Early 18th Century Bleached French Walnut Armoire From the Île-De-France Region

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Typical of Ile-de-France furniture from the early 1700’s, this walnut armoire has unadorned panels, allowing the beautiful, curved moldings to … Read more Typical of Ile-de-France furniture from the early 1700’s, this walnut armoire has unadorned panels, allowing the beautiful, curved moldings to take prominence. The walnut wood has been stripped of its original finish and bleached, leaving the wood a light beige.

An en chapeau arch tops the crown, which has several layers of molding surrounding a cavetto cornice. The two asymmetrically shaped thick doors beneath feature sinuous panels. In the center of two of the panels is a series of concentric stars surrounded by a circle. These panels are bordered by lunettes and two pierced and sinuous keyplates. Both doors open on iron hinges to reveal four full-length shelves. The third shelf is much thicker than the others as it houses two half-drawers with wooden knobs. The doors are closed via full length, polished steel crémaillères.

The side panels consist of three panels: a horizontal rectangle in between larger, vertically aligned rectangles with arbalete tops. A thick molding at the base wraps around all sides of the armoire, concealing a full-length pullout drawer on the front (not shown in photos). The flat, plinth-like base precedes the curvaceous feet of the future Louis XV style which permit the piece to be used in a greater variety of interior styles. The wood was joined with square pegs and reinforced by four large iron dowels on each side.

This antique bleached armoire from France has a neutral color with subtle yet elegant ornamentation. It would have been produced in the area surrounding Paris, around the year 1710. See less