Belle Époque Revived at Doyle New York

An auction of extravagant furniture, decorations and paintings from the Belle Époque period will be held February 24.

CIRCA 1900: Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Mounted Amaranth, Satinwood and Sycamore Side Cabinet, Francois Linke. Courtesy of Doyle New York

An upcoming auction showcasing an array of extravagant furniture, decorations and paintings reflecting the lavishness of the Belle Époque period will be held at Doyle’s New York galleries on February 24.

Belle Époque, French for “Beautiful Era,” was a period in European history after the French-German war 1870–1871 and before the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and the beginning of the first world war in 1914. It was a period where peace and affluence flourished among the major powers of Europe. It was also a period where Art Nouveau peaked in popularity and a number of exquisite decorative arts were produced.

Highlighting the sale is an impressive Louis XVI style gilt-bronze mounted parquetry inlaid side cabinet attributed to François Linke (1855–1946), arguably the leading cabinetmaker of the Belle Époque. With a rectangular marble top of break front outline above a conforming case enclosing three frieze drawers the cabinet is decorated with scrolling bacchic vines. Two cupboard doors with floral garlands centering an oval plaque depict an allegorical figure of a sacrifice to Love. (Estimate: $30,000–50,000).

Representing Tiffany Studios is an attractive gilt-bronze and leaded Favrile glass desk lamp in the Venetian pattern, bronze desk accessories, and Favrile art glass, including a Tel el Amarna vase.

Porcelain pieces of interest include a two-handled presentation vase, by a German saxonian porcelain factory, which is painted on one side with a rectangular reserve depicting a landscape with buildings and a river, and on the other side with an oak leaf garland wreath centering an inscription on a square plinth.

The art glass collection offers creations by Gallé, Daum, and Lalique, important names in the first French wave of the Art Nouveau movement who produced colored vases, often in cameo glass, using luster techniques. A notable Gallé piece in the sale is an acid-etched Cameo glass vase decorated with large blossoms and budding branches. With a tapering circular form that continues to a domed disk foot, the piece is sculpted in frosted amber and colorless, and glossy plum-colored glass.

Among the collection of late 19th century paintings are works by Scottish born American landscape and cattle painter William Hart, Belgian artist Philippe Swyncop, French animal artist and engraver Charles Emile Jacque and American Impressionist painter Colin Campbell Cooper.

Additional lots of interest include:

A pair of empire style gilt-bronze and rock crystal obelisks, each decorated with flaming torches, oak wreaths, crossed arrows and ribbons (estimate: $2,000–4,000);

A 27-inch KPM gilt decorated porcelain topographical presentation vase of the 19th century in urn form, with applied griffin-form handles, depicting a landscape with buildings and a river on one side and an oak leaf garland wreath centering an inscription on the other (estimate: $6,000–8,000); as well as,

A Venetian painted side table, also of the 19th century, with a red suede upholstered panel, above a foliate decorated and faux tasseled frieze, raised on fluted square legs joined at the knees by drapery swags and ending in scrolling feet (estimate: $1,000–1,500).

Founded in 1962, Doyle New York is one of the world’s foremost auctioneers and appraisers of fine art, jewelry, furniture, decorations and a variety of other categories. Located in New York City, the global capital of the auction market, Doyle offers approximately forty sales each year that attract a broad base of buyers and consignors from around the world.

The Belle Époque decorative art auction will take place at Doyle’s galleries at 175 East 87th Street, on Wednesday February 24, starting at 10 a.m. Lots will be on exhibit February 20–23.