Attributed to la Maison des Bambous
Materials : Sycamore, ivory, bronze and mother-of-pearl
Provenance : France, circa 1890
Dimensions : H : 129cm, L : 152cm, D : 61cm
Piano with an Oriental dragon
This instrument was made in the 19th century from an exotic semi-precious wood characteristic of the company’s achievements: sycamore. Its keys are made of ivory and it is decorated with mother-of-pearl inlays representing Japanese characters. The upper part of the instrument features two arms of gilded bronze lights and represents three Japanese women in a hilly landscape. One of them crosses a bridge and a pagoda is visible in the distance. A few elements of vegetation and a cloud inspired by Japanese ornamental vocabulary bring naturalism to the scene. The lower part represents two men, one of whom stands in front of the embrasure of a building in a landscape similar to that of the upper part. An oriental dragon is inserted between geometric Japanese ornamental elements adorning the two panels. The keyboard is supported by two chimeras and its cover is decorated with an elegant engraved decoration representing a cartouche, flowers and arabesques. The sides of the piano are decorated with reeds and aquatic plants. Finally, the top of the piano evokes the roofs of pagodas.
Large central coffee table
The inspiration of Far-Eastern creations was crucial to the production of this coffee table. Decorated with latticed wood frizzes, clawed feet as well as elements of gilded bronze openwork, this living room piece is of superb quality.
Its circular top is made from a panel inlaid with mother of pearl coming from Tonkin. The reuse of this panel coming from a furniture piece or from a tabletop is proved by the shortening of some decorative motifs. The mother of pearl décor is quite elegant: in a woody and flowery environment, some small pagodas and other Chinese architecture are depicted. In the lower part, a bridge is shown, on which two men and a horseman pass.
In the middle of this scene appears a cursive inscription called the “style of the grass,” artistic writing where the different characters are drawn in a single movement. The writing means: “Collect the flower petals of the plum tree and share their perfume with visitors.” The presence of this inscription proves this panel is a Chinese production
Attributed to la Maison des Bambous from an archives drawing
Materialsx : Sycamore, gilt bronze, mother-of-pearl
Provenance : France, circa 1890
Dimensions : H : 76cm, D : 90cm
Attributed to la Maison des Bambous from a drawing
Material : Sycamore
Provenance : France, circa 1890
Dimensions : H : 113cm
Pair of sellettes with dragons decor
Two large dragons with sinuous bodies make up the central part of these sellettes. Placed so that they are looking at each other, they form a true pair. Their bodies are elaborately carved, the accentuated and tortuous lips and the flat nose are common features of Maison des Bambous. The bodies wind down the sellettes and wind around themselves, finishing with an abundance of curved lines, which make up the flamed dragons’ tails.
Large mirror with dragon
This mirror is adorned with an impressive dragon on its upper part and cherry tree branches on its mounts. The decoration of this mirror is to be put in touch with several drawings from the house’s archives, where we can the same decorative style. easily. Indeed, a drawing of a sink shows a dragon leaning on a curved mirror in the same way as the one in ours. Both dragons, in addition of adopting the same pose thanks to their sinious bodies, lean on their arms with the same attitude.
In the same way, we can notice that the cherry tree branches sculpted in wood on the lower part is also a characteristic of la Maison des Bambous’s mirrors production.
Attributed to la Maison des Bambous from archives drawings
Material : Sycamore
Provenance : France, circa 1890
Dimensions : H : 188cm, L : 147cm
