China, Canton
Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) – Qianlong Period, late 18th Century

Height : 205 cm (80,7 in.) ; Panel width : 55 cm (21,6 in.) ; Depth : 1,8 cm (0,7 in.)
Total width : 55 x 8 = 440 cm (173,2 in.)

Beautiful eight-panel Chinese lacquer screen featuring a large, continuous landscape (shanshui) richly animated with scenes of daily Chinese life, depicting scholars, traditional pavilions, bridges, and weeping willows set against mountainous backdrops. The main scene is framed by a frieze of leafy scrollwork and cartouches depicting animals in landscapes, a style typical of export pieces. The reverse side of the screen is adorned with large motifs of flowering branches and birds.

The format of this large, multi-panel screen, combined with this very specific style of gold decoration on a black lacquer background known as miaojin, is entirely characteristic of works intended for the European market via the East India Companies, a tradition that reached its peak during the 18th century and continued to be produced throughout the 19th century.

Commentary

During the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1735–1796), the Qing Dynasty experienced one of its most prosperous periods. The Chinese Empire reached its territorial peak, enjoyed strong economic growth, and was marked by remarkable developments in the arts, crafts, and imperial manufacturing.
This era was also marked by a significant expansion of trade with the West. Although foreign trade was strictly controlled by the Canton System, European merchants, particularly British, French, Dutch, and Portuguese, imported large quantities of highly sought-after goods, including porcelain, silks, lacquerware, ivory objects, furniture, and tea, which had become a major consumer product in Europe. Chinese workshops sometimes adapted their creations to Western tastes, producing objects specifically intended for export, decorated with European motifs or bearing the coats of arms of noble families. This trade helped spread the refinement of Chinese art throughout Europe and had a lasting influence on Western decorative arts in the 18th century.

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Compagnie des marbres Onyx d’Algérie (1879-1886)

Japanese style Planter

France – Circa 1880

Signed Sté des onyx ; H. Journet & Cie ; 24 Bd Italiens ; 3167

Gilded bronze, Algerian onyx

Height : 30 cm (11,8 in.) ; Width : 32 cm (12,6 in.) ; Depth : 28 cm (11 in.)

Beautiful planter made of banded Algerian onyx, mounted in gilded bronze. Resting on four legs connected by aprons with lamp-shaped bases in a fanciful Japanese-inspired style, this planter features two gilded bronze handles, each secured to the body by a Phô dog’s muzzle. The body tapers toward the neck and flares out into a continuous frieze of Japanese-style lambrequins.

It is signed with a stamp reading “Sté des onyx; H. Journet & Cie; 24 Bd Italiens; 3167,” which indicates the origin of the onyx, its gilt-bronze setting, and the model number.

Biography

The Compagnie des Marbres Onyx d’Algérie, led by Gustave Viot (1828–1897), was founded by Alphonse Pallu (1808–1880) on June 14, 1858. This company was involved in the mining of onyx, a stone known since ancient times and rediscovered in 1849 in the province of Oran, Algeria, by Del Monte, a marble craftsman. In 1863, it opened a store at 24 Boulevard des Italiens in Paris. In the mid-1860s, the company’s name changed to “G. Viot & Cie,” and it produced pieces based on models by renowned sculptors such as Eugène Cornu, Albert Carrier-Belleuse (1824–1887) (Victoria & Albert Museum, Inv. 9070-1863), Charles Cordier (1827–1905) (Orsay, Inv. RF 2996), and Louis-Ernest Barrias (1841–1905) (Orsay, Inv. RF 1409), producing highly luxurious decorative works characterized by the combination of onyx with bronze, and sometimes enamel. At their booth at the 1867 Paris World’s Fair, they presented an impressive pair of vases made of onyx, bronze, and enamel, featuring elephant-shaped bases (signed “G. Viot et Cie, 1867 Exhibition, Eugène Cornu, Inventor”; Official Exhibition Catalog, Group III, Class XIV, “luxury furniture,” No. 65), which was admired by the jury and earned them a gold medal (Reports of the International Jury, 1867 Paris World’s Fair, 1868, Vol. III, Group III, Class XV, Chapter II, § 2, pp. 45 & 46). In January 1879, Henri Journet became manager of the company, still located at 24 Boulevard des Italiens, which he renamed Henri Journet et Cie. He participated in the 1884 exhibition at the Palais de l’Industrie, where his work was once again acclaimed. In early 1886, the company closed its doors.

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Designer and Art object Editor
(attributed to)

Planter

China, Daoguang Era (1820-1850)
France, circa 1875

Patinated and gilt bronze, cloisonné enamel

Height : 41,5 cm (16,3 in.) ; Width : 50 cm (19,7 in.) ; Depth : 34 cm (13,4 in.)

An elegant planter consisting of a polychrome enamel bowl with a patinated and gilded bronze frame. It rests on four volute feet with elephant heads, finished in a black patina accented with gold on the salient parts. The elephants are connected by openwork, gilded Oriental-style lambrequins suspended from a series of friezes featuring pearls, medallions, and heart-shaped motifs. The planter is adorned with an elegant enamel decoration on a blue background, cloisonné in gold, with motifs of flowering branches and butterflies. Two medallions on a black background stand out, ornated with the same iconographic repertoire. The handles take the form of two oriental bronze dragons, patinated and gilded like the elephants forming the feet. The creatures are held to the rim of the planter by their tails.

Europe has a long tradition of casting all manner of objects in bronze, from coconuts to nautiluses and even Chinese porcelain. The bronze artist’s task was to enhance these curiosities and masterpieces from afar. Heirs to this practice, the foundries and bronze artisans of the late 19th century were no exception to the rule: Barbedienne, Maison Marnyhac, and L’Escalier de Cristal were among the firms that devoted themselves to this practice, adapting it to the tastes of the era. As a result, many blue-enameled objects with floral decorations characteristic of 19th-century Chinese production were mounted, such as tea tables, pedestal tables, or planters.

biography

L’Escalier de Cristal, Parisian firm created about 1800 by Mme veuve Desarnaud, famous under the French « Restoration » for its decorative objects combining crystal and bronze. She was awarded a gold medal at the 1819 Paris Exposition des Produits de l’Industrie for an outstanding gilt-bronze mounted crystal dressing table. Located in Paris, at the Palais-Royal, Galerie de Valois, L’Escalier de Cristal was bought out around 1830 by Boin, and then by Lahoche in 1840. The company owed its rise to a position amongst the most important Paris decorative wares shops to Lahoche, who expanded considerably the business and entered later in partnership with his son-in-law to set up in 1852 Lahoche et Pannier. In 1872 Emile Pannier led alone the firm, and then his sons from 1885 to 1923, whom gave the name of Pannier Frères to the company, located at the corner of Scribe and Auber streets, next to the new built Paris Opera house. L’Escalier de Cristal suggesting also since the 1880’s furniture and art bronze pieces, was several times awarded medals at the various International Exhibitions held in Paris, London and New York, and for instance a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition. Numerous artists, such Emile Gallé, Louis Majorelle and Gabriel Viardot worked for the L’Escalier de Cristal’s worldwide renown, and introduced then some of their greatest Japanese style creations (adorned with « cloisonné » enamels, Japanese motifs,…).

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Crystal Manufactory
(attributed to)

Pair of « Birds » Vases

France
Circa 1880

Opaline, Gilded bronze

Height : 35,5 cm (13,9 in.) ; Width: 16 cm (6,3 in.) ; Depth : 12 cm (4,7 in.)

Fine pair of baluster-shaped opaline vases of Japanese inspiration, adorned with a chiselled and gilded bronze mount imitating bamboo, extending up the neck with two movable ring handles. The body is composed of translucent opaline glass with a predominantly cloudy grey ground, heightened with gilding that enhances its optical depth. The decoration unfolds across the belly and depicts two birds with plumage in red, green, yellow, and violet, rendered with naturalistic precision in the treatment of the feathers, while their posture remains decorative and symmetrical. They are perched upon a stylized turquoise-blue cartouche ornamented with simplified Greek motifs, amidst flowering branches bearing yellow blossoms accompanied by finely outlined green foliage. The whole rests on four double feet in stylized bamboo form.

The combination of cloudy opaline glass and a Japanese inspired gilded bronze mount points to a luxury production intended for bourgeois or aristocratic interiors. This type of object belongs to the vogue for Japonisme that marked the French decorative arts from the 1860s to the 1880s. The gilded bronze mounts, through their finely chased treatment and their structuring role, align with the tradition of mounted objects, a practice inherited from the eighteenth century.

Biography

The famous crystal manufactory of Baccarat, whose origins date back to the eighteenth century, won its first gold medal at the 1823 Exposition des Produits de l’Industrie, where it was praised for the “brilliance and fineness of its crystal,” thereby becoming the foremost crystalworks in France. Baccarat was undoubtedly the only French industrial enterprise to be consistently and magnificently represented at the various exhibitions in which it participated, consequently earning high honors and prestigious awards. One recurring expression, “the perfection of the material and of the cutting”, appears in all the reports of the Universal Exhibitions between 1855 and 1867, during which the Baccarat crystalworks dominated through the quality of its crystal, considered superior to that of Bohemia and England. In order to retain its wealthy clientele, among whom were, of course, members of the Royal Family, Baccarat was compelled to discover and introduce new fashions, new decorative schemes, and new materials.

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Lotus Basin

Japan
Circa 1720-1750

Porcelain, Gilded bronze

Height : 52 cm (20,5 in.) ; Diameter : 56 cm (22,1 in.)

Important lotus basin with polychrome decoration in iron red, cobalt blue, and gold, known as the Imari Kinrande palette. Composed of two parts, the basin and the pedestal, the whole is decorated with stylized flowers, peonies, and chrysanthemums, framed by rectangular cartouches on a hexagonal lattice ground, typical of the Edo period (1603–1868). The interior, enameled in white, is pierced with a central drainage hole, indicating its original function as a lotus basin. The piece rests on a gilt and chased bronze base, French, from the late 19th century.

Commentary

The Imari porcelain is a ceramic style born around 1600 in the area of Arita (有田町), city of potters on the island of Kyushu, in southern Japan. According to tradition, this is a Korean named Ri Sampei installed in the region, who operated a kaolin deposit at the foot of the hill of Izumiyama. He managed the merger of kaolin, up to 1400 ° C, to obtain similar porcelain to the Chinese one’s ending thus a monopoly that was older than seven centuries. This porcelain is characterized by a decoration using three colors: cobalt blue, iron red and white background porcelain, the whole being embellished with gold. It mainly presents floral decoration and was called “Imari”, the name of the port on the island of Kyushu, from where it was exported, a few kilometers from Arita. Because of the supply problems in China due to political unrest in the seventeenth century, the Dutch, with their East Company of the United Provinces, imported the first Imaris from Japan. These porcelains were exported for European elites — kings, princes, nobles, and great merchants — who collected them as symbols of wealth, refinement, and openness to the world.

