Henry Dasson

Secretary with painted medallions, stamped Henry Dasson France Circa 1880 Stamped Henry Dasson Amboyna burl, Rosewood, Gilt bronze, Spanish Brocatelle marble Height 138 cm; Width: 95 cm; Depth: 40.5 cm Beautiful Louis XVI-style secretary in burr ambony and rosewood, decorated on the front and sides with painted medallions depicting mythological scenes. Mahogany interior. Beautiful ornamentation of chased and gilded bronzes. Brocatelle d'Espagne" marble. Inspired by 18th-century models made by Adam Weisweiler. Biography : A cabinetmaker and bronzemaker based at n°106 rue Vieille-du-Temple in Paris, Henry Dasson produced sumptuous copies of 18th-century royal furniture and a number of similarly inspired creations. His furniture and objets d'art were adorned with the finest bronzes, gilded with mercury. After his death in 1871, Dasson bought the workshop of the famous Parisian cabinetmaker Charles Winckelsen, and produced mainly in the Rocaille and Neoclassical styles. He participated brilliantly in various World's Fairs, such as the one in Paris in 1878, where he was particularly noticed by the jury for exhibiting a copy of the famous Louis XV desk (original preserved at the Château de Versailles) admired for its great delicacy, as well as decorative objects and a Louis XVI-style table, made entirely of bronze and considered "a masterpiece of chasing". At the 1889 Exposition Universelle, Dasson was awarded a grand prize for his furniture, which was judged to be admirable. Dasson's reputation was virtually unchallenged. He ceased to practice in 1894. Adam Weisweiler (1744-1820) was awarded the title of Master Cabinetmaker on March 26, 1778. He established himself on rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine in Paris. Weisweiler was one of the great masters of the Louis XVI style. Of German origin, he is thought to have trained in the Roentgen workshop. He came to France before 1777, the date of his marriage in the capital. He worked mainly for marchand-merciers such as Daguerre, who sold Weisweiler's work to Queen Marie-Antoinette. A master of technical skill, he developed a highly personal style, playing with different materials such as pietra-dura, lacquer and Sèvres porcelain plates. Unlike most cabinetmakers, the Revolution had no effect on his production; Weisweiler worked for Queen Hortense during the Empire. Much of Weisweiler's work can be found in public collections such as the Musée du Louvre, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.