BED FRAME. MAHOGANY, WOOD, BRONZE, ETC. QUIGNON FILS. PARIS, FRANCE, CIRCA LAST THIRD 19TH CENTURY.

Bed. Wood (mahogany and rosewood), gilded bronze, metal. QUIGNON FILS. Paris, France, towards the end of the 19th century. Signed on frame. Four-legged bed frame made of different woods, including mahogany, and decorated with mercury-gilded bronze applications. The two side crossbars (enhanced with a bronze wave border and a lower finish of plant motifs), the footboard and the headboard are placed on four truncated cone-shaped legs with bronze elements. The front of the footboard, on the outside, has a decoration that combines woods of different tones and grains with gilded bronze elements: the same waves mentioned above, and a symmetrical composition with two naked female figures (with their lower part made of plant motifs making scrolls) holding an architectural cup with flowers; around them, garlands, birds, and laurel branches, with a geometric frame on the outside, and two twisted column shapes with plant elements on the sides; this part is finished off by a frieze of circular elements with two dice on the sides (a combination also present on the headboard). This one concentrates the decoration on the upper part, as is usual: two columns on the sides, topped by vases; in the centre, a symmetrical composition with a vase among scrolls, flowers, torches, etc.; here a crest stands out with two half-naked putti seated, holding a garland of flowers and flanking a carved dark wooden shield, crowned and with two intertwined letters (M and L). The crown shown is the insignia or headdress representing the noble title of marquis. The maker's mark (or signature) is located in the centre of the lower area of the headboard. It reads “Médalle d'Or 1878 / Quignon Fils / Sculpteur ebeniste / Paris / 83, Boulevard Richard Lenoir, 83”. Frédéric Gustave Quignon, son of Napoléon Quignon, was born in Paris on 7 November 1843. He worked with his father, becoming a partner in the firm in 1872 and then his successor in 1874. At the 1878 World's Fair he won the gold medal (an event reflected in the mark on this piece). They were particularly known and appreciated for the carvings and gilded bronzes on their furniture, making pieces for the Palace of Fontainebleau in 1860 and the Tuileries in 1861, as well as for their pieces inspired by Chinese furniture.

· Size: 174x225x169 cms. int: 161x208 cns