This two-seat sofa has two three-quarter offset backrests. They are gondola shaped, i.e. curved, enveloping and round. This sofa is named « conversation bench » because its particular design is intended to favour the conversation of two people. The low central element connecting the backrests has no support: it is supposed to prevent a third person from sitting.

These identical folding chairs can be considered very symbolic of the art of living in Goa, the former Portuguese colony located on the west coast of India, 400 kilometres south of Bombay (Mumbai). Each of them rests on six moving feet – forming three pairs – with tawny-clawed endings encircling a ball. These feet are decorated with leafy scrolls. The strongly rolled armrests and their consoles are also moving. The termination of these wide armrests serves as an anchor: when one gets up from the resting position, it makes it possible to stand up easily. The seat and back are caned. The backrest is crowned with a shell on top of a lyre-shaped motif framed by large, blooming, radiant flowers from which pomegranate apples spring.

This is a low armchair, with a deep seat tilted backwards, whose soft lines and comfortable proportions are perfectly suited to the way of life in tropical countries. Here, the majestic and deep backrest consists of a cane that blends with the seat, providing a very light general appearance. Its high back ends with a band adorned with a sculpted frieze with winding patterns, surmounted by a projection decorated with a figure known as the rising sun. The short rear legs follow the sinuous line of the back. The front legs in line with the armrest supports are inclined. This original arrangement of the feet allows the chair to sway slightly, resting on the hind feet, when sitting down. The armrests are shaped like twisted-bellied vases, supporting elegant flat arms with curved lines, ending in a centred spiralling and swirling pattern. The front belt has a motif reminiscent of the one adorning the backrest band. The finish is said to be ebonized, which means that the wood has been given a tint to give it a beautiful deep black ebony colour. A completely similar model is kept at Isiko Museum of Slavery (former Museum of Decorative Arts) in Capetown, South Africa.

The seat rests on four strongly arched legs with stylized wild animal claws endings – lion or tiger. These feet are linked by a wide openwork belt. The revolving seat’s height can be adjusted. The medallion-shaped backrest features stylized vine leaves and hanging clusters – also the repetitive motif of the openwork sculptures. The central medallion, formed by two foliated winding arches, is organized in a rigorously symmetrical manner. It seems to be supported by scrolls of acanthus leaves, and it is topped with a vine leaf from which leafy foliage fall down both sides of the backrest.

These mobile frame spare chairs match the conversation sofa. This Anglo-Indian work is inspired by the Victorian style of the last quarter of the 19th century.
Each one rests on arched front legs with ram heads and fluttering birds, and on two rear sabre legs. The medallion backrest uses the same rigorous and geometric construction and the same ornamental elements as those of the sofa: a remarkable openwork mesh forming a floral lace in which a myriad of birds evolves. A wide apron at the front links the feet. The medallion backrest has a slight rear projection enabling to grab and move it.

This stripped-down chair is characteristic of the so-called Etruscan style which was very popular at the end of the 18th century in Cape Town, South Africa.
On a wide and solid fully pegged frame, a thin H-shaped spacer ensures rigidity. The slightly inclined backrest has projections at the angles and in the centre of the concave upper cross member, and an openwork decoration composed of a fluted and hollowed out pilaster resting on the moulded projection of the lower cross member. Above the pilaster, an elegant, also openwork ring. The front legs are straight and tapered, inlaid with precious woods subtly mixing colours. The rear legs are slanted and the trapezoidal seat is darkened with a broad-stranded cane. The seat rail is smooth while the side ones are lined with simple grooves.
The front legs frames support the armrests which themselves support the slightly projecting arms that match the frame of the backrest at the end of a soft curve.

This model of living room armchair with concave backrest has a wide band with an openwork decoration with crosses patterns centred on a floweret and frogs inscribed in a square. Its particularity lies in its offset armrests whose upper ends seem to join the ends of the headband without touching it. The arms are not placed in alignment with the backrest but tangent to it and pegged to the upright at the meeting point. This particularly fragile – and elegant – assembly explains why few models have remained in such good condition.

Pair of armchairs à la reine, Moulded and sculpted beech, lacquered in ivory Paris, Louis XVI period, circa 1780 Credited to Jean-Baptiste Boulard (1725-1789) Dimensions : H…… Read more “Armchairs à la reine”