SORMANI, Paul

(b. 1817 Venezia, d. 1877 Paris)

French cabinet-maker, born in Venice. He set up in Paris by the middle of 19th century. He specialized in creating furniture and works of art mainly in Louis XV and Louis XVI styles. He exhibited at many Expositions Universelles, among which Paris in 1855 where he was awarded a first class medal, London in 1862 where he received another medal and in Paris in 1867. Everyone agreed that his creations revealed the highest standards of quality.

In 1867, he moved to 10, rue Charlot, where he met a great success until his death in 1877. When Sormani passed away, his son, Paul-Charles (b. 1848) took over his father’s business alongside his mother, Ursule-Marie Philippine, hence the company’s name change to Sormani Veuve Paul et Fils. In 1914 Paul Charles Sormani formed a partnership with Thiebault Freres, and the firm was moved to 134, Boulevard Haussmann, where it remained until its closure in 1934. The furniture production was of the highest quality in the style of Louis XV and Louis XVI.

Dressing Table

This Louis XVI style gilt bronze mounted mahogany and satinwood parquetry dressing table, or coiffeuse, has very fine and feminine proportions with its winged sirens holding the mirror aloft. It would have been placed in a bedroom or dressing room and would also have been used as a writing table.

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Pair of Mahogany and Lacquer Panel Commodes

The gold red lacquer panels of the Louis XVI style commodes present a decoration of landscape with hinds and herons.They have opening with three drawers, one apron and two big without rails and rest on fineness four fluted feet. The top is fill blue grey marble.

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Trellis Parquetry (Régulateur de Parquet)

This R�gence style gilt bronze mounted kingwood and satin� trellis parquetry r�gulateur de parquet was made in the last quarter of the 19th-century in Paris after the celebrated model by Charles Cressent. It is surmounted by an allegorical figure of Chronos.

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