Antique Liegeoise Regence Stripped Oak Bookcase ~ Display Cabinet

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Description

An antique Liegeoise Regence bookcase display cabinet of exceptional quality, hand stripped to reveal an antique patina of the beautiful … Read more An antique Liegeoise Regence bookcase display cabinet of exceptional quality, hand stripped to reveal an antique patina of the beautiful oak. An arched bonnet crest rises to a shell cartouche entwined with flowers and scrolling foliage over a finely latticed ground. Below, a pair of doors fitted with the original antique rolled glass is divided by gracefully curved muntins and finished with rocaille carving at the base, and glazed sides bring light and depth to the display.
The lower section offers two drawers carved with rosettes above a pair of doors with shaped fielded panels crowned by shell cartouches. Everything rests on a scalloped apron and bold paw feet. Shelves behind the glass and inside the lower cabinet make it beautifully functional for books, porcelain, crystal or a treasured collection. The serving surface between the two sections works well for display or as a buffet. It is built of solid oak in two sections.
During the 18th century, the carvers and cabinetmakers of Liege took up the Regence style, which was born in France during the regency of Philippe d'Orleans from 1715 to 1723, and made it their own. They worked in native oak and developed a carving tradition known across Europe for its depth, fluid movement and rich ornament, with shells, scrolls, flowers and lattice work flowing across every surface. Workshops in Liege carried that heritage into the early 20th century, reviving and reinterpreting the style with the same mastery of the chisel.
In a dining room, library or kitchen, the pale natural finish brings warmth to both traditional and contemporary interiors. It pairs beautifully with linen upholstery, plaster walls and modern art. Filled with books, ironstone or crystal, it becomes an elegant focal point in any room.
Circa early 1900s
Measures 89.5H x 57W x 24D; surface 39.5H
Available at Inessa Stewart's Antiques, Dallas Design District, Dallas, Texas. See less