A NAPOLEON III GILT-BRONZE MOUNTED TORTOISESHELL, EBONISED AND BRASS-INLAID MEUBLE D'APPUI

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Prospective purchasers are advised that several co… Read more

A NAPOLEON III GILT-BRONZE MOUNTED TORTOISESHELL, EBONISED AND BRASS-INLAID MEUBLE D'APPUI

BY MATHIEU BEFORT (KNOWN AS BEFORT JEUNE), PARIS, CIRCA 1860, AFTER THE MODEL BY A.C. BOULLE

Details

A NAPOLEON III GILT-BRONZE MOUNTED TORTOISESHELL, EBONISED AND BRASS-INLAID MEUBLE D'APPUI
BY MATHIEU BEFORT (KNOWN AS BEFORT JEUNE), PARIS, CIRCA 1860, AFTER THE MODEL BY A.C. BOULLE
With black slate top, the door mounted with Socrates listening to a philosophy lesson given by the courtesan Aspasia, enclosing an oak interior with support for a shelf, the angles headed by bearded figures, the sides centred by Hercules masks wearing the pelt of the Nemean lion, the carcase stamped six times BEFORT JEUNE
46¾ in. (119 cm.) high; 38½ in. (97 cm.) wide; 17¾ in. (45 cm.) deep

Special notice

Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country. This lot will be removed to an off-site warehouse at the close of business on the day of sale - 2 weeks free storage

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Lot Essay

The door mounts are copied from Boulle's celebrated low armoires, a pair of which are now at Versailles.
Mathieu Befort (1813-1880), known as Befort Jeune, was part of a celebrated dynasty of Parisian cabinetmakers. The Befort firm specialised in top quality 'meubles de Boulle' and won a medal at the 1844 Exposition des Produits de l'Industrie Française.

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