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Clock-makers & Bronze-casters (Founded in 1813)
(attributed to)                           

« The Geisha » Wall-light

France
Circa 1860

Patinated, gilded and silvered bronze

Height : 84 cm (33 in.) ; Width : 60 cm (23,6 in.) ; Depth : 42 cm (16,5 in.)

Large Japonisme six-light wall-light in patinated bronze with gold and silver highlights, representing an elegant young woman in traditional Geisha Japanese outfit, seated on a branch of a Japanese rosebush whose flowers are formed of luminous corollas, and holding out a rose from her left hand.

Biography

The company Raingo Frères, founded in Paris in 1813, installed their workshops around 1830 at n°8 Touraine Street, then at n°102 Vieille-du-Temple Street. The four Raingo brothers first known as clockmakers, added to their 1841 sale catalog some art bronze works as well as decorative bronze pieces. In 1860, they supplied the palaces of the Emperor Napoleon III. First specialized in Antique statues reproductions, they cast then models sculpted by contemporary artists such James Pradier (1790-1852), Albert Carrier-Belleuse (1824-1887) et Auguste Moreau (1834-1917).

“Japonisme”

From 1853, and the opening of Japan following the intrusion of the US navy, and more precisely from the 1860’s, the enthusiasm of everything coming from Japan or imitating its style conquers numerous occidental countries from France and Britain. This movement, called “Japonism”, will last until the early 20^th century. The previous centuries and decades had already had a certain interest for the exoticism such as chinoiseries ou turqueries in the 18^th century or the Orientalism of the 19^th century. The Japonism movement has been developed by artists looking for new means of expressions. Size, mediums, colors, drawing and perspectives are reinvented. Decorative Arts, as in painting, draw on those new sources of inspiration patterns to renew their repertoire.  

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Designers and Art object Editors
(active from 1799 to 1885)
(attributed to)

Wall-mounted Letter Rack

France
Circa 1860

Bronze, Glass, Mirror

Height : 48 cm (18,9 in.) ; Width : 35 cm (13,7 in.) ; Depth : 13,5 cm (5,3 in.)

Charming Japanese-inspired wall-mounted letter rack in chiseled and gilded bronze with geometric uprights imitating bamboo. The letter compartment is made up of three glass panes engraved with floral motifs, and a mirror at the bottom.

Biography

Alphonse Giroux and Company, famous curiosity and luxury goods shop was situated in Paris, at No. 7 rue du Coq-Saint-Honoré and in business from the time of the Consulate until the end of the Second Empire. The company was founded by Francois-Simon-Alphonse and continued in 1838 by his two sons, Alphonse-Gustave (1810-1886) and André (1801-1879). The father became a close associate of the royal family and specialized in the manufacture of refined items for gifts. Kings Louis XVIII and then Charles X were both supplied with gifts for « The Children of France » by Giroux. Making progressively small furniture, they were mentioned for the first time in 1837 in the class « cabinet-makers » in the Paris Almanach. It was Alphonse-Gustave, however, who really expanded the activities of the firm as is testified by the report of the jury at the 1839 Products of Industry Exhibition awarding him another silver medal. Alphonse was also quick to participate in the famous and soon figured among the best in the luxury goods business. After buying a writing desk at the 1855 Universal Exhibition Napoleon IIIrd bought several other pieces of furniture, candelabras and clocks from Giroux for the Compiègne Palace. In 1857 Alphonse Giroux transferred his shop to No. 43, boulevard des Capucines where he continued to do business until 1867, when he ceded the company to Duvinage and Harinkouck.

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Goldsmith (since 1830)
(attributed to)

“Japonisme” Soliflore Vase

Numbered 574668

France
Circa 1880

Crystal, Gilded and silvered bronze

Height : 56 cm (22in.) ; Diameter base : 20 cm (7,8 in.)

Large Japanese-inspired soliflore vase in crystal and silver and gilded bronze. Made of a flared cup topped with a cornet vase, al in crystal engraved with a floral decoration with borders encircled by a golden net. The whole is set in a silver-plated and gilded bronze frame imitating bamboo, resting on six pine cone-shaped feet.

This Japanese-style bamboo-shaped mount is characteristic of the work of Maison Christofle, which collaborated in the second half of the 19th century in particular with the designers Émile Reiber and Édouard Lièvre, who provided it with models inspired by China and Japan.

Biography

Charles Christofle (1805-1863), began his career by managing a jewelry firm and a few years later he set up his own business : the Christofle silversmith company. After his success at the Paris Products of Industry Exhibition of 1839, he bought the patents of gold and silver-plating by electrolysis from both Ruolz and Elkington, which enabled him again to win the gold medal at the 1844 Products of Industry Exhibition. He was named « silver-smith to the royal family » and his success was confirmed during the Second Empire when he was regularly awarded prizes at the Universal Exhibitions. His son Paul (1838-1907) and his nephew Henri Bouilhet (1830-1910) took over the business after his death.

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Designer and Art object Editor
(attributed to)

Oriental Clock

France
Circa 1890

Porcelain, Bronze 

Height : 54 cm (21,2 in.) ; Width : 37 cm (14,5 in.) ; Depth : 28 cm (11 in.)

Rare Chinese style clock in the shape of a covered pot, in porcelain painted in imitation of Chinese cloisonné enamel and decorated with a two-patina bronze mount. The dome-shaped cover is topped with a Fô dog. A rotating decoration of chrysanthemums and peonies and golden geometric motifs on a blue background flourishes on the belly, and on each side of the dial surrounded by pearls and bronze flowers, two Fô dog heads hold the handles in their mouths. The whole rests on a bronze base decorated with a frieze of eggs and ending with six feet formed of elephant heads resting on their trunks and four turtles upright on their back legs.

Biography

“L’Escalier de Cristal”, an old and famous Parisian firm, specialized in glass products and ceramics but also suggested furniture and bronze sculptures. It was led from 1885 to 1923 by Emile Pannier’s sons, who gave the name of Pannier Frères to the society, located at the corner of Scribe street and Auber street, next to the new built Paris Opera house. Their Japanese style creations were among many others much appreciated by the critics and the public. They were awarded many medals at various exhibitions, such as the Gold medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition. Lots of artists participated in that world success, such as Emile Gallé, who gave to Pannier Frères the exclusive rights of some of his models, or François-Eugène Rousseau, who designed many vases and gave the model of his successful Japanese style dining-set as well. This set was made by the Creil et Montereau Manufacture. In the Japanese style furniture branch, many famous makers such as Majorelle from Nancy, Edouard Lièvre or Gabriel Viardot worked for Pannier Frères. Some pieces are to be seen in the greatest museums: the Ermitage in Saint-Petersburg, the Orsay Museum in Paris, the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.“L’Escalier de Cristal” was sometimes the exclusive owner of the models and then those pieces were just signed by “L’Escalier de Cristal” or sometimes beside the artist signature. But “L’Escalier de Cristal” was also very creative, completing pieces with superb, gilded bronzes, glass or enameled panels and often including authentic Japanese or Chinese elements.

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Porcelain Bowl

China – France
18th Century (bowl) – 19th Century (mount)

Porcelain, Gilded bronze

Height : 32 cm (12,6 in.) ; Diameter : 36 cm (14,2 in.)

Beautiful enameled porcelain bowl in the pink-purple tones characteristic of the “Famille Rose” with polychrome decoration of butterflies, flowers and foliage, on fish scales and starry background in cartouches delimited by arabesques. It is inserted in a chiseled and gilded bronze mount made of a wrapped rush supported by four scrolling legs decorated with laurel garlands, all resting on a quadrilobed base with cut sides.

Biography

Porcelain from the Famille Rose, also called yangcai (“foreign colors”), has polychrome decorations in which pink tones dominate.
The decor is “posé sur couverte”, meaning after a first firing of the porcelain covered of transparent enamel. It is during a second firing, called “small fire” (800°C) that colors are fixed. This type of décor appears under the reign of the Yongzhen Emperor (1723-1736) and is developed under the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1796). Its creation is interlinked with the history of exchanges between Orient and Occident in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. It is indeed a Dutch chemist, Andreas Cassius, who, in 1650, discovered the chemical formula to obtain pink enamels : the mineral purple, then called “Cassius purple”, obtained from Gold salt. China quickly acquired this technic and used pink shades for its national production but mostly for its exportation products.
Pink family porcelains are quite often decorated with plants patterns made of flowers and bouquets. 

The trade of goods such as porcelain and spices between a metropolis and its colonies was often controlled by a company to which the state conferred a monopoly, and which bore the name of Compagnie des Indes. Under the name of the Indies were listed all the new territories which could be reached by taking the Eastern route (East Indies) and those which could be reached by the Western route, called the New World route (West Indies).

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Bronze-caster (1853-1929)

Pair of « Japonisme » Chandeliers

France
Circa 1900

Signed SOLEAU and E. SOLEAU PARIS

Patinated, gilded and silvered bronze

Height : 64 cm (25,2 in.) ; Diameter : 46 cm (18,1 in.)

Beautiful pair of Japanese chandeliers in patinated bronze, gilded and silvered with five lights.
They are composed of three stylized fans, lined with red, pink and orange tinted glass, centered respectively by a seahorse in algae, a spider placed on a web and a dragonfly on leaves, alternating with three arms of light ending in corollas. Branches of flowering cherry trees are scattered throughout. Everything is suspended by three chains connected to a foliage ceiling light ending with a flower.

biography

Eugène François Alexandre Soleau, born October 3, 1853 in Buenos Aires, Argentina and died July 8, 1929 in Paris, is a French industrialist and inventor. Promoter of the protection of intellectual property, he is the father of the Soleau Envelope, a non-binding and inexpensive French instrument used to prove the anteriority of an intellectual creation. Bronze manufacturer, secretary (1885-1889), then vice-president (from 1895 to 1899) and finally president (from 1900) of the Bronze Manufacturers’ Union, he was involved, on a French and international scale, in the protection of intellectual property. Vice-president of the International Association for the Protection of Industrial Property, he participates as a delegate of the Bronze, Jewelry, Jewelry, Goldsmithing, Ceramics, Glassmaking, and of all the plastic arts unions, at the international congresses of industrial property in Vienna (1897), London (1898) and Zurich (1899).

“Japonisme”

From 1853, and the opening of Japan following the intrusion of the US navy, and more precisely from the 1860’s, the enthusiasm of everything coming from Japan or imitating its style conquers numerous occidental countries from France and Britain. This movement, called “Japonism”, will last until the early 20^th century. The previous centuries and decades had already had a certain interest for the exoticism such as chinoiseries ou turqueries in the 18^th century or the Orientalism of the 19^th century. The Japonism movement has been developed by artists looking for new means of expressions. Size, mediums, colours, drawing and perspectives are reinvented. Decorative Arts, as in painting, draw on those new sources of inspiration patterns to renew their repertoire.  

