Artmink

French Louis XV Revival Painted Beech Bergères à la Reine (Pair) with Aubusson-Style Upholstery

By: Unknown (typical Parisian or provincial atelier)

Style: Louis XV Revival (19th-century French)

Origin: France

Materials: Painted and gilt beechwood frames; wool tapestry (Aubusson-style) upholstery; webbing/springs; feather or fiber-filled cushions

Age: Circa 1880–1900

Condition: Very good (stable frames with expected paint wear; upholstery shows fading and use; not professionally evaluated)

Value: $1,500–3,000 (pair, auction)

Maker's Marks / Writing: None observed in the photos.

Date: 2025-10-14 01:45:41.881220

Description:

A matched pair of large upholstered bergères à la reine in the Louis XV revival taste. Each with a molded, painted and gilt-accented beechwood frame, cartouche cresting, serpentine apron with shell-and-scroll carving, and cabriole legs ending in scrolled toes. Upholstered overall in floral Aubusson-style tapestry with loose squab cushions and padded armrests (manchettes). The generous proportions and uniform machine-woven tapestry suggest late 19th–early 20th century French production rather than 18th-century period work.

Curator Questions

Curated by Jade

Assessment:

Handsome and decorative Louis XV revival bergères of good quality, likely late 19th century French work with later (20th c.) tapestry reupholstery. Carving is crisp but regular, with uniform profiles and a painted finish that reads as later or refreshed—consistent with Belle Époque/Third Republic production rather than mid-18th-century period chairs. A word about fakes.. Louis XV seating is heavily reproduced; many 20th-century frames are distressed to appear older. Fakery check: the even symmetry of carving, consistent edge wear to the paint rather than deep hand-wear, and the machine-woven look of the tapestry point away from 1745–1760 period frames. Absence of visible pegged joints, maker’s stamps, or pronounced shrinkage cracks further supports a revival date. As decorative antique seating, they present well and should appeal at auction, though value is moderated by the later upholstery and general market softness for upholstered French revival furniture.

Individual Images:

• Two angles show: 1) carved cartouche cresting and floral shell to seat rail; carving is crisp and regular
• with rubbed gilding at high points—typical of painted-and-gilt revival finishes. 2) Cabriole legs with scroll toes and acanthus knees; paint wear concentrated on edges suggests later decorative finish rather than original 18th-century patina. 3) Loose cushions and matching manchettes covered in floral tapestry; pattern repeat and texture read as machine-woven
• likely mid-20th-century reupholstery. No visible maker’s stamps to seat rails; underside
• corner blocks
• and joinery are not shown
• limiting further assessment.

Provenance:

No provenance provided.

Condition:

Very good (stable frames with expected paint wear; upholstery shows fading and use; not professionally evaluated)

Identification Score: 92%

Form, carving vocabulary (shell-and-scroll apron, cabriole legs, cartouche crest), painted beech construction, and tapestry upholstery strongly indicate French Louis XV revival bergères; multiple viewpoints confirm the pair and details.

Authenticity Score: 70%

Authentic late-19th-century French revival chairs appear likely; however, the uniform carving, refreshed painted surface, and tapestry suggest non-period (not 18th c.) manufacture. Without underside/joint inspection, exact dating within 1880–1900 remains probabilistic.

Image Memory Note

None     None

Keywords

France, French, Louis XV revival, bergère, fauteuil, painted beech, Aubusson-style, 19th century, pair, antique chairs

Report ID:  : h3rcq4

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