Antique French Louis XV / Louis XVI Transitional Marquetry Jardinière (19th Century)

A beautifully crafted 19th-century French jardinière, shaped in a gentle bombe curve and dressed in fine diamond-pattern marquetry veneers. The piece reflects the transitional vocabulary between the Louis XV and Louis XVI revival styles, popular in France during the Napoleon III period (circa 1860–1880).

The body is framed with cast bronze mounts, including delicate corner fittings and small ornamental handles, all resting on classic toupie feet. Along the top runs a pierced metal galleried rim, originally intended to secure a tin or zinc liner for floral displays. The lower edge is finished with tiny brass nailhead beading above an ebonized plinth — a detail characteristic of refined 19th-century French decorative work.

Created as an interior accent for a salon or writing room, this jardinière was designed to hold orchids, hyacinths, or arranged cut flowers, adding color and fragrance to a room while showcasing the artisan’s skill in marquetry and metalwork. Its elegant curvature, warm veneers, and restrained gilded accents make it a graceful example of French decorative arts from the latter half of the 1800s.