| Description |
As our
clients already know, we are big fans of the design, style and comfort
exemplified by Louis XIV armchairs. They are the perfect stylistic
accompaniment to the gothic and renaissance, country house styles, in which we
specialize. This one struck us especially because of its solidity and
exceptional carving in its solid walnut frame. The original fabric and springs
were shot, however, and so we rebuilt the suspension and recovered it in a
beautiful natural grain, aniline dyed leather (the color is in the leather,
rather than being a kind of colored coating on the surface of the leather) and
found the replica antique fleur-de-lis nails (at some expense) to remain
consistent to the style.
The
chair's frame is solid walnut, and is exceptionally sturdy, in the fashion that
all of our furniture is, and very comfortable due to the unique innovation of
the angled back that was pioneered by the French in Louis XIV's time.
Each of
the four legs is rectangular, tapered and fluted, with larger fluted
rectangular features just above the fluted feet and below the underside of the
seat. There is a carved, stylized flower (probably a sunflower, because after
all, Louis XIV was the Sun King!) just above the lower rectangular motif. The
feet are joined by a multiply curved stretcher from the front feet to the back.
This is one of the most attractive such stretchers we have ever seen on these
chairs. These pieces are joined in the middle by an additional stretcher that
resembles a pediment above a Palladian door, with intricately carved volutes of
acanthus leaves, in the center of which is a stylized carved bouquet of
flowers. The total effect is extraordinary. Since all of this carving is under
the seat, and relatively hard to see, one might ask, "Who cares?" To
that person, I would say anyone interested in the virtuosity, creativity and
craftsmanship of these past masters of furniture making. These features are for
the connoisseur of fine French furniture who not only appreciates them, but is
willing to pay the price that such details command.
This
chair has been completely rebuilt, and is the first opportunity to use the
fleur-de-lis nails that I have spent almost 18 years trying to either find or
have duplicated. Many years ago when I first fell in love with French antique
furniture, I was at a fair in Montpellier in the south of France and found some
walnut gothic dining chairs that were among the most attractive I have ever
found. The most striking feature about them was the 2 sizes of decorative upholstery
nails in the form of fleurs-de-lis that secured the leather on the seat and
backs. When the chairs were reupholstered, I carefully removed as many of the
nails as I could in a fully intact state, and began the long task of trying to
find replacements. I lived in Paris at the time and so went to Houlès, the
premier passmenterie (upholstery trimmings) seller in France and perhaps the
world. They recognized the nails and told me that the French manufacturer of
them had been purchased by a German company, and the German company no longer
made them. When I returned to the U.S. I tried to find them at American
companies that sold decorative nails, but discovered that the earlier mentioned
German company, now made virtually all of the decorative upholstery nails in
the world and fleur-de-lis nails were not among their inventory. However, in this process, I met Bill Engel,
the sales manager at Heico Fasteners, the American face of the German company
that had acquired the French manufacturer and Bill asked that I send him
samples of the old nails, to see if, in Europe, the original stamping dies
continued to exist. It took a long time, but ultimately, he discovered that
they did not. Nevertheless, he told me he was very interested and to keep in
touch, because you never know... In 2008 Heico unveiled a new range of nails
that included versions of a
fleur-de-lis nail. I was astonished at the cost per nail since each was
handmade, but knew that the furniture we sell deserved nothing less, and so
this chair was the first in our offerings of this beautiful creation -- and we
hope not the last!
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| Reference |
Quette,
Anne-Marie, Le Mobilier Français Louis XIII et Louis XIV (Editions Massin,
Paris, 1996); Rousseau, Francis, Le Grand Livre des Meubles (Copyright Studio,
Paris, 1999)
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