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Designer and Art object Editor
(attributed to)

« Pagoda » Clock

France
Circa 1885

Bronze 

Height : 60 cm (23,6 in.) ; Width : 28 cm (11 in.) ; Depth : 22,5 cm (8,8 in.)

Beautiful Japonisme clock in openwork patinated bronze with gold and silver highlights in the shape of a pagoda, at the corners presenting stylized dragons above uprights imitating bamboo.
The dial, with calligraphed numbers in Kanji and hands depicting an undulating dragon,
is placed on a portico with elephant heads, resting on columns, in the center of a terrace surrounded by an openwork gallery. The whole rests on a base decorated with foliage with four scrolled feet.

The roots of the artistic movement known as “Japanism” not only came from Japanese art, but also from Chinese art. Following the Franco-English military campaign led in 1860 against the Imperial army in China, the French troops of Napoleon the IIIrd brought back from the Summer Palace, a part of the Chinese Imperial court treasure, which made up the famous Chinese Museum of Empress Eugénie at the Fontainebleau Palace. The French artists quickly took inspiration from those exotic and sumptuous objects for their creations, as they used to do in the 18th century, when the best French cabinet-makers adapted the Chinese lacquers on the luxurious royal chests, aimed at amateurs, most of whom will never set foot in these distant lands.

Biography

“L’Escalier de Cristal”, an old and famous Parisian firm, specialized in glass products and ceramics but also suggested furniture and bronze sculptures. It was led from 1885 to 1923 by Emile Pannier’s sons, who gave the name of Pannier Frères to the society, located at the corner of Scribe street and Auber street, next to the new built Paris Opera house. Their Japanese style creations were among many others much appreciated by the critics and the public. They were awarded many medals at various exhibitions, such as the Gold medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition. Lots of artists participated in that world success, such as Emile Gallé, who gave to Pannier Frères the exclusive rights of some of his models, or François-Eugène Rousseau, who designed many vases and gave the model of his successful Japanese style dining-set as well. This set was made by the Creil et Montereau Manufacture. In the Japanese style furniture branch, many famous makers such as Majorelle from Nancy, Edouard Lièvre or Gabriel Viardot worked for Pannier Frères. Some pieces are to be seen in the greatest museums: the Ermitage in Saint-Petersburg, the Orsay Museum in Paris, the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.“L’Escalier de Cristal” was sometimes the exclusive owner of the models and then those pieces were just signed by “L’Escalier de Cristal” or sometimes beside the artist signature. But “L’Escalier de Cristal” was also very creative, completing pieces with superb, gilded bronzes, glass or enameled panels and often including authentic Japanese or Chinese elements.

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Cabinet-maker (1830-1906)

« Japonisme » Writing-Table

France
Circa 1880

Alder, Gilded bronze, Griotte Marble

Height : 84 cm (33 in.) ; Width : 77 cm (30,3 in.) ; Depth : 45,5 cm (17,9 in.)

Beautiful Japonisme writing table in tinted and carved alder, opening with a belt drawer with engraved decoration of bamboo and flowers and decorated with openwork leafy friezes in bronze, forming a writing tablet covered in velvet.
It rests on four feet mounted at the corners of lion masks in gilded bronze and joined by an openwork spacer, and ending in lion paws. It is topped with a molded Griotte marble.

Biography

Gabriel Viardot (1830-1906) career began as a wood carver and he produced small furniture, sculpturally carved with naturalistic motifs and animals. In the 1855 Exposition Universelle in Paris, his finely sculpted objects were well received. However, with the increasing importation of similarly produced Swiss and German articles, he found less opportunity for these and decided to inovate. G. Viardot succeded to his father’s business in 1861 installed rue Rambuteau in Paris. Around 1870 he turned to the idea of producing « Meubles genre Chinois et Japonais ». The taste in Europe for exotic furniture, incorporating sometimes authentic Chinese or Japanese objects was well established. But Viardot early designed his own models enriched with ivory, mother-of-pearl and beautiful gilt-bronze mounts. After having won four medals at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867, Viardot was awarded a silver medal at the 1878 Universal Exhibition in Paris. He was also awarded gold medals several times : Universal Exhibitions in Anvers (Belgium) in 1884, and again in Paris in 1889 and 1900. A contemporary commentator notes that he had a workshop employing approximately 100 men, both sculptors and cabinet-makers with another 25 to 30 outside contract workers. « l’Escalier de Cristal », the famous Parisian offering luxuruous furniture got the exclusivity to use their own stamp on six Viardot’s furniture models.

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Crystal Manufacture                                                      

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-caster (1810-1892)

(attributed to)

The  « Dragon Turtle » Bowl

France
Circa 1890

Crystal, Gilded bronze

Height : 13 cm (5,1 in.) ; Length : 29,5 cm (11,6 in.) ; Width : 29,5 cm (11,6 in.)

Beautiful square-shaped bowl in engraved crystal decorated with bamboo and birds.
It rests on a gilded bronze dragon turtle, a legendary Chinese creature with the body of a dragon and the shell of a turtle, a symbol of power and prosperity.

Biography

The famous crystal manufacture of Baccarat, that dates back to the 18th century, was awarded its first medal in 1823, during the “Exposition des Produits de l’Industrie” for the “brilliance and the sharpness of its crystal” and became then the most renowned French “cristallerie”. Baccarat was undoubtedly the only French manufacture that exhibited steadily and magnificently its products at the various Universal Exhibitions, and especially between 1855 and 1867.  In all reports one can read about the « perfection of the material and of its cut ». To keep its wealthy clientele, among which the Royal family, Baccarat must discover new styles and decors as well as new material.

Born in 1810, died in Paris in 1892, Ferdinand Barbedienne, the most important caster of bronze pieces of art during the second half of the 19th Century, created and directed in Paris one of the major artistic founderies of his time. Barbedienne specialised in classical reproductions, whose models were exposed in famous European museums. Their illustrated catalogues included many diverse objects such as busts, ornemental sculpture (clocks, candelabras, cups) sometimes even life-sized and also bronzes for furniture. Apart from his own production, Barbedienne worked for the most renowned sculptors such as Barrias, Clésinger and Carrier-Belleuse. All his works were highly esteemed and he, himself honoured by contemporary critics. At the London exhibition in 1851 Barbedienne’s firm won two « Council medals ». At the 1855 Universal Exhibition, he won a medal of honour. The success of Barbedienne’s firm brought him many official commissions, such in about 1860, as Barbedienne supplied bronzes for furniture for the Pompeian Villa of Prince Napoléon-Joseph, located avenue Montaigne in Paris. At the London Universal Exhibition of 1862 Barbedienne won medals in three different categories : Furniture, Silversmith work and Artistic bronzes. Barbedienne was made an officer of the Légion d’Honneur in 1867 and Commander in 1878 when he was compared with « a prince of industry and the king of bronze casting ». His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes.

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Earthenware Manufacture
(Since 1748)

Vase with Cranes

Mettlach, Germany
Circa 1900

Model n° 1567

Stoneware

Height : 54 cm (21,2 in.) ; Diameter : 27 cm (10,6 in.)

Beautiful Japanese inspired baluster-shaped vase in tinted stoneware. The rich polychrome rotating decoration illustrates cranes in the moonlight, near a lake lined with bamboo, and an eagle slaying a snake on top of a rock. The neck is decorated with a frieze of flowers surrounded by small embossed pastilles, and topped with a Greek frieze, pattern that is also on the foot surrounding spirals.

Biography

In 1748, François Boch, from the Lorraine village of Audun-le-Tiche, started manufacturing ceramic tableware with his three sons. Luxembourg being one of the Boch’s primary sales markets, François’ son, Pierre-Joseph, requested authorization from the Austrian government to found a factory in the Luxembourg province.
They obtained from Empress Marie-Thérèse in 1767 the privilege of founding a manufacture, authorized to bear the title of “Imperial and Royal Manufacture”.
In 1791, the merchant Nicolas Villeroy acquired a stoneware factory in Vaudrevange, today Wallerfangen, and to modernize his production, experimented with printed decorations with French and English ceramists.
In 1809, Jean-François Boch developed the former Mettlach abbey on the banks of the Saar, with a view to mechanized manufacturing. In 1819 he developed a bright white and extremely resistant earthenware, thus competing with porcelain at lower prices.
It was in 1836, to assert themselves in Europe and particularly in the face of dominant English industry, that the Boch and Villeroy manufactures merged. In 1843, Villeroy and Boch expanded their range and founded the Wadgassen Crystal Factory.
The company participated in the famous Universal Exhibition in London in 1851, Philadelphia in 1876, Paris in 1878 and 1900, Chicago in 1893, Saint Petersburg in 1901 and even in Saint-Louis in 1904.
In 1852, Eugen von Bosch and his technicians developed a process combining extraordinary abrasion resistance and extravagant aesthetics. These tiles, produced in Mettlach, were a worldwide success. The demand was such that in 1866, a factory specializing in the production of tiles was built: the “Mosaikfabrik”. In 1879, Villeroy & Boch took over another factory in Merzig. Both are growing to become the largest wall and floor tile production factories in the world.
Around 1876, the Wallerfangen earthenware factory began manufacturing “piping objects”, the first sanitary ceramics from Villeroy & Boch. The company was already producing toiletries at the end of the 18th century, including many special creations such as those intended for the legendary King Ludwig II of Bavaria. In 1879, Villeroy & Boch began producing artistic terracotta objects. Around 1900, Villeroy & Boch began mass production of bathtubs and toilets. Crossing the ages and continuing its expansion, the company is divided into three departments : Sanitary, Tiles and Tableware/Crystal.

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China
19th Century

Porcelain

Height : 73 cm (28,7 in.) ; Diameter : 31 cm (12,2 in.)

Large pair of baluster-shaped ginger jars in polychrome porcelain from the Famille Rose.
With rich rotating decoration, it is adorned on the body with a pair of phoenixes, symbolizing loyalty and honesty, in the middle of large peonies. The neck and the lid, topped with a handle in the shape of a golden button, are highlighted with Greek friezes and its base is decorated with lambrequins. The whole is covered with abundant floral decoration in bright colors in shades of pink and green.

Appeared during the Qin dynasty (221 BC – 207 BC), ginger jars had an extensive function, as they were used to store ginger, herbs and spices or store oil. When ceramic storage jars filled with ginger began to be exported to Europe around the 19th century, ginger jars gained popularity as a decorative item.

The Famille Rose decor appears during the Qing dynasty, around 1720.  It’s a Dutch chimist, Andréas Cassius, who discovers in 1650 the chemical formula allowing to obtain pink enamels caller thereafter « purple of Cassius », which arrives at the court of China around 1719 through the Jesuits. The purple mixed with an opaque white based on arsenic gives the pink to which the decorative palette owes its name. The Famille Rose porcelain have polychrome decorations in which pink tones dominate and very often have a plant motif composed of flowers and bouquets.

