Grand 19th Century French Louis XVI Walnut China Buffet

Price: $6,980

Grand 19th Century French Louis XVI Walnut China Buffet is a stunning testament to the majesty of masterworks of the cabinetmaker's art that emanated from France during the period!  Meticulously hand-carved and crafted from select, sumptuous French walnut, it features a classical architecture that has been rendered with French lines to create a magnificent piece that is sure to become the focal point in any room.  Beginning with the laurel wreath with ribbon, flowers and sprays atop the arched step-front center crown, one's eyes are guided down each side to the boldly scrolled horizontal corbels atop the side cabinets, each festooned with full relief acanthus foliates and flowers.  Back to the center top, a single glazed door with amazing carved overlay affords a view of your most prized possessions and heirlooms, with a single original adjustable shelf.  The side cabinets flanking the center display provide more discreet storage in style, each carved in splendid relief with a cameo-like form filled with flowers, adorned with flowing ribbon, and draped with fabric, flowers, and more ribbon below.  The entire upper tier is framed by four banded wheat pilasters topped with flowers in full relief, which on the corners are then supported by scrolled cabriole supports, also lavished with stylized shell, floral and foliate carvings, which provide a framework for the full-width serving surface.  Three panels in back form the splash, with a pierced gallery rail for special display at the center.  The lower section is a superlative specimen all its own, with the same corner treatment as above richly carved with roses and flowers above, and a boldly embellished corbel at the base that complements the aforementioned upper tier supports.  Said cornerposts frame the pair of drawers above, with reeded flutes, the cabinet doors with classical urns bursting with fruit flanked by elaborate foliate scrollwork with drapery and ribbons, all double-framed with tailored molding.  At the center stile is a special relief carving of symbols of gardening, paying homage to Marie Antoinette whose love of gardens both quaint and formal was widely known.  What an incredible way to display, serve and store with timeless style!
Circa 1880s
Measures 111H x 74.5W x 25.5D; surface 40H