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luxetveritas

Louis era French one arm chair

luxetveritas
14 years ago

Hi, I recently bought a chair at a garage sale for $400 and would like to know some more about it, including age and value. I believe it to be a Louis period piece, although I have never seen a chair like it. It is in great condition, but I can't find a makers mark. The chair seat is oblong and fairly wide. The back has a hand painted courting scene, and I believe all of the "carving work" is plaster molding? Not really sure. Anyway, any information members have would be so appreciated!

You can see pictures at: http://www.antique-shop.com/forums/index.php?topic=4933.0

Thanks so much!

Comments (17)

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    Sorry, I can't see any pictures.

  • lazy_gardens
    14 years ago

    For starters "the Louis period" ... there were more than a dozen kings named Louis, so that's no help.

    Upload a picture somewhere, because they aren't showing in that forum.

    Best would be a series of in-focus pictures, taken with a decent camera against a plain background.

    WHOLE CHAIR:
    Full front
    Front corner view
    Full side
    Rear Corner
    Full rear

    CLOSEUPS:
    Any decorative panel or painting
    closeup of carvings
    Closeup of feet

  • justlinda
    14 years ago

    Umm.. looks like the OP got an answer over on the "Antique-shop.com" site. Below is the last response from the OP over on that site.

    "Thanks for the latter information! The woman I bought it from had it appraised at $3k, think it could be possible? I don't know enough about Louis period pieces. And again, is it an 18th century piece, or 19th? Thanks!"

  • luxetveritas
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Sorry about that! I didn't realize you had to be a member in order to post. Anyway, although I did receive some information, it is really rather incomplete. As far as it being a "Luois" piece, I know very well that there were many French periods of King Louis (I think this chair was Louis 15th, but I didn't state that originally because I wasn't certain. Regardless, each Louis Period can be found during the 19th or 18th centuries. I am not sure how to attach pictures, perhaps I will experiment for a few minutes.

    Try these, and sorry if they still don't work.

    http://www.antique-shop.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=4933.0;attach=4528;image

    http://www.antique-shop.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=4933.0;attach=4530;image

    http://www.antique-shop.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=4933.0;attach=4532;image

    http://www.antique-shop.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=4933.0;attach=4534;image

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    They don't work....

  • luxetveritas
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Okay, never mind about all of that, I will post it on eBay. Again, I am really sorry for all of this- let's just say I am not the greatest when it comes to technology :) I'll post the link, and I am sure IT will work :) Thanks again!

  • lazy_gardens
    14 years ago

    YOU have to be a member to see the attachments.

    Try uploading them to Flickr or Photobucket where more people can see them.

  • luxetveritas
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Okay, how's this, I uploaded to eBay in the form of an auction :) This way I think everyone will be able to see my chair. In addition, I posted all of the information I have been able to gather from various people. Is there anything else to add? Like where I could find out who made it or something? Thanks so much!

    Here we go!: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=150357319002

    Here is a link that might be useful: link to the auction:

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    Well it seems we were scammed and what you really wanted was to post a link to your auction. LOL!
    First of all....bustles didn't come into fashion until about 1870, so all your "spin" on the short arms to allow for the skirt etc is just that, spin.
    It's a great chair....doesn't need spin! But I think it's worth about what you paid.
    Appears to be 19th century...likely French, but could be Polish or Belgian.
    I don't think the carving is plaster.
    I think it's a very high end late Victorian piece....and likely there was more to the "set".
    You won't find a maker's mark...old furniture is not like refrigerators and pottery....often there was no marking.
    If you get the $800 you are asking....more power to ya, honey!!
    Don't get me wrong....it's a great chair...but not 18th century.
    Linda C

  • luxetveritas
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I didn't mean to exaggerate my chair, putting "spin" on it, that's just what I was told. I honestly known about close to zero when it comes to furniture like this. So anyway, sorry for that I guess, and I really only posted the auction because I didn't know how else to post pics, and in addition, I wanted to sell it anyway. Also, the plaster part, that's what the lady I bought it from said. Any more opinions? I am stuck! Thanks Linda for your comment!

    (Another "expert" on a different forum said Louis XV, and that's what an appraiser said too, hence the age- I was also told $3k, that's where that figure comes from. I really am an honest guy, just ignorant when it comes to chairs!)

