19th Century French Gothic Hall Bench ~ Caquetoire

Price: $3,980

19th Century French Gothic Hall Bench ~ Caquetoire is a celebration of the style, rendered from beautiful walnut and commanding a stately presence regardless of its diminutive size!  Such items were frequently designed as special seats for visiting dignitaries to the myriad of churches that are ubiquitous in France.  Bishops, esteemed clergymen and sometimes even cardinals would use it as a place of honor during mass and other celebrations.  Also popular in affluent private residences, they make great hallway, entryway and stairwell landing seats, providing not only a convenient respite, but storage within the casework under the seat, accessed by opening the seat like a trunk.  This splendid example is lavished with hand-carved excellence in a revival of the oldest official French style, the Gothic manner, founded in the middle of the 12th century in St. Denis.  The seatback crown is carved with triple foliate and scoll motifs referencing the Holy Trinity.  A spiral motif spans the width between the cornerposts, which connect to the molded armrests that surround the aforementioned lift-up seat.  As a backdrop to the seat, two graciously carved panels further explore the Gothic style with geometric forms centered with four-pointed floral rosettes.  Two more similarly situated panels appear on the front below the seat, but each with unique carved designs, all celebrating the style, and surrounded by more spiral motifs above and below, accented by turned half-columns on each corner and at the center.  Truly an amazing amount of character in such a relatively small work of the cabinetmaker's art!
Circa 1860s
Measures 40.5H x 32W x 17D; seat 18H