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You are viewing an exquisite Boulle style French sideboard or cabinet with a Languedoc marble top. This piece is the ultimate in style and elegance and would really add an air of sophistication to your home interior schemes.

The Boulle style is synonymous with the intricate style of inlay where the brass shapes and designs are cut and embedded into the red faux tortoiseshell backing for that unqiue style. Breathaking.

There is also a wealth of intricate gold ormolu work with all the fittings and trimmings. I only hope the photographs do this piece some justice. She is offered in perfect condition and ready for home use right away.

Boulle, André Charles (1642-1732), French furniture designer, who developed a style of furniture inlay that came to be known as Boulle or Buhl. As cabinetmaker to Louis XIV, he produced desks, cabinets, clocks, chests, and even parquet floors, working in an ornate Baroque style. He is especially noted for highly coloured inlays of exotic woods cut to shapes that form arabesques, landscapes, or flowing draperies. The distinctive type of inlay that he developed and that bears his name consists of tortoiseshell with inlay in brass, pewter, or copper. His influence continued into the 19th century.

Masterpieces were created under Louis XV. It was a period of extraordinary creativity. Curved lines and asymmetry became the rule. New pieces of furniture were produced to perfection. Foreign masters came to Paris to work at the Court : Bernard van Risen Burgh or B.V.R.B., Vandercruse known as Lacroix whose stamp was P.V.L.C.

Outstanding chairmakers : Nicolas Heurtaut, Tilliar, Famous stamps abounded : Godreaux, Oeben, Criaerd, Dubois, Foliot, Lieutaud, N.Petit, Migeon, Joubert, Roussel...

The fashion for Chinese lacquer had an infulence on European.

veneers e.g in Paris : Vernis Martin. The vital official stamp "JME" appeared on furniture in 1743 followed by the crowned "C" in 1745 on the gilded bronzes.

Caffieri was the great bronze craftsman ot the period.

The provinces kept up with the movement : Nogaret in Lyons, Hache in Grenoble.

Furniture : in addition to cupboards, bookcases, often decorated "sans traverses", new items appeared : chiffoniers, writing desks with flaps, card tables, roll-top desks, ladies' furniture : dressing tables, chairs with short armrests, desks, escritoires. Wooden panelling could be seen.

Materials : most precious woods imported, gilt wood, bronzes.

Types of decoration : flora and fauna combined with chinoiseries and feminine faces, flowers and moulding work. The wood was often painted or in gold leaf. Considerable bronze arnamentation was an essential part of some items. Flower marquetry was very fine.

• Width: 32 inches
• Height: 42 inches
• Depth: 16 inches