A decorative giltwood side chair made in France during the Napoleon III period, drawing on Louis XVI vocabulary — fluted, tapered front legs and an overall neoclassical silhouette — while layering in the more exuberant turned and carved detailing typical of mid-to-late 19th-century French eclecticism. The tall back is fitted with a gallery of tightly spiral-turned (barley-twist) spindles between bobbin-turned uprights, capped by an arcaded, scroll-carved giltwood rail and a plush, tufted bolster crest shaped for comfort. The generously proportioned seat retains its original striped silk-and-chenille jacquard upholstery, woven with a floral vine motif in burgundy and gold tones, and is trimmed along the seat rail with a giltwood bead molding. The chair rolls on its original brass and ceramic casters, a detail that helps date the piece to the second half of the 19th century.
The tall, cushioned back rail — designed for a sitter to rest folded arms on while facing the chair backward — recalls the form of an 18th-century French voyeuse or ponteuse, the low chair used by spectators at card tables, reimagined here in a more decorative Victorian-era idiom.
Condition: gilding shows attractive wear consistent with age; upholstery shows some soiling and minor fraying at the front seat rail (visible in photos) and would benefit from reupholstery, though it is presentable as-is for a layered, collected interior.
Dimensions:
Height: 32 in (81.28 cm)
Width: 21 in (53.34 cm)
Depth: 21 in (53.34 cm)
Seat Height: 17 in (43.18 cm)
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. This chair is in fabulous condition considering it's age and use. There is some slight fraying to the upholstery and some scuffs to the gilt.
