A Black Forest antler horn hall sofa, Swiss-German, circa 1890
A Black Forest antler horn hall sofa, Swiss-German, circa 1890
A very unusual hall sofa or side sofa made in the Black Forest region of south-west Germany bordering Switzerland. The horns are intertwined and finished with carvings of Black Forest creatures to the ends, whilst the legs have been carved from softwood in the form of deer hoofs. Of particular note is the detail in the cartouche in the centre of the sofa where the craftsman has engraved into the softwood a hunting scene that has been enhanced with use of carved bone and mother of pearl, a technique very rarely seen on this type of furniture. Dating to the latter part of the 19th century, this sofa is exquisitely detailed and exemplifies the superb craftsmanship of antler horn furniture of the period. Elegant and chic, it would look fantastic in any English country home or hunting lodge, as fashionable and quirky today as it was 150 years ago.
Antlers were already used in the late 15th century as a source material for clothes hooks, storage racks and chandeliers, the so-called "lusterweibchen". Furniture made by antlers started being made in the 19th century and can therefore be assigned to the Biedermeier period. They were exclusively made for the European nobility to decorate their hunting castles and various manors. Antique furniture of this kind is very rare and much sought after, with somewhat of a revival over the past decade or so with many magazines showing interiors decorated with such items.
Condition: Reupholstered, good overall condition, some distress due to age, structurally good. Please refer to photographs.
Dimensions: 102cm high, 149cm wide, 67cm deep, 52 seat height
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REFERENCE: E2451