French Restoration Furniture

Antiques on Old Plank Road is selling an outstanding antique French Restauration 3 Drawer Commode. The 3 drawer chest features lovely black paw feet complete with exquisite lion's head pulls accompaning the three drawers and an elegant marble that sits on the top. The superb craftsmanship shines as you can see the expert inlay and applied brass trimmings. The French Restauration Period is a softer version of the Empire style which came into vogue in the early 19th century in France. While cabinetmakers continued to employ the strong geometrical patterns of the Empire period they also added a some amount of whimsy and fantasy in their designs. Musical instruments were carved into the legs of small tables and desks. Woods were lighter in both color and density and the art of marquetry returned with decorative flowers, garlands and rosettes, and detailing that highlighted the architecture and geometry of furniture.   These styles are associated with the reigns of Louis XVIII and Charles X.  At the beginning of the Restauration period, under Louis XVIII, furniture was designed still mostly in the Empire style with the difference that the symbols used during the reign of Napoleon I were no longer used for obvious reasons.  Antiques on Old Plank Road has this commode priced at $19,800