Crafted by award-winning Maison Marnyhac, these antiques feature exquisite materials and a design by Edouard Lièvre that elegantly reflects the Japonisme style.
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This exceptional pair of pedestals in the Japonisme style was created by Maison Marnyhac, a distinguished French firm founded by Charles de Marnyhac (1840–1897) in around 1865. Based in Paris, the firm catered to the elite and specialised in bronzes d’art, producing decorative items such as candelabras, statues, and furniture mounts crafted with remarkable precision and artistic flair. This mastery naturally extended to the creation of high-end furniture decorated with intricate gilded bronze mounts, as exemplified by the pedestals in Mayfair Gallery’s collection.
Each pedestal is crowned with a circular marble slab, set above an ornate ormolu frieze. The upper section is supported by three bronze elephant heads, each adorned with elaborate headdresses. The elephants' trunks curve upward, symbolising good luck.
The bronze sculptures rest atop a three-legged ormolu stand, featuring a pierced column with geometric patterns inspired by Japanese design. Cast tassels, floral motifs, and symmetrical shapes enhance the ornate aesthetic, adding layers of intricate detail to the pedestals. A concave stretcher connects the three legs, echoing the stylistic elements of the overall design. At the centre of the stretcher is a pierced medallion, serving as a striking focal point. The legs curve gracefully upward, mimicking the appearance of the elephants’ trunks, and terminate in circular feet.
The ormolu bears the firm’s stamp: ‘MAISON MARNYHAC / 1. RUE DE LA PAIX / PARIS’.
Maison Marnyhac earned numerous accolades at international exhibitions, and its founder was awarded the prestigious Légion d'Honneur. The firm was widely regarded as a competitor to Barbedienne, with many contemporaries considering both ateliers unparalleled in Europe for the exceptional quality of their creations. The pedestals were designed by the French artist Edouard Lièvre (d. 1886), renowned for his mastery of Japanese-inspired aesthetics. Lièvre created an entire collection of Japonisme-style furniture for Albert Vieillard (d. 1895), the esteemed director of the Bordeaux ceramics manufactory.
This magnificent pair of pedestals represents a highly desirable addition to a collector's ensemble of French decorative arts.
Reference:
17655
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