Superb antique French 20" solid mahogany 3-drawer chest with gilt bronze or ormolu accenting, working lock & key and marvelous conditon! An elegant French Empire Revival or Louis XVI Revival tabletop chest, probably dating to about 1835–1865. It is much more refined than the average Victorian jewelry box and has several design cues associated with French cabinetmaking. The strongest influences are Empire Revival (Napoleon I style) in its rectilinear form, restrained decoration, and gilt-bronze (ormolu) mounts and Louis XVI Revival in the use of beaded moldings, classical gilt bronze or ormolu borders, and symmetrical proportions. An ornate upper drawer escutcheon with a classical laurel motif is another Empire favorite and the chest has the original, working beautiful old bronze & steel skeleton key. Exceptional in construction, visual appeal and condition!
Excellent condition. This one is HEAVY, mostly solid mahogany and it weighs just over 30 lbs (kg). A museum quality piece, precise cuts, hardly a hair of space between drawer fronts and the chest, expert dovetail joints on all of the drawers. Possibly a tiny nip/indention or two but the only visual flaw that I now see in the images is that the moulding on the left side of the lid is slightly separated near the rear (I can glue & clamp that before mailing out). See images for all measurements.
