End wood marquetry games table in the BVRB style, by Krieger,

Game table made in Paris at the end of the 19th century by Krieger, one of the most important Parisian furniture houses of its time. The piece bears a partially faded, but still legible, Krieger Paris stamp on the underside of the top, linking it to this great production of historicist luxury, particularly sought-after for the quality of its cabinetwork, bronzes and inspirations drawn from the great models of 18th-century France.

This table is fully in line with the revival of Ancien Régime styles that marked Parisian furniture in the second half of the 19th century. During this period, the great cabinet-makers were not content simply to copy old models: they reinterpreted them with great technical virtuosity, for an international clientele passionate about 18th-century French taste. Christopher Payne recalls in Paris, la quintessence du meuble au XIXe siècle, that Krieger was a considerable company, capable of producing a vast range of high-quality furniture, employing several hundred workers and taking part in the great Universal Exhibitions, where it won numerous awards. The company also worked in an environment of exceptional emulation, alongside or in relation with the greatest names in Parisian furniture of the Belle Époque, such as Linke, Dasson and Beurdeley, some of whose productions, models and even bronzes were taken up or reinterpreted in this particularly demanding environment.

Our table is precisely part of this culture of excellence. Its design is directly inspired by the small, refined tables of the reign of Louis XV, and more particularly by the world of Bernard II Van Risen Burgh, known as BVRB, one of the greatest Parisian cabinetmakers of the 18th century. Awarded the title of Master around 1730, BVRB worked for an aristocratic and royal clientele, often through the intermediary of marchand-merciers, notably Hébert and Lazare Duvaux. His work is characterized by outstanding craftsmanship, particularly harmonious proportions, fine marquetry and perfectly balanced rocaille bronzes.

The connection with BVRB is particularly relevant here. The table takes on the light, nervous silhouette of mid-eighteenth-century flying furniture: slender cambered legs, scalloped waistband, curved top, softened angles, supple, elegant lines. We find the fluidity of the Louis XV style, where the structure almost seems to disappear in favor of a continuous movement between top, belt and legs.

The marquetry is one of the great attractions of this piece. The veneer, laid out in a herringbone pattern, offers a beautiful play of veining and warm nuances. The veneer is enriched by a floral and foliate scroll motif, in the spirit of BVRB's signature end wood marquetry. This type of decoration, obtained by using wood cut perpendicular to the grain, produced denser, more pictorial, almost vibrant effects, particularly in the floral motifs. Here, foliage and supple stems develop with great lightness on both the top and the belt, without excessive overload. The decoration accompanies the shape of the furniture, emphasizing its contours and reinforcing its precious character.

The chased and gilded bronzes are also of the highest quality. Complete and harmoniously distributed, they play an essential role in the overall balance of the piece. The gilded bronze gallery framing the top perfectly matches its curved design. The long, elegant corner falls feature a rocaille décor of scrolls, foliage and floral motifs. The sabots, clasps and central belt ornament continue this decorative grammar with great finesse. The chasing is clean, precise and well-modeled, while the gilding retains a strong presence. These bronzes are not simply added ornaments: they visually structure the furniture, accentuating its curves and giving it the richness characteristic of the great Parisian productions of the late 19th century. The quality of certain elements evokes the work of the great bronziers and cabinetmakers of the Belle Époque, in the spirit of Beurdeley, Dasson and Linke.

The tray reveals an interior lined with green cloth, designed for playing, as well as a storage compartment. This function is a direct reference to the small pieces of 18th-century salon furniture, designed for a variety of uses: writing, playing, conversing or accompanying sociable moments. Here, Krieger takes up this tradition of elegant, practical furniture, conceived as much as an object of use as a decorative piece.

The overall quality of this table testifies to the n

Ref: CLT9JDX12U