Rare Bamboo Parquetry Tortoiseshell Bamboo Fern Stand/Side Table - French Aesthetic Movement in the Style of Perret & Vibert, Paris, Circa 1890

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Late 19th-century French bamboo fern stand or occasional table, executed entirely of tortoiseshell bamboo and centered by an uncommon bamboo … Read more Late 19th-century French bamboo fern stand or occasional table, executed entirely of tortoiseshell bamboo and centered by an uncommon bamboo parquetry top.

The design reflects decorative bamboo furniture produced in France during the height of the Aesthetic Movement and the influence of Japonisme.

The tabletop is constructed from finely split bamboo arranged in a geometric parquetry panel and framed by mitered bamboo molding over a hardwood support structure.

This labor intensive true bamboo parquetry is rare, and is especially unusual on smaller tables such as fern stands. Work of this type required careful splitting, placement, and framing of bamboo sections, making it considerably more involved than typical bamboo table construction.

The serpentine apron is formed from segmented bamboo sections joined together to create the curved outline of the table rather than relying on bent poles. This method gives the piece its sculptural form and reflects a more deliberate workshop approach to shaping bamboo furniture.

The combination of tortoiseshell bamboo, geometric parquetry, and sculptural shaping places the piece within the more decorative tier of late-nineteenth-century bamboo furniture.

Examples incorporating parquetry panels are significantly less common, making this piece a functional work of decorative art.

The design and construction are consistent with French bamboo furniture produced in Paris during this period and are comparable to pieces associated with the celebrated Paris workshop of Perret & Vibert, known for refined bamboo furnishings during the Japonisme era. While unsigned, the parquetry top, serpentine form, and construction align closely with that Parisian tradition.

Origin: France
Date: Circa 1890
Materials: Tortoiseshell bamboo, split bamboo parquetry, hardwood structural support See less