A 2nd Empire fine mahogany tallboy chest, maker Pihouee 195 rue…
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A 2nd Empire fine mahogany tallboy chest, maker Pihouee 195 rue Saint-Antoine Paris, the chest with inset marble top and moulded edge four brass bound drawers below a pair of panel doors flanked by canted corners supported on a plinth
mahogany. Mahogany is a dense, close grained red-coloured timber from the West Indies and Central America. It was first imported into Europe in the the early 18th century and its use continued through the 19th century. It was popular for furniture making because of its strength, the wide boards available, the distinctive grain on some boards, termed flame mahogany and the rich warm colour of the timber when it was polished.. The "flame" was produced where a limb grew out from the trunk of the tree, and this timber was usually sliced into veneers for feature panels on doors, backs and cornices.
Some terms used to describe mahogany relate to the country from which it originally came, such as "Cuban" mahogany, "Honduras" mahogany etc. However unless the wood has been tested the names assigned are more a selling feature, rather than a true indication of the timber's origin.
Some terms used to describe mahogany relate to the country from which it originally came, such as "Cuban" mahogany, "Honduras" mahogany etc. However unless the wood has been tested the names assigned are more a selling feature, rather than a true indication of the timber's origin.
plinth. The square or rectangular base of a piece of cabinet furniture, often ornamented with moulding. The plinth may be separate, as in some wardrobes or presses, and act as the support for the carcase. In a false plinth, the moulded boards may be attached directly to the piece. Furniture with a plinth base usually does not have separate feet. The term derives from architecture where it denotes the base of a column or statue.
canted corners. A decorative method of construction, found particularly on longcase clocks, some chests of drawers and the upper sections of tallboys. Where the front of the piece meets the sides, the comer, instead of being joined at a ninety-degree angle, is bevelled at forty-five degrees. As a general rule the canting is 'stopped', that is, it does not extend up the entire length of the face. The canted corner is often decorated with fluting, reeding or blind fret. Where the piece is veneered, it may be enhanced with stringing or other forms of inlay.
The buyers premium is an additional percentage charge on the hammer price of the item, imposed by the auction house to cover administrative costs. The buyers premium percentage varies between auction houses, with a range of 12.5% to 22%.