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Designer and Art object Editor
(attributed to)

« The Musician » Japanese style Clock

France
Circa 1890

Porcelain, Bronze

Height : 40 cm (15,7 in.) ; Width : 25 cm (9,8 in.) ; Depth : 18 cm (7 in.)

Amusing bronze with double patina and porcelain clock in the shape of a covered jar.
This clock, with a dial with Arabic numerals decorated in its center with a seated lute player, is topped with a lantern and framed by two butterflies with outstretched wings, applied to a decoration of porcelain plates with a red background decorated with swallows and bamboo.
The whole rests on a base with a foliage pattern, supported by elephant heads.

Biography

“L’Escalier de Cristal”, an old and famous Parisian firm, specialized in glass products and ceramics but also suggested furniture and bronze sculptures. It was led from 1885 to 1923 by Emile Pannier’s sons, who gave the name of Pannier Frères to the society, located at the corner of Scribe street and Auber street, next to the new built Paris Opera house. Their Japanese style creations were among many others much appreciated by the critics and the public. They were awarded many medals at various exhibitions, such as the Gold medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition. Lots of artists participated in that world success, such as Emile Gallé, who gave to Pannier Frères the exclusive rights of some of his models, or François-Eugène Rousseau, who designed many vases and gave the model of his successful Japanese style dining-set as well. This set was made by the Creil et Montereau Manufacture. In the Japanese style furniture branch, many famous makers such as Majorelle from Nancy, Edouard Lièvre or Gabriel Viardot worked for Pannier Frères. Some pieces are to be seen in the greatest museums: the Ermitage in Saint-Petersburg, the Orsay Museum in Paris, the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.“L’Escalier de Cristal” was sometimes the exclusive owner of the models and then those pieces were just signed by “L’Escalier de Cristal” or sometimes beside the artist signature. But “L’Escalier de Cristal” was also very creative, completing pieces with superb, gilded bronzes, glass or enameled panels and often including authentic Japanese or Chinese elements.

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France
Circa 1870

Painted wood

Dimensions of Pelmets :
Height : 50 cm (19,7 in.) ; Width : 177 cm (69,7 in.) ; Depth : 21 cm (8,2 in.)
Height : 50 cm (19,7 in.) ; Depth : 172 cm (67,7 in.) ; Depth : 20,5 cm (8 in.)

Dimensions of Tieback holders :
Height : 29 cm (11,4 in.) ; Width : 24 cm (9,4 in.) ; Depth : 21,5 cm (8,5 in.)

Amusing pair of Chinoiserie painted wood pelmets and their four matching tieback holders. They are decorated on both sides with golden lake landscapes on a black background and highlighted with geometric nets framing a central cartouche representing for one the pearl trade and for the other the presentation of the necklace. The whole is crowned with a dragon with outstretched wings.
The tieback holders are each decorated with a seated dignitary richly dressed in traditional costume.

historical and artistic context

Knowledge about China remained sketchy and confused for a long time, full of fantasy, particularly during the 18th century, during which China exerted a real fascination.
There are many examples, such as the Chinese Garden by F. Boucher exhibited at the Salon of 1742, preserved at the Museum of Fine Arts and Archeology in Besançon and which will influence Decorative Arts in a lasting way.

This taste for Chinoiserie was revived at the end of the 19th century following the Franco-English military campaign against the imperial army in China in 1860. Napoleon III’s French troops bring back part of the treasure from the Summer Palace, constituting in 1863 the famous Chinese Museum of Empress Eugénie at the Palace of Fontainebleau. First in painting, the movement quickly spread to decorative arts and furniture.

This craze for the Far East is encouraged in France by the diffusion of Chinese ornamental works renewing the interior decoration of the luxurious Parisian residences of a clientele eager for something new.

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Designer and Art object Editor
(Active from 1799 to 1885)
(Attributed to)

Covered vase with Atlantes

France
Circa 1880

Bronze

Height : 47 cm (18,5 in.) ; Width : 25 cm (9,8 in.) ; Depth : 22,5 cm (8,8 in.)

Beautiful ovoid-shaped covered vase in patinated bronze with golden highlights, with rich rotating decoration in relief. The lid, symbolizing Night, is decorated with a turtle, a moon, a dragon flying among the clouds ; and the belly, symbolizing the Day, is decorated with a rising sun, mountainous landscapes, and cherry tree branches.
The whole, topped with a flamed seed, is supported by three African-type atlantes dressed in a loincloth.

historical and artistic context

This work of art combines elements of Japonism and Orientalism, two important movements representative of the taste of the time for exoticism. Indeed, this taste for Chinoiserie was revived at the end of the 19th century following the Franco-English military campaign against the imperial army in China in 1860. Napoleon III’s French troops bring back part of the treasure from the Summer Palace, constituting in 1863 the famous Chinese Museum of Empress Eugénie at the Palace of Fontainebleau. First in painting, the movement quickly spread to decorative arts and furniture.
This craze for the Far East is encouraged in France by the diffusion of Chinese ornamental works renewing the interior decoration of the luxurious Parisian residences of a clientele eager for something new.
It was also under the Second Empire that the Orientalists were propelled to the forefront. Emperor Napoleon III, aristocrats as well as wealthy bourgeois in search of exoticism fill the order books of the most renowned artists. It is then not the predominantly academic style of the Orientalists that counts but above all the exoticism that they show to a fascinated public.

biography

Alphonse Giroux and Company, famous curiosity and luxury goods shop was situated in Paris, at No. 7 rue du Coq-Saint-Honoré and in business from the time of the Consulate until the end of the Second Empire. The company was founded by Francois-Simon-Alphonse and continued in 1838 by his two sons, Alphonse-Gustave (1810-1886) and André (1801-1879). The father became a close associate of the royal family and specialized in the manufacture of refined items for gifts. Kings Louis XVIII and then Charles X were both supplied with gifts for « The Children of France » by Giroux. Making progressively small furniture, they were mentionned for the first time in 1837 in the class « cabinet-makers » in the Paris Almanach. It was Alphonse-Gustave, however, who really expanded the activities of the firm as is testified by the report of the jury at the 1839 Products of Industry Exhibition awarding him another silver medal. Alphonse was also quick to participate in the famous and soon figured among the best in the luxury goods business. After buying a writing desk at the 1855 Universal Exhibition Napoleon IIIrd bought several other pieces of furniture, candelabras and clocks from Giroux for the Compiègne Palace. In 1857 Alphonse Giroux transferred his shop to No. 43, boulevard des Capucines where he continued to do business until 1867, when he ceded the company to Duvinage and Harinkouck.

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Designer & Art Object-Editor
(attributed to)

Japanese style Clock with Openwork Decoration 

France
Circa 1885

 Double patina Bronze, Enamel

Height : 42,5 cm (16,7 in.) ; Width : 27 cm (10,6 in.) ; Depth : 15,5 cm (6,1 in.)

Rare Japanese clock in double patina bronze with suspended dial.

The portico and dial, with calligraphic Kanji numerals complemented by hands featuring an undulating dragon, are decorated with clouds with dragon heads and sacred pearls.

The whole is set on a base with four scrolled feet, enriched with foliage and adorned with an elephant’s head.

Related Work

Our hanging dial clock is a variation on the Tam-Tam clock designed in Henry Pannier’s blue notebook and described as “Pendule Tam Tam pâte tendre flambeaux 3 lumières (Schlomach)”.

Biography

“L’Escalier de Cristal”, an old and famous Parisian firm, specialized in glass products and ceramics but also suggested furniture and bronze sculptures. It was led from 1885 to 1923 by Emile Pannier’s sons, who gave the name of Pannier Frères to the society, located at the corner of Scribe street and Auber street, next to the new built Paris Opera house. Their Japanese style creations were among many others much appreciated by the critics and the public. They were awarded many medals at various exhibitions, such as the Gold medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition.

Lots of artists participated in that world success, such as Emile Gallé, who gave to Pannier Frères the exclusive rights of some of his models, or François-Eugène Rousseau, who designed many vases and gave the model of his successful Japanese style dining-set as well. This set was made by the Creil et Montereau Manufacture. In the Japanese style furniture branch, many famous makers such as Majorelle from Nancy, Edouard Lièvre or Gabriel Viardot worked for Pannier Frères. Some pieces are to be seen in the greatest museums: the Ermitage in Saint-Petersburg, the Orsay Museum in Paris, the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.

“L’Escalier de Cristal” was sometimes the exclusive owner of the models and then those pieces were just signed by “L’Escalier de Cristal” or sometimes beside the artist signature. But “L’Escalier de Cristal” was also very creative, completing pieces with superb, gilded bronzes, glass or enameled panels and often including authentic Japanese or Chinese elements.

Bibliography

• – L’Escalier de Cristal, Le luxe à Paris 1809-1923, p.241, Annick et Didier Masseau, Editions Monnelle Hayot, 2021

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Cabinet-maker (1830-1906)
(attributed to)

Japanese style Cylinder Desk

France
Circa 1880

Tinted alder, Mother-of-pearl, Gilded bronze

Height : 137 cm (53,9 in.) ; Width : 134 cm (52,7 in.) ; Depth : 74 cm (29,1 in.)

Rare Japanese style cylinder desk in tinted and carved alder, richly engraved on all sides with foliage, cherry branches and geometric interlacing.  Surmounted by two asymmetrical shelves, the cylinder is decorated with an engraved dragon. Opening this cylinder reveals many compartments with adjustable dimensions, a drawer with engraved decoration and letter storage. The cylinder sides can open laterally, allowing a larger area for working and writing.
The lower part of the desk is formed on the left by five superimposed drawers decorated with geometric interlacing and carved branches, as well as Japanese characters, deer and mother-of-pearl foliage. On the right, there is a drawer and a door decorated with carved leaves and mother-of-pearl interlacing, revealing four drawers forming compartments.
An ingenious mechanism makes it possible, when the cylinder is closed with a key, to completely lock the desk.

Biography

Gabriel Viardot career began as a wood carver and he produced small furniture, sculpturally carved with naturalistic motifs and animals. In the 1855 Exposition Universelle in Paris, his finely sculpted objects were well received. However, with the increasing importation of similarly produced Swiss and German articles, he found less opportunity for these and decided to innovate. G. Viardot succeeded to his father’s business in 1861 installed rue Rambuteau in Paris. Around 1870 he turned to the idea of producing « Meubles genre Chinois et Japonais ». The taste in Europe for exotic furniture, incorporating sometimes authentic Chinese or Japanese objects was well established. But Viardot early designed his own models enriched with ivory, mother-of-pearl and beautiful gilt-bronze mounts. After having won four medals at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867, Viardot was awarded a silver medal at the 1878 Universal Exhibition in Paris. He was also awarded gold medals several times : Universal Exhibitions in Anvers (Belgium) in 1884, and again in Paris in 1889 and 1900. A contemporary commentator notes that he had a workshop employing approximately 100 men, both sculptors and cabinet-makers with another 25 to 30 outside contract workers. « l’Escalier de Cristal », the famous Parisian offering luxurious furniture got the exclusivity to use their own stamp on six Viardot’s furniture models.

