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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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A very fine quality Empire gilt bronze mounted mahogany medal cabinet, of rectangular form, the frieze centred by gilt bronze lettering MÉDAILLES flanked by palmette and rosette mounts above two elongated doors with central gilded border each mounted by elaborate double eagles issuing floral sprays above further acanthus mounts, the doors opening to reveal 52 green felt-lined pull-out trays each numbered and fitted with a pair of simple circular handles, above three long drawer centred by scrolling wreath escutcheons flanked by corresponding simple circular handles Paris, date circa 1810-15 Height 173 cm, width 60 cm, depth 36 cm. Due to their specialised nature, only very few specimen cabinets of this type were produced and given the quality of the intricate gilt bronze mounts one can only assume that it was made for an important collector. The esteemed Parisian ébénisterie firm of Jacob-Desmalter et Cie produced a number of similar cabinets including one attributed to them which was intended for coins; it was designed by Charles Percier (1764–1838) with Egyptian style silver mounts by Martin-Guillaume Biennais (1764–1843) after drawings by Baron Dominique Vivant-Denon (1747-1825), director of the mint. The latter cabinet was intended for Napoleon though it remained in Denon’s possession and is now in the Huntington Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. |