19th Century French Empire Style Credenza and Vitrine by AME Fournier

PRESENTING an OUTSTANDING, IMPORTANT and UNIQUE 19C French Empire Style Credenza & Vitrine by AME Fournier.

Pieces by A.M.E. Fournier are EXTREMELY RARE and next to impossible to find, so to have discovered this piece is FANTASTIC.

Best known for his rope twist chairs and upholstery, Fournier furniture pieces are considered amongst some of the VERY BEST late 19th Century French pieces you can find, if you are lucky enough to find one.

The QUALITY of this piece throughout is SIMPLY STUNNING!

It consists of 3 pieces: –

(1) The top section consisting of 2 side vitrines with glass front and sides for viewing and glass shelves. The rear panel is a mirror. The section curves beautifully to a central mirrored section consisting of 9 mirrored panels with 4 ormolu rosettes separating the mirrors. All richly embellished with the finest quality ormolu mounts with exceptional detail to each. The 2 side vitrines also have Romanesque side pillars of columns to the front. The entire top section is made of the most GORGEOUS burl walnut with satinwood stringing as an inlay.

(2) The top section then rests on a GORGEOUS Siense Marble counter with bevelled edges.

(3) The base section or Credenza Section has 2 side drawers to the top on either side and a large drawer top the middle. It has 4 doors to the base. Again, it is made of the most stunning burl walnut and richly embellished with the finest quality ormolu mounts with exceptional detail to each. The drawers have ormolu Bacchus heads and floretes. The doors open to reveal wooden shelving. The piece sits on 8 Ormolu and acanthus mounted legs.

THIS IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF FRENCH FURNITURE, BY THE EXTREMELY RARE MAKER, FOURNIER OF PARIS, AND THE ORMOLU MOUNTS ARE AMONGST THE BEST QUALITY & DETAIL, WE HAVE EVER SEEN ON A FRENCH PIECE!

Marked “Fournier” on the door escutcheons/lock plates with serial number ‘8613’.

Provenance: From a Private Louisiana Collection.

Condition: Very good original condition. The marble counter has a couple of chips on the edges and a repaired crack in the center but not very noticeable. One very minor repair to the side base (a filled crack no more than 2 inches long) and does not in any way detract from the piece. Has been wired for illumination in both vitrines, but non-intrusive wiring. No keys.