Salon with a small sofa and four cabriolet armchairs

Armchairs: Height 88cm - Width 60cm - Seat depth 49cm - Wall depth 53cm
Sofa: Height 93cm - Width 138cm - Depth: approx. 65cm on the wall

This is a Parisian work made at the end of the Louis XVI period or during the Directoire period. The seats are in carved beech and creamy-white lacquer. They do not bear a signature, but they were unquestionably executed by a very good chair joiner: the perfection of the lines, the particularities of the model and the quality of the carving testify to a mastery like that of Lelarge or Séné.

With its rounded backrest, the sofa is shaped like a cabriolet armchair. But while this feature is very common for armchairs, it's rare for a sofa whose back doesn't follow the straight line of a classic wall; This sofa can take its place in the corner of a boudoir, for example, or in the middle of a room, against a rounded wall or a wall with a return.

In this living room, 3 armchairs are from the same manufacturer, while another, very similar armchair is from a different series. There are, for example, differences in the head of the armrests and the arm brackets, as can be seen in the photos.

In the execution of these Parisian chairs, the first thing to note is the precision, regularity and finesse of the numerous flutes, perfectly proportioned to the tapered shape of each leg. The baluster-shaped arm brackets extend the front legs and are richly decorated with laurel leaves, rosettes and fluting on the foot squares. The armrests curve high into the rear uprights, forming a "whiplash" effect. The front belts are slightly curved. Finally, the trapezoidal shape of the cabriolet backrests, very difficult to achieve, is remarkably balanced. Generally speaking, the molding on these seats is very elaborate.

These seats were made from top-quality beech wood, and are in very good condition, with their leg ends, without restored handles or crosspieces. Refurbished some thirty years ago, these armchairs are still perfectly functional, even if their modest size and the age of the upholstery make them occasional seats of relative comfort. One of the foot squares is missing an ornament. The fabric shows some wear and a missing cuff on one of the armchairs. The absence of any recent restoration allows us to offer this set at a very attractive price.