About Cueunières, Louis-Jean

Louis-Jean Cueunières worked from 10, Rue Villehardouin, Paris, in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, producing items of exceptional quality often after eighteenth century examples. He was the son of a cabinetmaker, Jules Cueunières who made “ébénisterie genre boule et bois de rose” from premises at 234 Faubourge St. Antoine and registered a patent “pour une table à jeux à développement mécanique spontané” in 1853.

Cueunières the younger was awarded a silver medal at the 1900 Paris Exhibition and his furniture was praised by the jury for the care and skill with which it was made. He exhibited two cylinder bureaux, a bookcase, a dressing table and a regulator clock. A number of pieces by Cueunières are recorded in the collection of the late art collector and furniture historian Pierre Lecoules.

François Linke was so impressed by the quality of Cueunières work that he bought several bronze master patterns from the Cueunières workshops for his own use in November 1902. This coincides with an auction of furniture from Maison L. Cueunières which indicates that the firm ceased trading at this time. Le Journal newspaper of 9th December 1902 records :

“Vente Cueunières. — Salle numéro 1, par le ministère de M. Lecoq, avait lieu la vente de meubles d’art provenant de la maison L. Cueunières. Beaucoup de monde pour beaucoup de beaux meubles, parmi lesquels je cite un grand bureau à cylindre de style Louis XVI, en bois de rose et amaranthe, orné de bronzes très finement ciselés; ce meuble, dont l’original est au musée des Archives, a trouvé acquéreur à 4,900 fr.”

Literature :

Ledoux – Lebard, Denise. ‘Les Ébénistes du XIXe siècle’, Editions de L’Amateur, (Paris), 1984; p. 142.
Mestdagh, Camille. ‘L’Ameublement d’art français : 1850-1900’, Editions de l’Amateur, (Paris), 2010; p. 192.
Payne, Christopher, ‘Paris Furniture : the luxury market of the 19th century’, Editions Monelle Hayot, 2018, pp. 305-306.