Antique Country French Regence Violin Vitrine ~ Display Cabinet

Details

Description

A Country French Regence violin vitrine in richly patinated walnut, its swelling bombé sides tracing the graceful silhouette of a … Read more A Country French Regence violin vitrine in richly patinated walnut, its swelling bombé sides tracing the graceful silhouette of a bass violin. A chapeau de gendarme crown sweeps across the top, centered by a boldly carved Rococo crest of acanthus in full relief and flanked by sprays of roses and foliage. Beneath it, an arched glazed door opens to a shelved display interior, its molded frame echoing the curve of the crown above.
A serpentine drawer carved with foliate scrolls and fitted with a pierced bale pull divides the vitrine from the lower cabinet, where a pair of arched doors carry shell and foliate crests over contoured raised panels. Full length barrel hinges and engraved key guards accent the case, and the apron is finished with carved roses, beaded molding, and boldly scrolled feet.
The Regence period bridged the grandeur of Louis XIV and the flowing curves of Louis XV, a moment when French cabinetmakers first softened the straight line into the serpentine front and the cabriole leg. French workshops of the early 20th century carried on the tradition of reviving and reinterpreting these 18th century styles, and the violin form became a provincial favorite for its sculptural presence within a slender footprint.
Ideal in a dining room for porcelain and crystal, in a library or study for collections and treasured books, or beside a fireplace or doorway where its narrow proportions suit a tight wall.
Circa early 1900s
Measures 77H x 33W x 16D
Available at Inessa Stewart's Antiques, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. See less