Oliver Cornish
Sale Coordinator for Furniture, Sculpture, Rugs & Tapestries
Lot 77TP
A French late 19th century ormolu mounted mahogany table a écrire by Paul Sormani (1817-1877) Circa 1875
3 December 2025, 13:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£2,500 - £4,000
Ask about this lot
Thomas Moore
Head of Department
A French late 19th century ormolu mounted mahogany table a écrire by Paul Sormani (1817-1877)
Circa 1875
The rectangular gilt tooled leather inset top with an ovolo moulded and mille raie mounted edge, above a beaded panel mounted frieze incorporating one long mahogany lined drawer, the front and reverse each with an opposing central projecting tablet mounted with flowerhead-inset scrolled acanthus, foliate and honeysuckle trails with a central ribbon-tied pair of entwined cornucopaie of assorted fruit and flowers flanking a Ceres mask, with engine turned panel mounted angles, on fluted tapering legs each headed by an egg-and-dart, spiral fluted, mille raie and foliate cast capital mount, on beaded and engine turned sabots, the lockplate engraved: 'P. SORMANI, PARIS, 10 r. Charlot', 85cm wide x 55.5cm deep x 74cm high, (33in wide x 21 1/2in deep x 29in high)
The rectangular gilt tooled leather inset top with an ovolo moulded and mille raie mounted edge, above a beaded panel mounted frieze incorporating one long mahogany lined drawer, the front and reverse each with an opposing central projecting tablet mounted with flowerhead-inset scrolled acanthus, foliate and honeysuckle trails with a central ribbon-tied pair of entwined cornucopaie of assorted fruit and flowers flanking a Ceres mask, with engine turned panel mounted angles, on fluted tapering legs each headed by an egg-and-dart, spiral fluted, mille raie and foliate cast capital mount, on beaded and engine turned sabots, the lockplate engraved: 'P. SORMANI, PARIS, 10 r. Charlot', 85cm wide x 55.5cm deep x 74cm high, (33in wide x 21 1/2in deep x 29in high)
Footnotes
Paul Sormani, who was born in Italy in 1817, was one of the most important cabinet makers of the 19th century. His first gallery and workshop were established in 1847 in Paris and then during the 1860s the Sormani business is recorded as being located at 10 rue Charlot. Following Paul's death in 1877, they operated under the direction of his widow, Ursule-Marie-Philippine, and his son, Paul-Charles. Finally in the 1900s the firm re-located to Boulevard Haussman.
Sormani, whose output comprised furniture made in a variety of styles, specialised in the production of Louis XV and Louis XVI revival pieces which include a number of exceptional examples. His workshop even advertised itself in the following manner: 'toute sa production revèle une qualité d'éxecution de toute première ordre.' The Sormani firm exhibited at all the major exhibitions of the 19th century, winning medals in 1849, 1855, 1862, 1867, 1878, 1889 and 1900. Of particular note Sormani received a medal of première classe at the Exposition Universelle in 1855, followed by another at the 1862 exhibition in London.
Literature
C. Payne, European Furniture of the 19th Century, 2013, Suffolk, pp.'s 44-5.
C. Mestdagh, L'Ameublement d'Art Francais, 1850-1900, 2010, Paris, pp.'s 296-299.