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Designer
(1828-1886)

 (Attributed to)

Japanese style Lamp

Japan – France
Circa 1880

Enamel porcelain, Gilded bronze

Height with lampshade : 133 cm (52,3 in.) / without lampshade : 125 cm (49,2 in.) ;
Diameter : 86 cm (33,8 in.)

Important Japanese style gourd-shaped lamp, made with a polychrome Kutani porcelain vase decorated with lake scene and flowers in cartouches, in the middle of flying waders on a red background. It is covered with a beige pleated silk lampshade, embroided with flowers and waders. It rests on an « old gold » patinated bronze base with stylized openwork decoration, topped with a Fô dog on each foot. 

Related work

Japanese enamel porcelain vase in a Japanese style mount by Edouard Lièvre, circa 1875.

Reproduced in Connaissance des arts Edouard Lièvre, H.S. n°228, p.8.

Biography

Edouard Lièvre (1829-1886) studied under the painter Thomas Couture (1815-1879), one of the more conspicuous artists in the circle of the Empress Eugenie. E. Lièvre soon devoted himself, however, to the art of furniture design. A talented ornamentalist, marked by the eclecticism typical of the Second Empire, Lièvre knew how to avail himself of skillful collaborators in order to create pieces in various styles: Renaissance, Louis 16^th or Oriental, which last were part of the great artistic movement in fashion since the 1860’s: the Japanese style named also Aesthetic Movement. they recreated an imaginary Far East adapted to decorate Western reception rooms. As an Interior decorator Lièvre also matched his luxurious and refined furniture with bronzes, ceramics and even fabrics. This Oriental exoticism, which only the richest could afford, appealed to bankers, judges, artists and famous courtesans as well as the Royal and Princely families. After the death of Edouard Lièvre, the greater part of his models, sketches and cabinet designs were bought by art publishers such as « l’Escalier de Cristal » or by Ferdinand Barbedienne, thus giving them the right to reproduce Lièvre’s furniture with their own stamp (see « Ventes de la succession Lièvre »,  Hotel Drouot, 27 fevrier 1890).

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Sculptor (1829-1905)
(attributed to)

The Japanese and the Oriental women

France
Circa 1900

Metal

Height : 171 cm (67,3 in.) ; Width : 93 cm (36,6 in.) ; Depth : 8 cm (3,1 in.)

Important pair of metal with double patina plaques representing an Oriental woman and a Japanese woman, both dressed in traditional outfits, during the tea ceremony. Each is presented in a black and gold painted wooden frame.

Biography

Louis Hottot (1829-1905) is a French sculptor. In 1885, he participated for the first time in the prestigious Salon des Artistes Français and exhibited at the Salon every year until 1898. Oriental scenes and characters are his favorite subjects.

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Japan – France
Circa 1880

Lacquer, Gilded bronze, Iron

Very pretty serving table with two rectangular trays composed of two Japanese panels from the Edo period in powdered lacquer using the Maki-e technique.

The upper tray, decorated with an openwork interlacing gallery, is decorated with trees and bamboos in a lake landscape, and the lower tray, also representing a landscape, is decorated with a cruciform kamon, symbol of the Shimazu clan. Two blackened iron double uprights, underlined with decorative bronze in the form of foliage, connect the trays, and end in geometric volutes.

The use of Japanese lacquer panels, especially from coffers, to decorate furniture was fashionable from the end of the 18th century. Japanese lacquer most often represents landscapes of great simplicity, birds or very sober still lifes. Many cabinetmakers, among the most famous, made lacquer furniture. This fashion continued throughout the 19th century, notably with the development of winter gardens.

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Designer and Art Objects Editor

Japanese style Planter

Signed H.P for Henri Pannier

France
Circa 1890

Patinated bronze

Height : 27,5 cm (10,8 in.) ; Width : 29 cm (11,4 in.)

Lovely hexagonal shaped Japanese style planter in patinated bronze with gold highlights. Adorned on three sides with a dragon framed by a rhombus frieze on an openwork background.
It is framed by six uprights showing branches embellished with cherry blossoms topped by three butterflies. It rests on dragon’s paws.

Biography

“L’Escalier de Cristal”, an old and famous Parisian firm, specialized in glass products and ceramics but also suggested furniture and bronze sculptures. It was led from 1885 to 1923 by Emile Pannier’s sons, who gave the name of Pannier Frères to the society, located at the corner of Scribe street and Auber street, next to the new built Paris Opera house. Their Japanese style creations were among many others much appreciated by the critics and the public. They were awarded many medals at various exhibitions, such as the Gold medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition.
Lots of artists participated in that world success, such as Emile Gallé, who gave to Pannier Frères the exclusive rights of some of his models, or François-Eugène Rousseau, who designed many vases and gave the model of his successful Japanese style dining-set as well. This set was made by the Creil et Montereau Manufacture. In the Japanese style furniture branch, many famous makers such as Majorelle from Nancy, Edouard Lièvre or Gabriel Viardot worked for Pannier Frères. Some pieces are to be seen in the greatest museums: the Ermitage in Saint-Petersburg, the Orsay Museum in Paris, the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.
The Maison “L’Escalier de Cristal” was sometimes the exclusive owner of the models and then those pieces were just signed by “L’Escalier de Cristal” or sometimes beside the artist signature. But “L’Escalier de Cristal” was also very creative, completing pieces with superb gilded bronzes, glass or enameled panels and often including authentic Japanese or Chinese elements.

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Porcelain planter

Japan – France
Circa 1880

Porcelain, Gilded bronze

Height : 42 cm (16,5 in.) ; Width : 52 cm (20,4 in.)

Important Imari porcelain planter with a polychrome and golden decoration of cranes, carp and lion, on a blue vermiculated background adorned with chrysanthemums. Beautiful openwork mount in chiseled and gilded bronze in the Rocaille style decorated with foliage forming the handles and the base, resting on four feet.

Commentary

The Imari porcelain is a ceramic style born around 1600 in the area of Arita (有田町), city of potters on the island of Kyushu, in southern Japan. According to tradition, this is a Korean named Ri Sampei installed in the region, who operated a kaolin deposit at the foot of the hill of Izumiyama. He managed the merger of kaolin, up to 1400 ° C, to obtain similar porcelain to the Chinese one’s ending thus a monopoly that was older than seven centuries. This porcelain is characterized by a decoration using three colors: cobalt blue, iron red and white background porcelain, the whole being embellished with gold. It mainly presents floral decoration and was called “Imari”, the name of the port on the island of Kyushu, from where it was exported, a few kilometers from Arita. Because of the supply problems in China due to political unrest in the seventeenth century, the Dutch, with their East Company of the United Provinces, imported the first Imaris from Japan.

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Crystal manufacture
(attributed to)

Charming pair of vases

France
Circa 1880

Crystal, Enamel, Gilded and patinated bronze

Height : 35,5 cm (13,9 in.) ; Base : 13 x 13 cm (5,1 x 5,1 in.)

Elegant pair of square section vases, in enameled crystal with polychrome decoration of birds of paradise, resting on a openwork patinated and gilded bronze base with Japanese style motifs.

Between 1764 and 1860, with rare exceptions, the crystal Manufacture of Baccarat doesn’t sign its works. The first paper labels appear in 1860 and represent inside a circle, a carafe surrounded by a goblet and a cup above which is marked BACCARAT.  From 1875, the brand BACCARAT in stick letters and in relief is present on  some blown models and on the bronze parts of the mounts. It’s from 1936 that the carafe, surrounded by a goblet and a cup with BACCARAT marked above, appears systematically on the production.

Biography

The famous crystal manufacture of Baccarat, that dates back to the 18th century, was awarded its first medal in 1823, during the “Exposition des Produits de l’Industrie” for the “brilliance and the sharpness of its crystal” and became then the most renowned French “cristallerie”. Baccarat was undoubtedly the only French manufacture, that exhibited steadily and magnificently its products at the various Universal Exhibitions, and especially between 1855 and 1867. In all reports one can read about the “perfection of the material and of its cut”. To keep its wealthy clientele, among which the Royal family, Baccarat must discover new styles and decors as well as new material, as shows that beautiful opal glass, which became one of Baccarat’s specialities in the 1850’s.

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Designer & Art objects Editor
(attributed to)

Japanese style clock

France
Circa 1890

Height : 45 cm (17,7 in.) ; Width : 24 cm (9,4 in.) ; Depth : 15 cm (5,9 in.)

Rare rectangular Japanese style clock in chiseled and gilded bronze. It is decorated in its center with a painted ceramic plaque with floral decoration of chrysanthemum branches enhanced with gold on a cream background, all set in a gilded bronze frame surmounted by a threatening dragon.
Rich bronze ornamentation of openwork japanese style motifs, surrounding a bust of a protective guardian.
It rests on double feet joined by a spacer where are placed two Japanese theater characters dressed in traditional costumes. The hours and minutes are indicated by the head and the tail of an articulated dragon.

The reopening of the Japanese harbours to trade with the West in 1853 brought to France many Japanese objects which influenced the artistic creation of that time. But strangely, Japan is not the only origin of this artistic movement named Japonism (Japanese style) : indeed this movement also drew its inspiration in Chinese art, following the Anglo-French military campaign which led to the looting of Beijing Summer Palace. Since then, the influence of Japanism grew up and concerned successively all the fields of art ; first painting, and then little by little furniture, art objects, and even sculpture and architecture. As soon as 1863 Empress Eugénie set the tone by creating her Chinese museum inside Fontainebleau Palace. In 1867, Japan participated for the first time at the Universal Exhibition. It heightened and confirmed this attraction for the East and the circulation of Chinese and Japanese ornamental publications allowed a clientele keen of novelty to renew their interior decoration.

L’Escalier de Cristal was also submitted to this influence and it offered products inspired from Japan. The famous Company collaborated in this aim with various artists such as Gabriel Viardot (1830-1906) or Louis Majorelle (1859-1926). It adapted with great freedom the Japanese motifs to create original works, focusing on small decorative objects such as trays, clocks or vases, in bronze and enamel.

Related works

Japanese style clock attributed to L’Escalier de Cristal

Three-pieces Japanese style clock set attributed to L’Escalier de Cristal

Biography

“L’Escalier de Cristal”, an old and famous Parisian firm, specialized in glass products and ceramics but also suggested furniture and bronze sculptures. It was led from 1885 to 1923 by Emile Pannier’s sons, who gave the name of Pannier Frères to the society, located at the corner of Scribe street and Auber street, next to the new built Paris Opera house. Their Japanese style creations were among many others much appreciated by the critics and the public. They were awarded many medals at various exhibitions, such as the Gold medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition.

