BY GUSTAVE-FREDERIC QUIGNON, RETAILED BY MAISON BAILLY, PARIS, CIRCA 1900

Gustave-Frédéric Quignon took over the firm established by his father, Napoléon, circa 1849 and upon the latter's death continued from 1874 on under the name of 'Quignon Fils et Cie.' Quignon notably diversified the company's production, exhibited at the principal international exhibitions and supplied furniture to the Mobilier national. He was awarded a gold medal at the Paris 1878 Exposition Universelle where the firm's wares were lauded for 'la beauté de l'exécution' (D. Ledoux-Lebard Le mobilier Français du XIXe siècle, Paris, 2000, p. 538). Here the ébéniste emulates the iconic marquetry designs of André-Charles Boulle and most specifically the master’s celebrated armoire, circa 1700, set with splendid panels depicting flower-filled urns, birds and insects. The original armoire entered the permanent collection at the Louvre from the Mobilier National in 1870 (D. Alcouffe et al., Furniture Collections in the Louvre, Vol. 1, Dijon, 1993, p. 71, inv. OA5516).