Centre table - Wood, Porcelain

Oval coffee/sofa table in Napoleonic III style – France, late 19th / early 20th century

Elegant French Napoleonic III-style oval coffee table or bedside table, dating from the late 19th to the early 20th century. The oval silhouette is enhanced by delicate geometric marquetry and inlays in contrasting woods, highlighted by the warm tone of the timber and the refined grain arrangement.

The top is crowned by a pierced bronze gallery, a distinctive element of French cabinetmaking with refined taste, while the central body features a practical retractable drawer lined in leather decorated in gold, ideal as a writing surface or occasional support. The front is further enriched by a hand-painted porcelain plaque with a gallant scene, encased in a chased bronze mount. Decorative bronze applications and figurative motifs embellish the uprights, giving the piece notable ornamental quality.

The slender, scroll-form legs support an elegant lower circular shelf in radial veneer, completing a harmonious and highly charming composition. A piece of high decorative value and excellent craftsmanship, suitable as a small coffee table, living-room table, or elegant bedroom nightstand. It preserves a pleasant patina of the era and signs of wear consistent with the age of the article.