Lots of artists participated in that world success, such as Emile Gallé, who gave to Pannier Frères the exclusive rights of some of his models, or François-Eugène Rousseau, who designed many vases and gave the model of his successful Japanese style dining-set as well. This set was made by the Creil et Montereau Manufacture. In the Japanese style furniture branch, many famous makers such as Majorelle from Nancy, Edouard Lièvre or Gabriel Viardot worked for Pannier Frères. Some pieces are to be seen in the greatest museums : the Ermitage in Saint-Petersburg, the Orsay Museum in Paris, the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.

The Maison “L’Escalier de Cristal” was sometimes the exclusive owner of the models and then those pieces were just signed by “L’Escalier de Cristal” or sometimes beside the artist signature. But “L’Escalier de Cristal” was also very creative, completing pieces with superb gilded bronzes, glass or enamelled panels and including often authentic Japanese or Chinese elements.

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Designer and Art Objects Editor
(attributed to)

Japanese style tray

France
Circa 1880

Porcelain, Gilded bronze

Length : 47 cm (18.5 in.) ; Width : 33 cm (12.9 in.)

Rare Japanese style diamond-shaped tray representing lake landscapes in cartouches, and adorned in its center with a lunch scene with a Japanese couple in traditional dress, all highlighted by a gilded decor of flowering branches on a pink porcelain background.

The whole is framed by a gilded openwork bronze mount ending on the sides by two handles.

Biography

“L’Escalier de Cristal”, an old and famous Parisian firm, specialized in glass products and ceramics but also suggested furniture and bronze sculptures. It was led from 1885 to 1923 by Emile Pannier’s sons, who gave the name of Pannier Frères to the society, located at the corner of Scribe street and Auber street, next to the new built Paris Opera house. Their Japanese style creations were among many others much appreciated by the critics and the public. They were awarded many medals at various exhibitions, such as the Gold medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition.

Lots of artists participated in that world success, such as Emile Gallé, who gave to Pannier Frères the exclusive rights of some of his models, or François-Eugène Rousseau, who designed many vases and gave the model of his successful Japanese style dining-set as well. This set was made by the Creil et Montereau Manufacture. In the Japanese style furniture branch, many famous makers such as Majorelle from Nancy, Edouard Lièvre or Gabriel Viardot worked for Pannier Frères. Some pieces are to be seen in the greatest museums : the Ermitage in Saint-Petersburg, the Orsay Museum in Paris, the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.

The Maison “L’Escalier de Cristal” was sometimes the exclusive owner of the models and then those pieces were just signed by “L’Escalier de Cristal” or sometimes beside the artist signature. But “L’Escalier de Cristal” was also very creative, completing pieces with superb gilded bronzes, glass or enamelled panels and including often authentic Japanese or Chinese elements.

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Designer and Art Objects’ Editor
(Active from 1799 until 1885)
(attributed to)

Japanese style Showcase

France
Circa 1880

Height : 275 cm (108.2 in.) ; Width : 167 cm (65.7 in.) ; Depth : 70 cm (27.6 in.)

Rare walnut and gilded bronze aesthetic movement showcase, opening in its upper part by two beveled glass doors framed by brass moldings, in its lower part by two door panels in carved walnut decorated with blooming branches and gilded bronze ornaments representing dragons and birds. The sides are carved, like wicker woven.

This showcase is topped by an important carved and gilded walnut cornice depicting a Fô Dog in its center, with a protective power, and rests on elephant head with overtuned trunk shaped feet.

Related work

This type of elephant head with overtuned trunk shaped feet is a characteristic of the Maison Giroux, which can be found on many objects they produced. Aesthetic movement cabinet, signed Maison Alphonse Giroux – Paris, Private Collection

Biography

Alphonse Giroux and Company, famous curiosity and luxury goods shop was situated in Paris, at No. 7 rue du Coq-Saint-Honoré and in business from the time of the Consulate until the end of the Second Empire. The company was founded by Francois-Simon-Alphonse and continued in 1838 by his two sons, Alphonse-Gustave (1810-1886) and André (1801-1879). The father became a close associate of the royal family and specialized in the manufacture of refined items for gifts. Kings Louis XVIII and then Charles X were both supplied with gifts for « The Children of France » by Giroux.

Making progressively small furniture, they were mentioned for the first time in 1837 in the class « cabinet-makers » in the Paris Almanach. It was Alphonse-Gustave, however, who really expanded the activities of the firm as is testified by the report of the jury at the 1839 Products of Industry Exhibition awarding him another silver medal. Alphonse was also quick to participate in the famous and soon figured among the best in the luxury goods business. After buying a writing desk at the 1855 Universal Exhibition Napoleon III^rd bought several other pieces of furniture, candelabras and clocks from Giroux for the Compiègne Palace. In 1857 Alphonse Giroux transferred his shop to No. 43, boulevard des Capucines where he continued to do business until 1867, when he ceded the company to Duvinage and Harinkouck.

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France
Circa 1875

Width: 15 x 15 cm (5,9 x 5,9 in.)

Elegant pair of 18^th century soft-paste porcelain dishes finely decorated in the 19^th century.

Medallions representing Japanese theatre characters dressed in traditional costumes, beautiful gold-embossed ornament on a polychrome background.

This pair of dishes is close to the production of the Sèvres Manufacture.

Background

The Manufacture de Sèvres, factory of soft-paste porcelain, was founded in 1738 at Vincennes by bankers and financiers hoping to discover the secret of making hard-paste porcelain, used in Meissen at the time. In 1753, King of France Louis XV became the main shareholder of the factory, transferring it to Sèvres, closer to Versailles and the castle of Bellevue, owned by la Marquise de Pompadour, very interested by Sèvres’ research and supportive of the works. In 1759, the King became the sole shareholder of the Manufacture, making it the property of the French Crown. From this day on, the Sèvres artworks were marked with the royal seal, two intertwined “L’s”, as well as a letter indicating the year of creation.

The period between 1756 and 1779 represents the most prosperous years for the factory. To support Sèvres, Louis XV made sumptuous orders offered as diplomatic presents. The main artists at the time, such as painters Boucher and Bachelier or sculptors Falconet and Boizot, worked for the factory. Research on the making of hard-paste porcelain kept going and succeeded after 1769. From this year, Sèvres successfully produced both soft-paste and hard-paste porcelain. It is also during this period that the most beautiful and singular colours were invented: bleu lapis in 1752, bleu celeste in 1753, green in 1756, famous pink in 1757 and royal blue in 1763.

The most significant pieces are ornamented with scenes inspired by engravings from famous painters (Boucher) and ornamentalists. They are also decorated with garlands, bunches of flowers, trophies, gildings… The fine quality of Sèvres’ production covers a large range of statuettes (Falconet’s threatening Love), full services (Rambouillet’s service is presented to Marie-Antoinette in 1788), as well as utilitarian or ornamental items. The role played by haberdashers in the production’s development is essential. They originated trends around Sèvres-designed products, such as Daguerre who decorated his most precious furniture with porcelain plates.

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Designer
(1821-1888)  

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-Caster
(1810-1892)
(attributed to)

Japanese Style Tray

France (for the bronze mount)
Japan (for the enamel)
Circa 1860

Height.: 13,5 cm (5,3 in.) ; Width.: 68 cm (26,7 in.); Depth.: 43 cm (16,9 in.)

Rich landscape in cloisonné enamel on blue and brown background imitating Aventurine stone. The décor represents a river surrounded by wisterias, chrysanthemums, peonies, iris and reeds, led by birds and fishes. A frieze with floral pattern frames the set. The enamel rests on a beautiful bronze frame with four elephants heads feet topped by handles with typical lambrequin from Barbedienne’s production.

Biographies

Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888) was first trained to design and sculpture with the sculptor Antoine-André Marneuf (1796-1865). In 1839 he went into partnership with two sculptors, Phénix and Joyau, and he created designs for famous goldsmiths such as Denière, Froment-Meurice and Morel. He fled to London during the 1848 Revolution where he worked at Morel, with whom he exhibited art works at the 1851 Universal Exhibition. Back to France he took part to the 1855 Universal Exhibition by creating designs to the Limoges porcelain makers Jouhanneaud and Dubois. Since then he worked as head decorator at Ferdinand Barbedienne’s Company. He produced a lot of works : he designed the bronze decoration for the Paiva’s Hotel (on the Champs-Elysées avenue) and created models for Ferdinand Barbedienne. He participated in different exhibitions and was awarded at the 1862 London Universal Exhibition for the artistical excellence of the furniture items he designed and which are exhibited by Barbedienne. He also received a Gold Medal as collaborator at the 1863 Central Union of Decorative Arts Exhibition.

Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) created and headed at n°30 boulevard Poissonnière in Paris one of the most famous 19th century artistic bronze casting companies. He owed his reputation to his bronze casting of Ancient and modern sculptures, which subjects came from the greatest European museums, but also to his original bronze works designed in his workshop and reserved for furniture and decoration. In addition to his own production, Barbedienne worked for renowned sculptors such as Barrias, Bosio, Clésinger or Carrier-Belleuse. Awarded with two Council Medals at the 1851 London Universal Exhibition, the Barbedienne Company won at the 1855 Paris Universal Exhibition a medal of honour and eleven cooperator’s medals for the work of his co-workers, designers and chasers. At the 1867 Universal Exhibition in his capacity as member of and speaker for the Jury, he was non-contestant, but exhibited nevertheless with great success cloisonné and champlevé enamelled pieces. Barbedienne was made an Officer of the Legion of Honour in 1867 and Commander in 1878 when he was compared with “a prince of industry and the king of bronze casting”.

Bibliography

« Les artistes de l’industrie, Constant Sévin », dans la Revue des arts décoratifs, Victor Champier, décembre 1888, février 1889, p.163.

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England
Circa 1860

Height : 79 cm (31 in.) ; Diameter : 66 cm (26 in.)

A Japanese style lacquered table consisting of a circular top adorned with a gold nuagé lacquered decor and with red exotic flowers and scrolled foliage. The top is supported by four gold-and-brown lacquered uprights in form of large stylized acanthuses, constricted in the middle by a tapered ball, and ending with four other reversed legs. Standing on a square gold edged base decorated in the middle of a checkerboard of fine gilded juxtaposed polygons on a brown background. The frieze along this base is decorated with small acanthus leaves, a centering flower and four stylized elephant heads forming the feet of the table.

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Designer and Art Objects Editor
(attributed to)

Pair of “cloisonné” enamel bronze vases

France
Circa 1870

Height : 32 cm (12,5 in.) ; Diameter : 17 cm (6,7 in.)

