Lm Durand Breche D' Alep Marble Top French Louis XV Style Vernis Martin Commode

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Vernis Martin LM Durand Commode

French Louis XV Revival Commode
Attributed to: Gervais-Maximilien-Eugène Durand (1839–c. 1911)
Paris, circa 1880–1900

This … Read more Vernis Martin LM Durand Commode

French Louis XV Revival Commode
Attributed to: Gervais-Maximilien-Eugène Durand (1839–c. 1911)
Paris, circa 1880–1900

This outstanding Louis XV-style commode is a fine example of 19th-century Parisian craftsmanship, featuring a shaped marble top, bombe form, and richly detailed hand-painted panels with putti and floral motifs. The piece is constructed with high attention to detail and showcases the collaborative excellence typical of the Parisian luxury trades of the late 19th century.

Notable Features and Attributive Evidence:
• Gilt-bronze mounts signed “LM” — Attributed to Léon Message, a distinguished bronzier active in Paris during the Belle Époque. Message was known for his finely chased mounts and frequent collaborations with high-end cabinetmakers, including François Linke and Gervais Durand.
• Locks stamped “Fournier à Paris” — Fournier was a premier Parisian locksmith and metalworker, whose hardware appears on some of the finest furniture produced in France during the Second Empire and Belle Époque.
• Stamped signature on carcass (“Durand”) — A partially effaced stamp, digitally enhanced, reveals the name “Durand,” consistent with the marking practices of Gervais-Maximilien-Eugène Durand, a prominent Parisian ébéniste who exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in 1889.
• Workshop model number (“xxxx B”) — A stamped four-digit number followed by the letter “B” on the wooden carcass aligns with Durand’s known practice of numbering models or production variants, a system typical of established Paris ateliers with structured inventory systems.

Gervais Durand’s workshop was renowned for producing luxurious reproductions of 18th-century styles, especially Louis XV and Louis XVI, often using mounts and fittings from elite Parisian suppliers. This piece is a textbook example of that high level of collaborative artistry—combining exceptional cabinetmaking, high-quality bronze work, and fine hardware.

Provenance Note: Pieces with this level of coordinated workmanship and documentation are increasingly rare and highly sought after by collectors of 19th-century French decorative arts.

Dimensions: 35 5/8" h x 23 1/4" w x 13 5/8" d. See less