Imperial Empire armchair for the Tuileries (iron mark & inventory), attributed to Jacob Desmalter

Armchair with a square back, baluster armrest supports, front legs known as Jacob legs, and saber-shaped rear legs. Gray lacquered wood highlighted with black to simulate patinated bronze. Empire period work – early 19th century, circa 1810 – inspired by the Directoire style and attributed to Jacob Desmalter (unstamped).

Our chair is interesting for its Imperial and Royal provenance, as it bears the brand marks of a prestigious palace: the Tuileries (TH, inventory number T2329, with the brand mark of the Royal Furniture Repository applied under Louis XVIII to furniture recovered from the Empire).

Note: We are offering two nearly identical chairs separately, from two different origins (the Tuileries and Fontainebleau), which we have had restored identically to illustrate an interesting perspective on the major official commissions placed by the Imperial Furniture Repository. This venerable institution was tasked by the Emperor with hastily refurnishing palaces such as the Tuileries, Fontainebleau, and Compiègne in the latest fashion, commissioning Jacob and Marcion to produce 20, 30, or 50 identical armchairs. These two workshops, official suppliers to the Imperial Furniture Repository, often subcontracted, copying each other's designs to deliver the required quantities as quickly as possible. This is the case with our chairs, which are of the same model, identical except for slight differences (height and backrest construction, for example). The explanation could be several: was Jacob subcontracting to Marcion? Were the orders placed months or years apart? In any case, they were not intended to be placed side by side. The 50km distance between the two palaces rendered them identical, and this interesting juxtaposition demonstrates the reality of their similarities.

We had this chair completely restored: disassembled, reassembled, relacquered, repainted, and reupholstered with horsehair and webbing, featuring a knife-edge back and covered in Tassinari & Chatel silk.

Width: 61 cm
Back height: 94 cm
Seat height: 40.5 cm

Ref: 0CXNEZFOTY