A Magnificent Pair of Fauteuils Made And Signed by Jacob Freres

Dimensions: H: 38 in / 96 cm W: 26 in / 66 cm D: 21 in / 53 cm Constructed in mahogany, the front arms being carved with Pharonic figures, capped by orbs, with a bronze divider, undulating down to pied de griffe feet; the padded arms having elegantly stiff carved lotus leaf decoration, conjoining the square section back: the toprails having very fine mercury gilt bronze mounts, retaining the original dusty gold ormolu finish; anthemions flanking a Palmyran sunburst with trims issuing therefrom; drawn from plate 29, the design of an armchair drawn by Percier and Fontaine (qv). Upholstered backs and arms, the seats having squab cushions. Signed to the front of the frames ‘ Jacob Freres, Rue Meslee’. A similar armchair is illustrated by Denise Ledoux LeBard, in her ‘Dictionary of Nineteenth Century Cabinet Makers’.
France, Made between 1796 and 1803.

Artist Biography: The Jacob dynasty began in 1765, with Georges Jacob (1739-1796), a native of Burgundy supplying furniture to Louis XVth at the young age of 26. Two of his three sons entered the family business, Georges and Francois- Honore Georges. Jacob Senior retired in 1796, at which point the furniture was stamped ‘Jacob Freres Rue Meslee’ until the death of Georges Junior in 1803. The business continued until 1847, having counted Louis XV1th, Napoleon and Josephine Buonaparte, Charles Dix, and Louis Phillipe among its’ notable clientele. Their work may be seen in the Elysee Palace, Museum of Decorative Arts, Paris, Compiegne, Fontainbleau, The Louvre Museum, and the Chateau Malmaison, inter alia. The great strengths of the company were their ability to read the zeitgeist of the period, and be on the leading edge of design, drawing inspiration from the foremost arbiters of taste; Percier and Fontaine, and the artist David were amongst their sources, and, importantly, the quality of their choice of materials, and the superb execution of every object they made.