Viebahn Fine Arts

The slender secretaire on an unusual high stand with four curved legs dived into quarters, the frame with a central inlaid palmette motif. The fall down writing flap, enclosing a fitted interior with numerous drawers, above and below are two doors enclosing one shelf. The top of the secretaire in form of a classical triangular pediment, the center of which is decorated with an inlaid stylized anthemion. The entire front is very plain and geometrical, divided into six panels inlaid with rectangular fields in light wood. The design of this mahogany secretaire is based on classical Roman and Greek models, in this case the bookcases that were portrayed on frescoes, reliefs and Roman gold glass. As secretaires were not known in Antiquity, Abildgaard designed his secretaire as a cupboard though in such a way, that the two centre doors are actually a fall front writing top. The carved turned underframe is inspired by Etruscan footstools, which were known especially from reliefs and had been reproduced in contemporary prints. Abildgaard designed this piece of furniture far more in accordance with ancient tradition than did the other furniture designer of the day. The most important (and avantgarde) piece of the furniture Abildgaard designed in the first decade of the 19th century, is this secretaire, which marks a real renewal in relation to the secretaires that constituted the master's test for the members of the guild of cabinetmakers at this time. Compared with these, this secretaire is a very light piece of furniture that does not follow the contemporary fashion towards classical architectural decorations such as columns, pillars, architraves, etc. which often endow such pieces. Nicolai Abraham Abildgaard (11 September 1743 – 4 June 1809) was a leading Danish Neoclassical painter who also designed (mostly for his own use) elegant Grecian furniture...

Very fine and extraordinary North-Italian console table of large proportions with a beautiful marble top (Brèche Médicis). The entire console table is richly decorated with classicis...

Despite his long life, very little is known about the general production of menuisier (chairmaker) Jean-Joseph Chapuis and even less about his use of bent laminates, which must be viewed as the most advanced of its kind until the appearance of Michael Thonet’s work of the 1830s. The profound reverence for the classical world in enlightened circles in early nine-teenth-century Europe and the United States often resulted in the archaeological resurrection of the art, architecture, and design of ancient Greece and Rome. No chair employing the innovative technique of bending wood more boldly expresses this allegiance to the past than this armchair painted in le style antique and based on the ancient Roman sella curulis (folding stool); With a curved toprail decorated with putti supporting a medaillion and flanked by scrolling acanthus, the arms with ball finials, above a caned seat, on curved supports terminating in foliate gilt-metal sabots. This merger of technological innovation with fashionable aesthetics parallels the work of the American Samuel Gragg...

Very decorative Swedish longcase clock from the Gustavian period painted in a cream white with giltwood decoration. The dial is signed by the St...

Very decorative and fine rococo longcase clock by the renowned clockmaker Petter Södermann Stockholm (1740-1813). Finely carved case with scroll and shellwork gilded and painted in a...

Very attractive small and narrow, cubist-style hallway sideboard from the 1940’s. It has an unusual door that opens at the corner. The body of this moder...

Robert Mallet-Stevens (1886-1945) came from an art-loving family and was one of the most influential French avant-garde architects and designers. He met very early on René Herbst and...

Perfectly proportioned small French Art Deco living room cabinet/ bar cabinet made of mahogany and leather veneer with the best craftsmanship and probably designed by Rousseau et Lar...

This exceptionally large and excellently crafted sideboard from France dates from around 1940 and is attributed to the French star designer Jaques Adnet (1900-1984). Although some o...

Very fine and large bronze of a reclining lion. Many details, such as the treatment of the lion’s mane demonstrate the sculptor’s mastery skill, as well as an understanding of the an...

Gilt and patinated bronze. The original movement has been cleaned and revised and is in perfect working condition (runs for around one week). Overall authentic condition with its ori...

Large and very unusual French Empire bookcase in beautifully figured mahogany veneer. Four glazed doors (original glass), interior with original shelves (two on each level allow an adjustment for larger...