in Louis XV style, stamped on underside of the frame
J. ZWIENER, France circa 1900, gently curved hardwood frame with curved frame decoration on all sides, veneered with mahogany and brown stained satinwood, with polished finish, bronze doré border edging and fittings, 3 drawers, 3 sham drawers in matching decoration on the back, dark red/brown leather inlay with gold-embossed decor, c. 74 x 183 x 91 cm, with small supplemented veneer parts, restored condition. (DOC)

This model is illustrated in the book “BERLINER BELLE ÉPOQUE - Der Ebenist Julius Zwiener und die Kunstmöbel für den Hof Kaiser Wilhelms II. (1888-1918).”

Lit.:
Jörg Meiner, Berliner Belle Époque, p. 117, ill. 150, Michael Imhof Verlag, Petersberg 2014

JULIUS ZWIENER (1867-1922), brother of the Paris-based cabinet-maker Emanuel Zwiener, came from Paris to Berlin at the suggestion of Emperor Wilhelm II (1859-1941) and his mother Victoria of Great Britain and Ireland (1840-1901). Julius Zwiener opened his studio in Berlin in 1894 and became a purveyor to the court of Wilhelm II. The Emperor wished to enable the up-and-coming metropolis of Berlin to compete with Paris in terms of furniture production. A bedroom set for the Berlin Palace, and many more impressive pieces of furniture were made by Julius Zwiener for the Neue Palais in Berlin. The cabinetmaker was in competition with the famous manufacturers of the time such as F. LINKE, E. BEURDELEY and P. SORMANI, a circumstance that stimulated their creativity and enhanced the quality of their products. The Atelier J. ZWIENER continued with the sale of the company in 1922 and its name rights until 1950.