An Empire Style Table de Salon, with Tiger’s Eye Gemstone Top

Description

An Empire Style Gilt-Bronze Mounted Mahogany Table de Salon, with Tiger’s Eye Gemstone Top.

The rectangular top is veneered in Tiger’s Eye gemstone in radiating geometric patterns. The frieze is mounted in gilt-bronze with sphinxes, garlands and anthemion. With front drawer. Supported on tapering legs cast in solid gilt-bronze and modelled as winged caryatid female busts. The legs are joined by a stretcher centred by a basket.

The drawer edge stamped ‘2746’ and ‘2’

France, Circa 1900.

The design is indebted to a famous table made by Adam Weisweiler (1744-1820) for Marie Antoinette’s cabinet intérieur. It has similar caryatid or herm figure legs joined by a basket stretcher, but is decorated in Japanese lacquer and differs in many more details. Its design is more reminiscent of Weisweiler later tables made during the Empire period.

Designed with such stylish eclecticism and made to the very highest quality this table represents the gold standard of Belle Epoque furniture. Weisweiler’s tables might be ornamented with precious marble, oriental lacquer or Sèvres porcelain. Not to be outdone, the fin de siècle maker, with bravado reminiscent of the ‘marchand merciers’, has ensured that this table is distinguished by its remarkable top, which is veneered in a kaleidoscope pattern of precious Tiger’s Eye. No traces of this ribboned quartz stone exist in Europe and as such it has always been a legendary talisman. In the ancient world small qualities mined in Africa passed northwards from hand to hand and were worn by Roman soldiers to protect them in battle. Accordingly, it is called the Warrior’s Stone, representing strength, courage and protection.