Pair of Japanese-style roll-shaped vases, made in “cloisonné” enamel and gilded bronze. The cylindrical body is decorated with polychrome floral branches, flowers and butterflies on a blue background. The mounts made in pierced and “old gold” patinated bronze forming the neck, the handles and the bases, are ornated with stylized clouds and animal heads.

Biography

“L’Escalier de Cristal”, an old and famous Parisian firm, specialized in glass products and ceramics but also suggested furniture and bronze sculptures. It was led from 1885 to 1923 by Emile Pannier’s sons, who gave the name of Pannier Frères to the society, located at the corner of Scribe street and Auber street, next to the new built Paris Opera house. Their Japanese style creations were among many others much appreciated by the critics and the public. They were awarded many medals at various exhibitions, such as the Gold medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition.

Lots of artists participated in that world success, such as Emile Gallé, who gave to Pannier Frères the exclusive rights of some of his models, or François-Eugène Rousseau, who designed many vases and gave the model of his successful Japanese style dining-set as well. This set was made by the Creil et Montereau Manufacture. In the Japanese style furniture branch, many famous makers such as Majorelle from Nancy, Edouard Lièvre or Gabriel Viardot worked for Pannier Frères. Some pieces are to be seen in the greatest museums : the Ermitage in Saint-Petersburg, the Orsay Museum in Paris, the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.

The Maison “L’Escalier de Cristal” was sometimes the exclusive owner of the models and then those pieces were just signed by “L’Escalier de Cristal” or sometimes beside the artist signature. But “L’Escalier de Cristal” was also very creative, completing pieces with superb gilded bronzes, glass or enamelled panels and including often authentic Japanese or Chinese elements.

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Arita Porcelain

Pair of large porcelain vases

Japan
Late 19th century

Height : 107 cm (42 in.) ; Diameter : 40 cm (15,7 in.)

A very fine pair of Imari porcelain vases, of tapering form with flared top. Decorated with polychrome birds and flowers on white background. The body is painted with shaped panels of figural court scenes. A dragon made in relief wraps around the vase.

Commentary

The Imari porcelain is a ceramic style born around 1600 in the area of Arita (有田町), city of potters on the island of Kyushu, in southern Japan. According to tradition, this is a Korean named Ri Sampei installed in the region, who operated a kaolin deposit at the foot of the hill of Izumiyama. He managed the merger of kaolin, up to 1400 ° C, to obtain similar porcelain to the Chinese one’s ending thus a monopoly that was older than seven centuries. This porcelain is characterized by a decoration using three colors: cobalt blue, iron red and white background porcelain, the whole being embellished with gold. It mainly presents floral decoration and was called “Imari”, the name of the port on the island of Kyushu, from where it was exported, a few kilometers from Arita. Because of the supply problems in China due to political unrest in the seventeenth century, the Dutch, with their East Company of the United Provinces, imported the first Imaris from Japan.

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Cabinet-maker
(1830-1906)
(attributed to)

Pair of Aesthetic Movement armchairs

France
Circa 1880

Height : 102 cm (40 in.) ; Width : 67 cm (25,2 in.) ; Depth : 55 cm (21,6 in.)

These armchairs made of tinted alder are to be linked to another pair of armchairs executed by Gabriel Viardot, and now exhibited at the Decorative Arts Museum in Paris (Inv. 2006.105.1.2). They present a similar asymmetric design and an equal carving quality including the winding dragon on the back.

Biography

Gabriel Viardot career began as a wood carver and he produced small furniture, sculpturally carved with naturalistic motifs and animals. In the 1855 Exposition Universelle in Paris, his finely sculpted objects were well received. However, with the increasing importation of similarly produced Swiss and German articles, he found less opportunity for these and decided to innovate. G. Viardot succeeded to his father’s business in 1861 installed rue Rambuteau in Paris. Around 1870 he turned to the idea of producing « Meubles genre Chinois et Japonais ». The taste in Europe for exotic furniture, incorporating sometimes authentic Chinese or Japanese objects was well established. But Viardot early designed his own models enriched with ivory, mother-of-pearl and beautiful gilt-bronze mounts. After having won four medals at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867, Viardot was awarded a silver medal at the 1878 Universal Exhibition in Paris. He was also awarded gold medals several times : Universal Exhibitions in Anvers (Belgium) in 1884, and again in Paris in 1889 and 1900. A contemporary commentator notes that he had a workshop employing approximately 100 men, both sculptors and cabinet-makers with another 25 to 30 outside contract workers. « l’Escalier de Cristal », the famous Parisian offering luxurious furniture got the exclusivity to use their own stamp on six Viardot’s furniture models.

Works in connection

• Victoria and Albert Museum, London : A Japanese style walnut carved cabinet, 1888

• Corning Museum of Glass, New York : Set of shelves, edited by « l’Escalier de Cristal » about 1895

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Cabinet-maker
(1830-1906)
(attributed to)

An Aesthetic Movement jardiniere

France
Circa 1880

Height : 42 cm (16,5 in.) ; Width : 138 cm (54,3 in.) ; Depth : 37 cm (14,5 in.)

A large Japanese style boat-shaped jardiniere, made in carved stained alderwood, ornated with panels decorated with Japanese blossoming cherry tree branches and a trophy of musical instruments.

Biography

Gabriel Viardot career began as a wood carver and he produced small furniture, sculpturally carved with naturalistic motifs and animals. In the 1855 Exposition Universelle in Paris, his finely sculpted objects were well received. However, with the increasing importation of similarly produced Swiss and German articles, he found less opportunity for these and decided to innovate. G. Viardot succeeded to his father’s business in 1861 installed rue Rambuteau in Paris. Around 1870 he turned to the idea of producing « Meubles genre Chinois et Japonais ». The taste in Europe for exotic furniture, incorporating sometimes authentic Chinese or Japanese objects was well established. But Viardot early designed his own models enriched with ivory, mother-of-pearl and beautiful gilt-bronze mounts. After having won four medals at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867, Viardot was awarded a silver medal at the 1878 Universal Exhibition in Paris. He was also awarded gold medals several times : Universal Exhibitions in Anvers (Belgium) in 1884, and again in Paris in 1889 and 1900. A contemporary commentator notes that he had a workshop employing approximately 100 men, both sculptors and cabinet-makers with another 25 to 30 outside contract workers. « l’Escalier de Cristal », the famous Parisian offering luxurious furniture got the exclusivity to use their own stamp on six Viardot’s furniture models.

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Bronze-caster
(19th century)
(attributed to)

Pair of Japanese style Vases

France
Circa 1880

Bronze

Height : 22,5 cm (8,8 in.) ; Diameter : 8 cm (3 in.)

A very fine pair of Japanese style vases made in two patina bronze. Each vase in form of a patinated bronze ovoid body, subtly ornated in gilded relief with blossoming Japanese cherry tree branches laid out in spiral, which form the handles as well. Standing on elegant pierced and gilded bronze bases.

Biography

The Susse company, a worldwide renown foundry, began to cast pieces as soon as the first half of the 19th Century. Awarded medals several times at the famous Paris « Expositions des Produits de l’Industrie », Susse brothers, Victor (1806-1860) and Amédée (1808-1880), were known since 1841 as makers of « Art bronze pieces for clocks, candelabras, statuettes, etc. ». The most well-known French sculptors gave their sculpted models to Susse in order to cast them, such James Pradier (1790-1852) who signed in 1841 the oldest known publishing contract for bronzes between publisher and artist. After the death of the two brothers, Albert Susse took over the business from 1880 until 1922. He developed so far the company as to open a new luxurious shop in Paris, at n° 13 boulevard de la Madeleine.

Bibliography

Les bronzes du XIXe siècle, P. Kjellberg, Les Ed. de l’amateur, 1989, p° 665

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Designer
(19th century)

Elkington

Silversmith
(19th century)
(attributed to)

Japanese style Plate

England
Circa 1875

Diameter : 53 cm (20,8 in.)

Important tray made in gilded bronze and « cloisonné » enamel. Ornamented with a centering polychrome enameled peacock plaque, made of very high standard quality, mounted on a gilt-bronze dish, decorated in relief with Japanese Nô theater masks.

Biography

The great Birmingham firm of Elkingtons, was largely the creation of George Richards Elkington (1800-1865), who worked from 1824 in Birmingham as a manufacturer of silver-mounted scent bottles. By 1829 the business had expanded sufficiently for a branch to have been established in London. In the late 1830’s the Elkingtons began making experiments to apply the principles of electro-metallurgy to gilding and plating with silver and in 1840 the patent was at last taken out. Elkingtons owed their rise to a position amongst the most important silversmiths of the country to their exploitation of this new process and the two of the most famous designers then employed, both of them French, Albert Wilms (1827-1899) and Morel-Ladeuil (1820-1888), who helped to make Elkingtons’ reputation with their elaborate exhibition pieces.

Albert Willms was apprenticed as modeler and engraver to Klagman, Dieterle and Constant in Paris before working for Morel & Co. in London in 1848. On his return to Paris he was employed by the great Parisian silversmiths including Christofle and Froment-Meurice, for whom he designed pieces to be presented at the 1855 Universal Exhibition in Paris. It was during this period that he joined the firm of Elkington in London as head decorator. Elkington was soon to become one of the first to produce refined pieces in « champlevé » enamel in the Chinese and Japanese styles, which were presented with great success at the London Universal Exhibition in 1862 (see Masterpieces of Industrial Art & Sculpture at the International Exhibition 1862, J.B. Waring, London, 1863, III, pl. 211). Willms’ « champlevé » enamels could not be compared, however, with the delicate « cloisonné » enamels exhibited by Japan at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1867. This explains why Elkington adapted the ancient Japanese technique to produce pieces according to European taste and custom. Followings the 1867 Exhibition all the major European artists rivaled in ingenuity for the 1873 Universal Exhibition in Vienna. In London Albert Willms presented his luxurious vases and cups in « cloisonné » enamel for Elkington (see Illustrations of Art Manufacturers in the Precious Metals exhibited by Elkington & Co., Inventors, Patentees and Manufactures of electroplate, 1873), whilst in Paris, Ferdinand Thesmar (1843-1912) produced in the workshops of Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) a tray decorated with a golden pheasant in « cloisonné » enamel on copper and Emile-Auguste Reiber (1826-1893) designed for the Christofle firm, a large clock with matching candelabras in the Japanese style (Musée d’Orsay, Paris, Inv. O.A.O. 1360-1361) with « cloisonné » enamels executed by Antoine Tard. Albert Willms never the less became a specialist of « cloisonné » enamel on gilt metal between 1870 and 1876. The Universal Exhibitions where Elkington presented to the public his latest creations in the Japanese style, assured him a resounding success, as at the Philadelphia Exhibition in 1876 with an extensive set of vases and dishes in « cloisonné » enamel (reproduced in Contributions to the Centennial and International Exhibition at Philadelphia, 1876, London, 1876). Referring to his enamels the critics said « They surpass by far modern Chinese and Japanese works and approach the exquisite beauty of ancient Japanese pieces ».

