A suite of painted and parcel-gilt mahogany seat furniture, probably Russian first quarter 19th century

comprising six armchairs and a sofa, each armchair with an outward curved rectangular padded back above a drop-in rectangular padded seat with winged griffin monopodia supports and sabre rear legs, feet raised; parcel gilding and painting refreshed

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
Léon de Groër, Les Arts Décoratifs de 1790 à 1850, Fribourg, 1985, p. 136-137
Bernard Molitor, 1755-1833, Luxembourg, 1995, p. 218-219
Ulrich Leben, Molitor, London, 1992, p. 206

This group of unusual armchairs is closely based on a rare model by Jean-Baptiste-Bernard Demay (received master in 1784) now in the Musée National de la Malmaison, the former residence of the Empress Josephine.

Another similar pair with comparable designs stamped Molitor can be found in the Musée Marmottan in Paris (Leben, Marmottan inv. no 310 to 315).