a beautiful French ormolu mounted Japanese lacquer encrier / inkwell, attributed to Maison Millet
MEASUREMENTS:
5.75"H x 10" W x 10.75" D
17 cm. H x 25.5 cm W x 24 cm. D
The bronzes are attributed to Maison Millet, retailed by Escalier De Cristal, circa 1880
The Lacquer Meiji Period (1868-1912)
The underside applied with a paper retailer's label Escalier de Crystal / 6, Rue Scribe / Rue Auber, 1
Maison Millet (French, FL. 1853-1918) was a French furniture-making house that operated in the last half of the 19th century, and especially flourished during the period known as the Belle Epoque in France. It made furniture both in emerging modern styles like Art Nouveau, as well as in the more classic 18th century Louis XV and Louis XVI styles, and in many cases blended a number of different styles to create their own unique pieces. The firm was founded by Theodore Millet in 1853. They specialized not only in antique furniture but also in bronze sculptures, vases and other decorative pieces from their workshop in Paris. The firm was so highly regarded that in 1902 the Palace of Versailles commissioned them to replicate Marie Antoinette's famous Armoire à Bijoux. They also made a number of designs for the master maker of the period, Francois Linke.
