A sideboard,

so-called 'console dessert”, France, c. 1880, signed and dated Henry DASSON, 1881, high-quality oak frame, veneered with tulipwood and mahogany, decorated with ornamental marquetry panels with diverse precious woods, polished finish in traditional artisanal technique, rounded sides, two compartments, one drawer, fine quality gilded bronze fittings and top edging, moulded marble top, 102 x 130 x 47.5 cm, in beautiful professionally restored condition. (MIN)

The present item is subject to conservation legislation (ASB)

Henry Dasson (1825–1896) was the foremost cabinetmaker and bronzier in France during the nineteenth century. He began his career as a sculptor, and the bronzes produced in his workshop display a level of quality equalled only by Alfred Beurdeley and François Linke. In 1871 he took over the manufactory, together with all the casters and chasers, of Charles-Guillaume Winckelsen, the leading ébéniste of the Napoléon III period. Dasson participated with great success in the Paris Universal Exhibitions of 1878 and 1889, and his production achieved worldwide renown. His workshop was closed in 1894; his drawings, moulds, and reproduction rights were sold at auction to the foremost cabinetmakers of the time, including Linke, Beurdeley, Zwiener, and Sormani.

Lit.:
Denise Ledoux-Lebard, Le Mobilier Français du XIX siecle, pp. 146–151.