Louis XVI Revival Flip-Top Dressing Table With Ormolu Mounts, Late 19th Century

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Description

This late-19th-century flip-top dressing table—also known as a table de toilette, and sometimes functioning as a small writing or work … Read more This late-19th-century flip-top dressing table—also known as a table de toilette, and sometimes functioning as a small writing or work table—combines elegant versatility with refined Neoclassical design. Its compact scale and slender legs make it adaptable, but its purpose is defined by the hinged top, which opens to reveal a fitted storage compartment that pulls out like a drawer and a mirror mounted beneath the lid, confirming its use as a vanity for grooming and personal care. A lower undershelf offers additional storage and display options.

Executed in the Louis XVI Revival style, the piece reflects the straight lines, classical ornament, and delicate proportions inspired by the late 18th century and reinterpreted during the Victorian and Edwardian eras (c. 1880–1910). The piece is crafted from mahogany or another fine hardwood with a rich, dark finish.

Gilt-bronze ormolu mounts elevate the table: tapered, fluted legs capped with classical brass collars and finished with sabots; corners adorned with bronze urns draped in garlands; and a lower shelf bordered by an intricate cast-bronze gallery.

Although the maker remains unknown, the craftsmanship aligns with the work of fine French ébénistes and high-end English or American firms producing furniture in the French taste. Elegant, richly detailed, and gracefully proportioned, this Louis XVI Revival dressing table is an exceptional accent for a bedroom, dressing area, or powder room. See less