Directoire Consulat period mahogany salon furniture attributed to Demay

Living room furniture consisting of a 2-seater sofa and 2 armchairs with mahogany frames and mahogany veneer. Elegant model with crook-shaped scrolled backrest and flanges, saber-shaped back legs, straight front legs terminating in lion paws and armrest supports in the shape of a bust of an antique-style woman wearing an Epyptian Nemes, Etruscan-style saber-shaped front legs. The blackened parts (heads, feet) simulate patinated bronze. Made in Paris in the late Directoire or early Consulate period, late 18th century or 1800. Attributed to Jean Baptiste Demay, not stamped.

This type of production is typical of what is known as the Retour d'Egypte style, very fashionable at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. The chair is still very much in the eighteenth-century tradition, but it prefigures the Empire style of the early nineteenth century.

A handsome model with elegant proportions, fine, responsive carving and perfect finish. Although our armchair is not stamped to precisely identify its maker, it is undoubtedly the work of a fine Parisian upholsterer. Everything about this armchair is of excellent quality (solid mahogany is used for most of the seats). Particularly noteworthy are the fine craftsmanship of the mahogany carvings, such as the faces and claw feet, and the careful finishing of the patinated wood busts.

There are many similarities with the work of Jean-Baptiste-Bernard Demay (1759-1848) - a chair carpenter, received his master's degree on February 4, 1784; he worked on rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine, then rue de Cléry until the end of the Empire. His chairs are always elegant and meticulous; he received official orders from the royal family under the Ancien Régime and from the imperial garde meuble as well. Demay was positioned in the same range as Jacob and Marcion.

Excellent condition, old restorations. Stamp varnish refinished by our cabinetmaker. Upholstered on all sides, it can be placed in the center of a room to separate the living room from the dining room. The sofa is a 3-seater, reduced to 2 by a talented cabinetmaker, making it easier to place.

NB: We have restored several mahogany chairs from this period, with the same finish, so that we can create and complete a living-room set (you'll find the various chairs on our website www.gslr-antiques.com). We also have a large yardage available, enabling us to restore your seats with matching finishes. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Sofa :
Length : 101cm
Height : 99cm
Depth: 71cm
Seat height : 36,5cm

Armchairs :
Width: 59.5cm
Depth: 64cm
Seat height: 42cm
Back height 92cm

Ref: K99D562RBJ