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    The foot and leg is Louis XV STYLE....but of all I have seen and all the pictures I have seen, nothing of that era ( 18th century) has had that fanciful shape, carving and picture on the back.
    For intricately carved decoration like is on the back of your chair, the carving was done then covered with gesso-like plaster to smooth the wood enough to paint....so technically I guess it is plaster, but over wood.
    One of the most telling things to me is the one set of tack holes where you removed the gray cloth on the bottom. That indicates that that cloth is original.
    It has a lot of art nouveau elements to it, and considering all the signs that it is at least 120 years old...and the picture on the back is pristine???
    Again....it's a great chair....but not what you are describing.
    Good luck...I hope you make some $$ on it.
    Linda C

  • darenka
    14 years ago

    hmmmm.... according to an earlier post, you were told by the woman selling the chair, that it had been appraised for 3k. I suspect the husband did the appraising. In and of itself, that story should have raised eyebrows. Why would a woman sell a 3k chair for $400? Appraisals tend to be in written form so you can verify that information with your insurance carrier. So, why didn't she give you that? Of course, people often have no idea what they are selling. Solid wood often ends up being MDF, antique often turns out to be old--20 years old. And the cycle continues.

    Good luck with your chair.

  • Ideefixe
    14 years ago

    Considering there aren't any bids, you might want to rethink that wording. 1760s? What a joke.

  • sweeby
    14 years ago

    Doesn't sound plausible to me that a furniture maker would paint a scene of contemporary fashion. In other words, if the style of the clothes is of the 1760's (which seems about what it is), then the piece must be at least 50 years or so more recent or the painting would be "old-fashined and dated" rather than "quaint".

  • lazy_gardens
    14 years ago

    "THIS IS NOT A "Louis XV style" piece, it is actually from the 18th century, probably around the 1760s or 1770s. "

    I see construction methods that were not possible then, and motifs from other styles. What you have is an early 20th Century fantasy piece, "in the style of" a blend of things.

    My edumicated opinion is that it's a 1920s-30s version of the "Rococo Revival". The first "Rococo Revival" started in the 1830s ... it was revived again in the 1880s or so and once more in the 1930s ... by then they were reviving the revived pieces, and blurring of styles happened.

    1 - The back and the scrollwork is a smooth cut-out from a single sheet of material, slotted into the legs. That construction isn't 1700s style, it wasn't even possible then. French Rococo furniture encrusted the wood with gesso ornaments, but they couldn't make that kind of large openwork in structural pieces.

    2 - The ornate "pie crusting" moldings appear to be made of a wood-based composite, where the 1770s style used gesso (a white plaster glue mix).

    3 - The small painted motifs are very characteristic of Art Deco, or the related "California Mission" style and not at all the delicate floral you would find in a 1770s piece. The manufacturers weren't careful about stylistic purity.

    The people look wrong - I can't put my finger on why - for that period. Also, the "paintings" on furniture of the 1770s was usually a fired enamel or porcelain plaque, not painted directly on the furniture.

    4 - The front legs are the flattened scroll characteristic of macine-tooled furniture. If this were a real 1770s piece, the scrolling would be deeply carved.

    5 - The back legs are completely plain, when they should match the front ones, or at least be more elaborate.

    *******
    It's a very pretty piece, probably came from a high-end furniture manufacturer as part of a larger set.

    But it's not from the 1770s.

  • luxetveritas
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Wow, there are certainly a lot of varied opinions. Some of them a little offensive. I wrote what I was told, no intention of deception. I have removed the listing, perhaps I will list in later once I definitively prove what it is and when it was made. A dissapointment, sure, but I'll live. My only wonder now is how to know really what it is. So many styles have been mentioned by so many different people, so I guess I'll just keep it, or list it as "mystery chair". Hm, even my local antique dealer said it is very possible a Louis XV era chair. Perhaps I'll email a real specialist from Christies, hopefully then I will know. No need to get mad at me, I am just writing what I was told. Buyer beware, right? And again, it was not with intention that I incorrectly described the chair. Anyway, thanks lazygarden, that was informative and others. Perhaps one of you could tell me what to list the chair as, and give me an accurate appraisal.

  • Ideefixe
    14 years ago

    Buyers should beware, but mis-representing something can cancel your sale on Ebay. Why not send a photo to Bonham's or Christie's and see what they say? Or go to your public library and check some back issues of Antiques magazine or reference books?