French Chest of Drawers, Directoire period 1790.
One of the special features of this exquisite 18th century Directoire French chest of drawers, is its elegant mahogany veneer. It also has its original white marble top and the original brass fittings.
It is stamped with JME and a signature of “J B VASSOU”. JME stands for for “jurande des menuisiers-ébénistes”. This stamp was added once a committee, made up of elected guild members who inspected the workshops four times a year, had approved the quality. Additionally, the furniture maker added a signature stamp.
Historical Background
Jean Baptiste Vassou (1739-1807) became master of the cabinetmakers guild in 1767. J. B. Vassou worked from 1799 on at Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine. He started his career under the reign of Louis XVI but was still able to get important orders after the French Revolution.
While the so called Directoire period was economically and socially troubled, personal wealth among private citizens grew. And as it did, so did the demand for furniture. These new buyers were content with surface-level decorations. The extravaganza of the previous era gave way to a more modest design with less marquetry ornamentation.
Our chest of drawers is a wonderful example for this new development in French furniture design. Please also read out blog post about the history of the French Directoire style.
Details of this chest of drawers
The French chest is in good condition with traces of use. It measures H 34.26 in. x W 50.4 in. x D 23.63 inches (H 87 cm x W 128 cm x D 60 cm).
It ships from Germany and includes shipping to Boston.
For any further question please contact us by e-mail, call us or chat with us on the site.
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