Tall unit, attributed to Georges Alphonse Bonifacio MONBRO ( - Lot 286

Tall unit, attributed to Georges Alphonse Bonifacio MONBRO (1807-1884) oak frame, ebony veneer, blackened wood, brass, ornamentation of chased and gilded bronzes, marquetry panel of hard stones such as carnelian, white marble, yellow Sienna marble, serpentine. The belt is underlined by friezes of ovals, acanthus leaves and garlands. It opens with a leaf centered on a bouquet of polychrome hardstone flowers in a double frame of baguettes, spandrels decorated with flowering stems and fruit. The pilaster jambs are adorned with busts of fauns in cuirassed terms terminating in foliate fleurons. The concave sides feature attributes of Music. The plinth base is encircled by a frieze of water leaves and a mascaron. Louis XIV style, Napoleon III period, circa 1860 H. 115 cm - W. 122 cm - D. 43 cm (crack on the top, cherry missing, small chips) Comparative sales Artcurial Paris, lot N° 286 - July 13, 2021 Christie's Paris, lot N° 597 - April 23, 2013. Son of Georges Marie Paul Vital Bonifacio Monbro (Malta 1774-Paris 1841), a cabinetmaker and antique dealer whose business he took over in 1838 under the name Monbro aîné. He opened a branch in London around 1850, which remained open until 1870.