A true period 18th century Belgian bookcase cabinet in the Country French Regence style, carved by hand from solid oak and crowned by an arched bonnet with a carved shell and foliate cartouche. The oak has been lovingly stripped and sanded by hand, revealing the honeyed grain and the warm patina that only centuries can give. Inside, the original painted finish has softened over time into beautiful weathered tones, a quiet reminder of the generations who opened these doors before.
Bold lattice carving, so beloved in the Regence style, dresses the frieze drawers and frames the arched panels of the lower doors, and carved foliage runs along the canted corners. Glazed doors of antique rolled glass shimmer and ripple in the light, lending a soft glow to books, pottery, and treasured collections displayed within. Small irregularities left by the carver's hand and the old pegged joinery speak to the authenticity and soul of a genuine period piece.
The Regence style traveled from neighboring France into Belgium, where country artisans embraced it with great affection, carving its curves and trellis ornament into the solid oak of their own regions. Treasured by families for generations, such pieces from the 18th century have become increasingly rare and sought after.
In a library, dining room, or country kitchen, the cabinet brings warmth, texture, and a sense of history, equally at home in a classic setting or lending soul to a contemporary interior.
Circa late 1700s
Measures 81H x 56W x 19D
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Available at Inessa Stewart's Antiques, Dallas Design District, Dallas, Texas.