A stunning and extremely high quality French 19th century Louis XVI st. Mahogany, Tulipwood and ormolu clock cabinet signed Mercier Frères. The four door one drawer cabinet is raised by elegant circular tapered fluted legs with fine mottled and beaded... — Read More

A stunning and extremely high quality French 19th century Louis XVI st. Mahogany, Tulipwood and ormolu clock cabinet signed Mercier Frères. The four door one drawer cabinet is raised by elegant circular tapered fluted legs with fine mottled and beaded ormolu sabots and striking ionic capitals with swaging berried laurel garlands. Above the straight frieze are two doors each decorated with beautiful quarter veneered recessed panels with fine rosettes at each corner and pierced crest shaped keyhole escutcheons with each side decorated in a similar manner. The doors open to reveal one adjustable shelf and handsome original top to bottom lock and are flanked by cut corners with fine fluted designs below an ormolu rosette. The single drawer displays superb unique ormolu Greek key designs also repeated at each side below a striking mottled foliate and reeded ormolu band. Above are two doors with exquisite diamond shaped inlaid parquetry designs and pierced crest shaped ormolu keyhole escutcheons framed within an elegant and most decorative beaded wrap around ormolu band and which open to reveal two adjustable shelves also retaining is original handsome top to bottom lock. The side also display the same masterfully inlaid designs with cut corners decorated with fine inlaid fillets leading upwards to beautiful scrolled acanthus leaf ormolu corner mounts with acorn finials. The mottled top crown displays an exquisite and very unique fitted interlocking rosette pierced ormolu band with an inlaid fillet at the curved top with a lovely tied reeded band centered by a clock. The clock displays Roman numeral hour markings and Arabic numeral minute markings with pierced foliate hands framed within a beautiful wrap around Coeur de Rai border and encased within spectacular richly chased open wings with exquisite attention to detail and intricate plumage with a striking tied berried laurel band and lovely leaves all in a stunning satin and burnished finish. All original gilt throughout.

Mercier Frères, Paris was founded by André Mercier in 1828. A high quality fine furniture manufacturer, located at 100 Faubourg Saint-Antoine, Paris. Mercier Frères was commissioned by European aristocrats to custom create furnishings with exquisite details and fine quality ormolu decorations combined with the finest woods and marbles of the period. Mercier Frères participated at the Exposition Universelle in 1867 and 1900. They also expanded to another location called the Palais de Marbre on the Champs Élysées and also to Argentina and New York city. — Read Less