Sideboards, Hall Stands, Commodes, and More: French Furniture Available With Crescent City Auction Gallery

The long and illustrious tradition of French furniture will take the spotlight in Crescent City Auction Gallery’s upcoming Summer Decorative Arts and Interiors Auction. The sale will begin on August 26, 2022 at 1:00 PM EDT, with online bidding available through Bidsquare.

Among the key lots in the event is a French Louis XVI-style mahogany commode with a marble top (lot #2055; estimate: USD 600 – $900). Partially a reaction against the elaborate Baroque period, Louis XVI-style furniture adopted clean lines and Neoclassical forms. Rich mahogany was a favored wood from this period. With the patronage of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, furniture makers such as Jean-Henri Riesener, Robert Adam, and David Roentgen enjoyed the freedom to develop new furniture styles. The classic commode received multiple redesigns for different rooms and uses. 

The available mahogany commode was crafted in the 20th century. It features three deep drawers along the front, accented with metal pulls and intricate medallions. The piece marries monarchy-era excess and the clean lines of 20th-century Modernism with its tapered legs and careful use of mahogany.

Before the rise of the Louis XVI style, the Louis XV style reigned from approximately 1730 to 1770. Designers of this period embraced lightness, curves, and comfort, a departure from the heaviness of previous styles. In the upcoming auction, a carved cherry wood sideboard from the early 19th century exemplifies this look (lot #2064; estimate: $600 – $1,000). Two frieze drawers rest above double cupboard doors, which bear swooped inlays and nondescript metalwork. Much of the visual interest of the piece can be found near the bottom. Half-moons cut into the sideboard’s base. Together, they create the illusion of a frill or gentle sea.

Another notable Louis XV-style sideboard is lot #2001, a much more elaborate specimen (estimate: $800 – $1,200). A marble top rests on the cherry wood sideboard. Intricate scrollwork covers the frieze doors and accents the cabriole legs. The exuberant rocaille style is evident in its swirled carvings and symmetry.

A more recent lot is a French carved walnut hall stand from circa 1900 (lot #2053; estimate: $400 – $800). Despite its intimidating size (nearly seven feet tall), this hall stand served a highly practical purpose in the early 20th century. The returning French resident could hang their hat, set down their umbrella, and arrange their appearance in the mirror before entering the rest of the home. The hall stand features a brass umbrella rail along the front and below the mirror. Though parasols were carried in France starting in the mid-1600s, weatherproof umbrellas became ubiquitous starting in the 1760s. Furniture styles evolved to accommodate the lasting trend. 

Beyond vintage French furniture, the upcoming Crescent City Auction Gallery sale will highlight Louis Vuitton limited edition bags, nature prints from John James Audubon, and assorted fine art from James Rizzi, F. C. Vogel, and Rhoda Brady Stokes. 

Each of the above items will cross the block with Crescent City Auction Gallery starting at 1:00 PM EDT on August 26, 2022. For more information and to register to bid, visit Bidsquare.

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