A fine set of seven chairs with openwork backs.

Crafted from moulded and carved wood, re-lacquered in cream and re-stained green, this beautiful Directoire-period set boasts the very rare distinction of having a prestigious provenance.

The numerous marks it bears – labels and inventory numbers – bear witness to its long history within the royal and imperial collections.

We can see brands made with a branding iron and a hot iron reading ‘Pls des TUILES’ (Palais des Tuileries), three fleurs-de-lis in an oval, ‘TH’, ‘CP’ beneath a crown (Château de Compiègne), and stencilled marks including C8357, 38059, 8557, 1342, as well as labels reading ‘Des Tuileries OFers Salle à manger’, ‘Château des Tuileries 1829’ and ‘Palais Impérial des Tuileries’.

All these marks attest to an inventory record confirming a prestigious provenance.

In particular, we know that they were part of the collections at the Tuileries Palace during the first third of the 19th century, and were subsequently mentioned in the 1855 inventory of the Château de Compiègne (8357) in the National Archives (AJ/19/1112 to 1124), which describes them as follows:

“Six walnut chairs, with square legs, plank backs, horsehair-padded seats, green morocco leather upholstery, and gilded braid and studs.”

They were placed in the dining room of the palace adjutant’s quarters, on the second floor (No. 1-143, staircase E).



Five chairs were added to the collections on 7 December 1880, completing the history of this exceptional set.
The straight, rectangular backs are openwork at the sides and in the centre of an oval medallion, adorned with a central panel featuring a design of stylised green leafy branches, framed by a green border.
The seats, upholstered in period green studded leather, rest on a moulded belt adorned with green rosettes, with connecting blocks. They are supported by front legs with sheathed legs and arched spandrels finished in a rounded shape, and by sabre-shaped rear legs.
The backrest frame, moulded band, connecting blocks and arches are all edged with green trim.
This rather rare and highly refined model exudes understated elegance.
The lines are straight, architectural and refined, appearing to break away from the Louis XVI style to mark the beginning of Neoclassicism.
Their inclusion in official inventories, combined with the numerous original marks, lends them a museum-quality character and a rare heritage value.