19th Century Marble-Top Lacquer Table in the Louis XVI Style by Henry Dasson

A handful of versions of this table by Henry Dasson have appeared on the market, the present example with the aventurine lacquer undertier being the rarest variant.

Henry Dasson (1825-1896) was a renowned Parisian furniture maker in the nineteenth century, known for his exquisite gilt-bronze mounted furniture. Unlike his contemporaries, Dasson initially pursued a career as a bronze sculptor, which influenced the exceptional quality of his bronze work and intricate chiseling.

Dasson operated his workshop at 106 rue Vieille-du-Temple in Paris, specializing in crafting furniture in the styles of Louis XIV, XV, and XVI. In 1871, Dasson acquired the thriving business and remaining inventory of Charles-Guillaume Winckelsen, a well-regarded furniture maker renowned for his superior craftsmanship. It is believed that Dasson inherited the art of ciseleur (chiseling) from Winckelsen.

Dasson showcased his works at the 1878 and 1889 Paris Expositions Universelles, exhibiting pieces in the styles of Louis XV and XVI, as well as his own modified eighteenth-century designs. Lord Dudley and Lady Ashburton were among his renowned clients at the exhibitions, as well as the English Royal Family.

Made a chevalier of the Légion d’honneur in 1883, he was elevated to an officier in 1889, following his success at the Paris Exposition of the same year. Dasson ceased production in 1894, and the enduring reputation of the finest maker of gilt-bronze mounted furniture was echoed and acknowledged when his contemporaries Paul Sormani, J.E. Zwiener, Maison Millet, and Beurdeley all jumped at the chance to acquire drawings and models by Dasson. Nevertheless, the pieces created by Dasson remain without equal, and stand at the epitome of nineteenth-century French furniture.