Description An Exceptional Louis XV Style French Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany Commode by Joseph-D?_D?_mmanuel Zwiener, Paris, circa 1885, the bronzes designed by LD?_Dμ??on MessagD?_Dμ??. With original marble top, the bombe shaped commode fitted with three long drawers, one chute has been removed to reveal the mark ZN from the bronze master model. Exceptional quality. Very gorgeous commode. 37"" high x 62"" wide x 24"" deep Joseph Emmanuel Zwiener was born in Heidau, Snesia, circa 1848 and died in 1925 and was one of the leading furniture makers of the end of the nineteenth century. At that point, the Paris workshop appears to have been taken over by another important emigre and ebiniste Francois Linke. It is thought that the sculptor Leon Message who originally worked with Zwiener may have transferred to Linkea?°D?D?D?D?D?_s workshop when Zwiener ceased trading in Paris in 1895. Zwiener almost certainly employed FranD?_Dμ_ois Linke, who was six years younger and a fellow German-speaker. The Pankraz Gedenkbuch mentions Linke as ""working in Paris with a German master. In 1895 his Paris workshop was taken over by the important D?_Dμ??migrD?_Dμ?? and D?_Dμ??bD?_Dμ??niste, FranD?_Dμ_ois Linke. Christopher Payne, in his book on Linke, speculates that Linke may have worked for Zwiener when he first arrived in Paris in 1875. Linke is known to have also taken on Zwiener's sculptor LD?_Dμ??on MessagD?_Dμ??. For this reason many of Zwiener's pieces have often been mistakenly attributed to Linke. The high quality of the ebenisterie and the gilt-bronze mounts are characteristic of Zwienera?°D?D?D?D?D?_s work. As Mesange worked for Linke and Zwiener in the same style, many of Zwienera?°D?D?D?D?D?_s pieces have been attributed to Linke. In order to differentiate commissions, the bronzes were often marked on the reverse side with the makera?°D?D?D?D?D?_s initials. In 1889, the firm won a gold medal at the Exposition Universelle for a Jewel Cabinet. The jury noted a?°D?D?D?D?D?_es ses debuts a une Exposition Universelle (il) sa?°D?D?D?D?D?_est mis au premier rang par la richesse et le fini de ses meubles incrustes de bronze et fort habilement marquestesa?°D?D?D?D?D?ò?. In 1898, Julius Zwiener was commissioned to make an important bedroom suite for Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Condition Report Good