A Striking Pair of Napoleon III Meubles d'Appui

Object Description

A Striking Pair of Napoleon III  Meubles d’Appui
The Marquetry attributed to Joseph Cremer

Constructed from tulipwood with inlay of various specimen woods including harewood, fruitwood, ashwood and boxwood, ormolu mounted throughout, the shaped apron of each cabinet supported on ebonised feet, the corners dressed with male and female bronze caryatids flanking the central cupboard doors centred with symmetrical oval panels of floral marquetry on a dark background and further marquetry in the spandrels, the concave sides decorated in a conforming manner of floral marquetry; single lockable drawers housed in the frieze below the inset moulded St-Anne grey marble tops.
French, circa 1850

Object Literature

Joseph Cremer (1811-1878) was being born of French parents in Luxembourg in 1811, of French parentage, and active in Paris between 1839 and 1878, when the business was given to his son Thomas. He is recorded as supplying in 1844 a cabinet to King Louis-Philippe for his Normandy summer residence, the Chateau d’Eu at a cost of 3,500 francs. Cremer exhibited at the 1849 Paris exhibition, the Crystal Palace Exhibition of 1851, the 1855 Paris Exposition, at which the jurors commented ‘In taste and design, he has achieved the impossible in balancing harmony with accuracy (of execution).’ He also exhibited at the 1862 London Exhibition.

Object Condition

Excellent condition

Object Details