Bombe Chest with Floral Marquetry and Marble Top | Louis XV Style | First Half of the 20th Century

• Structurally reviewed
• Adjusted and reinforced where necessary
• Treated against wood-boring insects and free from woodworm
• Furniture ready for use

A true French commode has three elements that cannot be reproduced by industrial machinery: floral marquetry cut and assembled by hand, an authentic marble top, and fire-gilded bronzes on the wood. When these three elements come together in a single piece, you are looking at what was made for two centuries in the cabinetmaking workshops of Paris, Lyon, and northern Italy. What contemporary catalogs try to replicate with molded MDF, artificial marble, and spray gilding, and never achieve.

This commode dates from the first half of the 20th century, a reinterpretation of the French Louis XV style that was made in European cabinetmaking workshops when traditional techniques were still maintained. The craftsmanship is far superior to any current industrial reproduction.

The floral marquetry covers the front and sides. On the two drawers, a symmetrical composition of branches, leaves, and floral bouquets extends from end to end, crossing the separation line between drawers as if it were a single continuous piece. On each side, a complete bouquet with ribbon, tied at the feet - the classic motif of French Rococo. All cut from lime, sycamore, and rosewood veneers, assembled piece by piece on a herringbone background.

The gilded bronzes (ormolu) are original: two main handles, upper corner mounts, lower corner mounts that continue to form the sabots of the feet, central cartouche of the apron, and rocaille keyholes on the front. All fire-gilded on solid bronze, with the aged patina acquired over the years, not from sanding.

The top is made of original veined yellow marble, cut to follow the sinuous shape of the bombé body. It is authentic marble, not agglomerate: it is heavy, resistant, does not stain with liquids, and develops its own history with use. If you have ever seen a French commode with a painted board top to imitate marble - and there are many - you know it doesn't look like this.

The structure is bombé: the front curves outwards, the sides also, the cabriole legs end up drawing a continuous line from the apron to the floor. No flat planes in the entire piece. It is the characteristic shape of French Rococo and virtually impossible to reproduce with current industrial machinery.

It measures 121 cm wide, 52 cm deep, and 85 cm high. Its dimensions make it versatile: it works as a focal piece in a hallway (the usual place), as an auxiliary piece of furniture in a spacious living room, as a marriage commode in a master bedroom, or as a transitional piece between a dining room and an open living room. The two large drawers offer real storage capacity.

Very good condition. The marquetry may show slight marks typical of a piece almost a century old - these are part of its authenticity. The bronzes retain their gilding and patina. The marble shows no restorations. The drawers slide correctly, the locks work.

A unique piece. There will not be another like it.

── WHAT WE LIKE MOST ABOUT THIS PIECE ──

→ The continuous marquetry on the front. The design of leaves and flowers crosses the separation between the two drawers as if it were a single surface. It is a detail of the marqueter: cutting and assembling the veneers so that the image is coherent when the commode is closed.

→ The veined yellow marble top. Custom cut following every curve of the bombé body. It is not a rectangular slab placed on top; it is marble cut and polished for this specific piece.

→ The bronzes on the feet (sabots). The upper corner mount, the lower corner mount, and the sabot of the foot are a single continuous piece of fire-gilded bronze. A detail of high-end cabinetmaking that the current market has abandoned due to cost.

── RESTORED IN OUR WORKSHOP IN NAVALCARNERO, MADRID ──

In the workshop, we checked the entire structure, the locks, and the slides of the two drawers. We treated the wood against wood-boring insects. The marquetry was checked piece by piece to ensure no veneers were lifted. The bronzes were cleaned by hand without altering the patina. The marble top was checked and properly seated on the body.

The piece arrives ready to enter a home.

A piece selected and restored by Antique Arte y Decoración — specialized since 2015 in antique furniture, with its own workshop in Navalcarnero, 30 minutes from Madrid, and more than 3,500 families throughout Spain.

Style: Reinterpretation of French Louis XV / Rococo
Material: Solid wood with marquetry veneers in lemonwood, sycamore, and rosewood
Technique: Hand-cut and assembled floral marquetry on front and sides, herringbone grain with quartered panels
Top: Authentic yellow veined marble cut to follow the bombé shape of the body
Bronzes: Original ormolu (fire-gilded bronze) with two handles, upper corner mounts, continuous lower corner mounts extending to the sabots of the feet, central apron cartouche, and rocaille keyholes
Structure: Bombé body with curved front and sides, two large drawers, four cabriole legs
Finish: Original polished varnish preserved
Dimensions: 121 cm (Width) × 52 cm (Depth) × 85 cm (Height)
Weight: 60 kg
Condition: Very good. The marquetry may show slight marks characteristic of a piece nearly a century old — part of its authenticity
Period: First half of the 20th century

121 cm (Width) × 52 cm (Depth) × 85 cm (Height)

Free shipping to the peninsula. Includes indoor delivery with packaging removal. The chest of drawers is shipped with special custom packaging due to the marble top and marquetry, handled by companies specializing in valuable antique furniture with insurance throughout the journey.