Pierre Migeon, Louis XV Period Mahogany Reading Table Circa 1750

Pierre Migeon, Louis XV Period Mahogany Reading Table Circa 1725

18th Century

Exceptional Reading Table with Movement Shape in Mahogany and Blond Mahogany Veneer from the Louis XV Period. Opening with a Belt Drawer. It Rests on Four Arched Legs Ending in a Gilt Bronze Shoe with Foliage and Caster.

Its Tray Surrounded by a Gilt Bronze Ingot Mold Reveals a Retractable Shelf Upholstered in Period Leather and Two Leaves Opening onto Lockers That Can Be Locked. Has His Key. The Original Locks are in Good Working Condition.

Furniture of Very Fine Quality of Execution, Stamped JME, Hallmark of Jurandes and MIGEON for the Famous and Renowned Cabinetmaker Pierre Migeon, Received Master in 1725.

Pierre Migeon (1696-1758)
Migeon Pierre IV - cabinetmaker – mastery obtained around 1725: The most famous of his lineage, Pierre Migeon IV, cabinetmaker as well as merchant, stands out for his furniture with a delicious mix of tradition and modernity.
Coming from a family of cabinetmakers, all named Pierre, Pierre IV Migeon is the son of Pierre III Migeon and Judith Mesureur. Fourth in his line, he alone arouses the interest of amateurs. Probably trained in the factory of his father or his father-in-law, his activity took place in the first half of the 18th century when the use of the stamp became widespread. If his date of mastery remains hypothetical, his reputation is known through numerous signed pieces of furniture, made from his factory on rue de Charenton. The latter were delivered to a rich aristocratic clientele including the Duke of Orléans, the Duchess of Rohan, the Duchess of Epernon, the Marshal of Noailles but also several bishops and ambassadors. From the 1740s, he delivered works for the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne and the Menus-Plaisirs. He benefits from the protection of the Marquise de Pompadour. He also has many clients in France and abroad. If Migeon's profession is that of cabinetmaker, he also works as a merchant. He then collaborated with many cabinetmakers - among the most renowned of his time - such as Birckleé, Canabas, Criaerd, Jacques Dubois, Lacroix, Saunier and even Topino. The stamp of these cabinetmakers is often visible not far from that of the merchant. Generally speaking, his furniture is characterized by a sobriety of line and decor, a discreet, measured elegance, marked by a play on monochrome decorations, with wood species in similar tones such as violet wood and satin. In terms of structure, Migeon favors furniture with marked lines – massive and calm – with a very masculine cut, often with a domed base and a crossbow face. He does not neglect the more feminine lines either. In terms of decor and decorative games, he presents himself as the cabinetmaker of veneer and to a lesser degree of marquetry. A lover of wood, he was one of the first to use mahogany. One of the most characteristic patterns in his style is the so-called butterfly wing veneer, obtained by obliquely cutting the wood. The cabinetmaker repeatedly inserts it into a polylobed reserve, itself considered one of his trademarks. Many of his pieces of furniture, from the Louis Even if they are less typical, Pierre Migeon also creates diamond, cube and flower marquetry of very good quality. His flower marquetry – which he undoubtedly created during the last third of his career to meet the expectations of his customers – is most often presented in colored wood on a satin or rosewood background. The cabinetmaker frames and compartmentalizes them using sinuous and careful scrollwork. Migeon favors the presence of birds which recur regularly in his compositions. These floral marquetry are particularly visible on several sloping desks, reading tables, corners and secretaries. Migeon's style stands out, although to a lesser extent, with high-quality lacquer decorations.
As for bronzes, they are almost absent from the cabinetmaker. The most loaded appear on chests of drawers with three rows of Regency-style drawers. The Migeon workshop has finally produced furniture of small dimensions and lighter shapes – notably a violin-shaped secretary model, reading tables and even sloping desks in the rocaille style. The cabinetmaker also made several small mechanical pieces of furniture, commode chairs and small toilet units in which he specialized to supply the royal residences.
After his death, his son, Pierre Migeon V, kept his factory and business, still on rue de Charenton, but favored the furniture trade to the detriment of cabinetmaking. (furniture and

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