Featured LOUIS XIII Armchair ...with a peculiar carving

Hello everyone.

I wanted to share with you one of my pieces. It is a late 18th century armchair in the Louis XIII style. Reupholstered in early 1970's.

Besides the heavily fluted arms, this chair does not seem too different from many others; however, there is a carving upon the reverse scroll at the top of each arm that I've always found peculiar.

As a child growing up, I always viewed them as happy faces.

Perhaps one of you may have come across such a carving.

It would be great to know it's significance.

Thanks.

 

Yes, those are smileys.

 

looks comfy .....

 

I’m guessing this is a typo, and you meant to say late 19th (late 1800s)?

 

They are actually. But never used for sitting (actually wasn't allowed - nobody was) . Always just functioned as a display piece.

 

No typo. They were made in 1796.

 

Would you be kind enough to share with us how you know the exact year of their manufacture?

Debora

 

wow, I would not have guessed it being that old....bwdik

 

Hmm... looking at the last appraisal made for Chubb states "Leather armchair Louis XIII c.1796 France".

My apologies. It is in fact circa 1796. Therefore it could have been made just after or before that year.

That was rather presumptuous of me, wasn't it.

Thank you Debora.

 

At the risk of being pedantic... Louis XIII reigned from 1610 until 1643. Louis XVI was the last king of France and his reign ended (badly) in 1792. The 5-man Directorate ruled France from 1795 to 1799, the period in which the Chubb appraisal assigns the manufacture of your chair.

Debora

 

Yes, quite pedantic.
I posted this thread as a query regarding a peculiar carving on my chair.

 

yes u did....
but once a thread is posted, it's the boards thread....and it pretty much goes where ever it wants to..!

 

To find the origin of your smileys, you'll have to go back to the original Louis Treize chairs. You may even have to go back to the inspiration for the original Louis Treize style, which is Dutch Late Renaissance furniture (both northern and Flemish).
When a style is derived from another style, which in turn is derived from yet another style, motifs can change beyond recognition. Which is why you may have to trace the changes during time back to the real origin.

I don't know who did the appraisal for Chubb, there are experts and then there are experts.
To me it looks like a 19th century Louis Treize Revival chair, but I am not an expert. Could be worth looking into though.

 

Concur with others for the era it was made: end 19th century, when this style came to a revival.
This style was completely out of fashion at end of 18th, why would someone order a new made one then...
Agree too for the smiling faces looking carving!