Cie. – continued and expanded the business. Alphonse Giroux & Cie. frequently exhibited at the Exposition des Produits de L'industrie Française, where the firm’s exceptional furniture successfully won medals on numerous occasions. In 1867, Alphonse Giroux & Cie. was taken over by Duvinage and Harinckouk. Production continued under Ferdinand Duvinage (d. 1874) and then the latter's widow, Rosalie.