19th Century French Renaissance Revival Hunt Bookcase

19th Century French Renaissance Revival Hunt Bookcase is a masterpiece of both the furniture crafter's and the sculptor's art!  The broad, arched multi-tiered crown overlooks the workmanship, starting with a bonnet that is lavished with grapevine motif in bas relief and centered with a grape leaf and grape cluster in full relief.  Flanking the bonnet are elegant corbels facing both forwards and to each side, underneath which appear clockwise & counter-clockwise barley twist columns topped with Corinthian capitals both serving as cornerposts.  They in turn flank the two glazed doors, the tops of which follow the arched contours of the bonnet, and the frameworks of which are festooned with egg & dart, laurel and acanthus rosettes.  The doors open to reveal three original adjustable shelves with carved front edging.  A modest surface separates the top and bottom tier, so one can access a book and peruse it quickly while resting on the surface for convenience.  Underneath the surface are two drawers, also carved with grapevine motif where the vines protrude out enough from the facade to form the drawer pulls.  Flanking and centered between the drawers are full relief rosettes, including a pair facing the sides.  Underneath the rosettes, another brace of foreshortened barley twist columns with Corinthian capitals which rest on the multi-tiered, boldly formed base.  Between those columns appear two magnificent works of art.  Each represents the results of a successful hunt, with duck on the left surrounded by marsh foliage, and a snipe on the right surrounded by grapevine and a French horn.  Both compositions are also framed by the same carved treatment that appears on the upper doors.  Truly a magnificent work of art that one can admire for years to come!
Circa 1850s
Measures 103H x 57W x 22D