Superb 19th Century French Amboyna Bonheur Du Jour, c.1880

A French Antique Bonheur Du Jour, c. 1880 by Alphonse Tahan. Signed to lock ‘Tahan.’ Note: Tahan was born in Belgium in 1830 and by the age of 19, he had opened a shop at 30 Rue de la Paix in the heart of Paris. Tahan grew to prominence as a craftsman known for creating beautiful and varied pieces, from the elaborate to the simple. His work, typical of the Second Empire, combined a classical formality reminiscent of the late 1700s with the lavish use of costly materials. He used many techniques including using pieces of cast bronze to simulate bamboo. Tahan eventually caught the eye of Napolean’s wife, Empress Eugenie, and he became the official “ebeniste”(cabinetmaker) to the Emperor and his wife. Her regard for Tahan’s workshop led to great demand for his furniture and smaller items.