MILLET À PARIS French center desk table - 19th century

Height x width x depth: 75 x 90 x 52 cm.

elegant Louis XV style center table in rosewood (Dalbergia variabilis) and violet wood (Dalbergia cearensis, Ducke, 1925), signed inside the bronzes Millet à Paris, a well-known French cabinetmaker and bronze artist active in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The piece is embellished with rich, finely chiseled gilded bronzes, including the face of the god Apollo in the center, scrolls, acanthus leaves, and curled uprights. The red leather top is not contemporary.
Maison Millet was founded by Blaise Millet in 1857 and operated until 1902 at 11 Rue Jacques-Coeur in Paris, before moving to 23 Boulevard Beaumarchais. Maison Millet was a highly regarded furniture company, which flourished mainly under the direction of Blaise's son, Théodore, in the 1890s, although it had been exhibited repeatedly before that date. The company was described as a manufacturer of “meuble et bronze d'art, genre ancien et moderne” (antique and modern furniture and bronze art). The company won several awards at exhibitions in London and Paris, such as the gold medal at the 1889 Paris Universal Exhibition, a Grand Prix in 1900, and three other diplomas of honor and four gold medals for its furniture. The company specialized in Louis XV and Louis XVI styles, although it was acclaimed by its contemporaries for its modern style. In March 1902, the company was authorized by the Palace of Versailles to reproduce Marie Antoinette's famous Grand cabinet à bijoux. In 1906, an auction was held to liquidate the remaining stock, and the company ceased operations for good in 1918. Maison Millet was an active client of François Linke.
This lot is accompanied by a technical report issued by Ce.S.Ar. Centro Studi Archeometrici.
Item condition grading: **** good.