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Designer & Art objects Editor
(Active from 1799 until 1885)

(attributed to)

A fine pair of “cloisonne” enamel dishes

Japanese “cloisonné” enamel
French gilt-bronze mounts

Circa 1880

Height : 4 cm ( 1,6 in.) ; Width : 43,5 cm (17 in.) ; Depth: 39 cm (15,3 in.)

Beautiful pair of polychrome « cloisonné » enamel display dishes decorated with birds flying over rushes and flowers on a sky blue background, bordered with a stylized foliate motif frieze. Finely mounted with gilded bronze ornaments such bamboos, masks and scrolls.

Biography

Alphonse Giroux and Company, famous curiosity and luxury goods shop was situated at No. 7 rue du Coq-Saint-Honoré and in business from the time of the Consulate until the end of the Second Empire. The company was founded by Francois-Simon-Alphonse and continued in 1838 by his two sons, Alphonse-Gustave (1810-1886) and André (1801-1879).
The father became a close associate of the royal family and specialized in the manufacture of refined items for gifts, winning a silver medal at the in 1834. Kings Louis XVIII and then Charles X were both supplied with gifts for « The Children of France » by Giroux. Making progressively small furniture, they were mentionned for the first time in 1837 in the class « cabinet-makers » in the Paris Almanach. It was Alphonse-Gustave, however, who really expanded the activities of the firm as is testified by the report of the jury at the 1839 Products of Industry Exhibition awarding him another silver medal. Alphonse was also quick to participate in the famous and soon figured among the best in the luxury goods business. After buying a writing desk at the 1855 Universal Exhibition Napoleon IIIrd bought several other pieces of furniture, candelabras and clocks from Giroux for the Compiègne Palace. In 1857 Alphonse Giroux transferred his shop to No. 43, boulevard des Capucines where he continued to do business until 1867, when he ceded the company to Duvinage and Harinkouck.

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Designer and Art Objects Editor
(19th century)
(attributed to)

Rare mural fountain

French Gilt-bronze (circa 1880) – Chinese porcelain (18th Century)

Height : 61 cm (24 in.) ; Width : 30 cm (11,8 in) ; Depth : 25 cm (9,8 in.)

Rare 18th Century Famille rose China porcelain mural fountain, decorated with lotus, tree and bird motifs. The faucet coming out of a dragon mouth. Beautiful gilt-bronze mounts with rocks, rushes and water motifs. Small gilt-bronze basin ornamented with pearls.

The Famille rose decors were developed by Chinese ceramists and then exported throughout Europe under the reign of Emperor Yongzheng (1723-1735). Those China pieces were much appreciated for their motifs, using vivid colors, but never overdecorated.

Biography

“L’Escalier de Cristal”, an old and famous Parisian firm, specialized in glass products and ceramics but also suggested furniture and bronze sculptures. It was led from 1885 to 1923 by Emile Pannier’s sons, who gave the name of Pannier Frères to the society, located at the corner of Scribe street and Auber street, next to the new built Paris Opera house. Their Japanese style creations were among many others much appreciated by the critics and the public. They were awarded many medals at various exhibitions, such as the Gold medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition. Lots of artists participated in that world success, such as Emile Gallé, who gave to Pannier Frères the exclusive rights of some of his models, or François-Eugène Rousseau, who designed many vases and gave the model of his successful Japanese style dining-set as well. This set was made by the Creil et Montereau Manufacture. In the Japanese style furniture branch, many famous makers such as Majorelle from Nancy, Edouard Lièvre or Gabriel Viardot worked for Pannier Frères. Some pieces are to be seen in the greatest museums : the Ermitage in Saint-Petersburg, the Orsay Museum in Paris, the Corning Museum of Glass in New York. The Maison “L’Escalier de Cristal” was sometimes the exclusive owner of the models and then those pieces were just signed by “L’Escalier de Cristal” or sometimes beside the artist signature. But “L’Escalier de Cristal” was also very creative, completing pieces with superb gilded bronzes, glass or enamelled panels and including often authentic Japanese or Chinese elements.

Bibliography

Catalogue de l’Exposition Universelle, les Beaux-Arts et les Arts décoratifs, t. I : l’Art moderne, Paris, 1878.

Catalogue de l’Exposition Universelle, les Beaux-Arts et les Arts décoratifs, Paris, 1889.

Les créations de l’Escalier de Cristal, Philippe Thiébaut, Revue de l’Art, 1989, n° 85.

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“La Maison des Bambous”
Designer and Art Objects Editor
(Company active since 1872)
(attributed to)

A Japanese style cabinet-secretary

France
Circa 1880

Height : 167 cm (65,7 in.) ; Width : 65 cm (25,6 in.) ; Depth : 32 cm (12,6 in.)

A Japanese style carved wood cabinet, with a painted decor imitating Japanese lacquer, ornamented with flowers, birds and butterflies. Opening onto two drawers and a paper filer, the upright-secretary door is also fitted with red velvet. Surmounted by a drawer and asymmetrical shelves, composed in the Japanese « zen » spirit, the cabinet stands on four legs joined by an engraved stretcher.

The great influence of the Far-East, through China and Japan, in the second half of the 19th century French art could be found first in painting and soon after in decorative arts and furniture as well.

Following the Franco-English military campaign led in 1860 against the Imperial army in China, the French troops of Napoleon III brought back from the Summer Palace, a part of the Chinese Imperial court treasure, which will make up the famous Chinese Museum of Empress Eugénie at the Fontainebleau Palace. The French artists won’t be long to take inspiration from those exotic and sumptuous objects for their creations, as they used to do in the 18th century, when the best French cabinet-makers adapted the Chinese lacquers on the luxurious royal chests.

But the influence of Japan, at the Meiji period (1868-1912), came also very quickly to France, thanks to the opening of the country in the middle of the 19th century, as well as the development of traveling and the amazing Universal Exhibitions, in which Japan participated for the first time in 1867 in Paris. Then many Japanese objects and prints were imported to France and to all Europe, and for which some collectors spent already fortunes.

With Manet and Impressionists generation, the passion for Japanese art, more than a simple taste for an exotic style, was still in fashion until the turn of the 19th century. It provoked not only a craze among the French aristocratic families as well as the wealthy Paris high society, wishing renew their mansion inner decoration, but turned also to a real revolutionary movement among the “avant-garde” artists. Those artists, whoever they were, painters, cabinet-makers or designers of ceramic, bronze and crystal objects, adapted then those techniques and naturalistic motifs unknown until this time.

Christofle, very famous since 1867 as a silversmith, was also one of the leaders among the inventors of Japanism. He knew how to use Japanese elements to his own splendid works made in silver or “cloisonné” enameled bronze. During the 1878 Paris Universal Exhibition, Christofle presented with great success his life-sized bronze Japanese ladies torcheres, executed by the renowned sculptor Guillemin.

Another famous company to be mentioned, is “L’Escalier de Cristal”, producing art objects and furniture, all of high standard quality and innovating much with their Japanese decor. Highly remarked during the Universal Exhibitions, “L’Escalier de Cristal” collaborated with the greatest artists, such Gallé and Rousseau for glass- and ceramic wares, and the cabinet-makers Lièvre and Viardot, whom made furniture including sometimes authentic Japanese elements.

biography

In 1872, Alfred Perret and Ernest Vibert opened in Paris, at 33 rue du Quatre-Septembre a store that offered “natural bamboo furniture and cane seats” and all kinds of textile fittings for furniture. This furniture used for winter gardens and terraces of mansions knew then a resounding success. They developed their business around 1884 with their Japanese style furniture, very close to that executed by Gabriel Viardot (1830-1906). In 1886, the company appearing in the category of “Chinoiserie and Japoneries” offered, in addition to furniture and seating creation, works of art and inlaid furniture directly imported from the Far East ; an activity that expanded rapidly. Their exotic fantasy furniture presented at the Universal Exhibition of Paris in 1889 and 1900, rewarded them two silver medals. In 1894, the company was listed under the name “Perret et Vibert”, headed by the son of Alfred Perret and Ernest Vibert. The same year, they redesigned their store on rue du Quatre-Septembre, creating ten new show-rooms, showing complete furniture sets of Japanese and Chinese style inspiration. It was not until 1895, that the company was finally named “La Maison des Bambous” and organized then in their shops an “exhibition of country furniture and seats for castles and villas”, which was visited by Empress Eugenie to furnish her villa Cyrnos at Cap Martin. She actually was a regular customer of the “Maison des Bambous” as she bought repeatedly furniture. In October of the same year, the king of Greece George I “chose a variety of these cute small woodcarved and decorated bamboo furniture and seats” as well as several bronze and porcelain pieces from Japan to garnish his Winter Palace near Athens. As for the American millionaire, Mr. Vanderbilt, he commissioned the Perret & Vibert house, to embellish the lobby and the greenhouse in New York, a great collection of white and gold lacquered flexible rattan seats, and objects art of Japanese origin. “La Maison des Bambous” which already had in 1910 a branch established 170 boulevard Haussmann, moved definitely there its headquarters in 1917 to remain until its closure in 1994.

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Designer
(1829-1886)
(attributed to)

Aesthetic Movement wall light

France
Circa 1875

Height : 100 cm (39,3 in.) ; Width : 70 cm (27,6 in.) ; Depth : 45 cm (17,7 in.)

Important Japanese style gilded bronze wall-light, consisting of a dragon holding in its mouth a Japanese flowering cherry-tree branche, ending in five large bloom flowers hosting the five lights.

Biography

Edouard Lièvre (1829-1886) studied under the painter Thomas Couture (1815-1879), one of the more conspicuous artists in the circle of the Empress Eugenie. E. Lièvre soon devoted himself, however, to the art of furniture design. A talented ornamentalist, marked by the eclecticism typical of the Second Empire, Lièvre knew how to avail himself of skillful collaborators in order to create pieces in various styles: Renaissance, Louis 16th or Oriental, which last were part of the great artistic movement in fashion since the 1860’s: the Japanese style named also Aesthetic Movement. they recreated an imaginary Far East adapted to decorate Western reception rooms. As an Interior decorator Lièvre also matched his luxurious and refined furniture with bronzes, ceramics and even fabrics. This Oriental exoticism, which only the richest could afford, appealed to bankers, judges, artists and famous courtesans as well as the Royal and Princely families. After the death of Edouard Lièvre, the greater part of his models, sketches and cabinet designs were bought by art publishers such as « l’Escalier de Cristal » or by Ferdinand Barbedienne, thus giving them the right to reproduce Lièvre’s furniture with their own stamp (see « Ventes de la succession Lièvre », Hotel Drouot, 27 fevrier 1890).

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