Chest Of Drawers Stamped E. Doirat Paris, Regency Period, Circa 1725.

Beautiful and interesting chest of drawers with a curved front, opening with four drawers in three rows: two juxtaposed drawers at the top and two large drawers below. The front is decorated with amaranth frills forming rectangular cartouches surrounded by flowerbeds, while the sides feature a diamond pattern, an arrangement characteristic of the master's decorative research. Each drawer front is decorated with falling handles on rosettes and keyholes in chased and gilded bronze, separated by dark crosspieces of copper channels. The rounded front uprights are highlighted with three copper flutes and end with bronze falls. The lower crosspiece is straight, without an apron, marking the sober elegance of the Regency. The top is topped with a Royal Red marble from Belgium, molded with a corbin beak around its edge. This original marble was formerly broken then restored by broaching; a discreet restoration that has preserved its integrity. Construction: The veneer is entirely period, made exclusively from amaranth, a less common wood than the violet wood or rosewood used at the same time. This choice, which can be found on several other chests of drawers stamped Doirat, constitutes a recurring signature of the cabinetmaker. The drawers, made from walnut (a wood that Étienne Doirat also used with elm), are of great finesse: less than 1 cm thick, so-called "hat" bottoms inserted into rebates, and molded fronts with a bec-de-corbin profile carved from a thick layer of amaranth, instead of a simple veneer as with his colleagues. These manufacturing details, systematically observed on other chests of drawers by Doirat, are indicative of his technical requirements. The frame, in accordance with Parisian practices of the Regency and the beginning of the reign of Louis XV, is entirely made of softwood, complete with its original bases and floors. Bronzes: The bronzes are period and retain their old gilding, which is crucial: Étienne Doirat is one of the few cabinetmakers of his time to have had his own bronze models made. Some handle threads have been reworked and two pull knobs are later, but the whole retains its authenticity. Condition and restoration: Some minor veneer gluing and grafting have been carried out, the veneer still retaining a good thickness. The chest of drawers only retained one original lock; three other period locks were sought out and fitted as replacements. The whole has been revarnished with a shellac tampon, revealing the brightness and depth of the amaranth. Historical context: Étienne Doirat (1675–1732) was admitted to the rank of master before 1719. Active during the Regency and at the beginning of the reign of Louis XV, he was one of the most renowned Parisian cabinetmakers of his time. His furniture, often curved, combines the rigor of Louis XIV with forms foreshadowing the Louis XV style. His production, characterized by specific bronzes and choices of woods such as amaranth, occupies a key place in the evolution of Parisian furniture. Doirat died in 1732, which allows us to date this commode around 1725. It is therefore a rare example of the first marble-topped commodes, emblematic of the Regency.