bernard molitor
After publication of a catalogue raissone by Ulrich Leben {Molitor, ébéniste de Louis XVI à Louis XVIII. St.-Rémy-l'Eau, 1992} and a retrospective of this works in 1995, Molitor became one of the most desirable French ebenists for collectors.
LIFE: Bernard Molitor (22 October 1755 – 17 November 1833) was a German cabinet-maker. Molitor grew up in Betzdorf, Luxembourg as the son of a miller and went to Paris in 1777, where one of his cousins already worked as a cabinet-maker. During his first years in Paris, he made a living as a merchant: in 1778, he advertised insecticides, and six years later he sold handwarmers shaped like books.
After marrying the daughter of a charpentier du roi (carpenter of the king) in 1787, he became maître ébéniste (master Ébéniste) and member of the guild of cabinet-makers. He opened a workshop in the Rue de Bourbon (today Rue de Lille). One of his first orders came from Marie Antoinette, who ordered the floor paneling from mahogany wood for her boudoir in Fontainebleau from him. Just as Molitor had begun making a name for himself among the French nobility, the French Revolution broke out, and Molitor had to close his business as most of his clients had to flee or were killed. He was also targeted by the revolutionaries for his work for the crown, but was spared because his brother was one of the "heros" from the storming of the Bastille. Later, Molitor was able to reopen his business and employ several artisans who helped him create a variety of furniture, including dressers, tables, desks and cupboards. Molitor's furniture was often veneered with precious woods and decorated with applications of gilded bronze. Napoleon Bonaparte ordered several pieces of furniture for his residence in Saint-Cloud from him. In 1811, Molitor became fournisseur de la Cour impériale (purveyor to the imperial court).
In 1800, Bernard Molitor bought a house on the elegant Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. In 1815, he married a second time, and in 1820 he moved to Fontainebleau where he died in 1833 at the age of 78 years. He is buried in the Fontainebleau cemetery. (Source - Wikipedia)
After marrying the daughter of a charpentier du roi (carpenter of the king) in 1787, he became maître ébéniste (master Ébéniste) and member of the guild of cabinet-makers. He opened a workshop in the Rue de Bourbon (today Rue de Lille). One of his first orders came from Marie Antoinette, who ordered the floor paneling from mahogany wood for her boudoir in Fontainebleau from him. Just as Molitor had begun making a name for himself among the French nobility, the French Revolution broke out, and Molitor had to close his business as most of his clients had to flee or were killed. He was also targeted by the revolutionaries for his work for the crown, but was spared because his brother was one of the "heros" from the storming of the Bastille. Later, Molitor was able to reopen his business and employ several artisans who helped him create a variety of furniture, including dressers, tables, desks and cupboards. Molitor's furniture was often veneered with precious woods and decorated with applications of gilded bronze. Napoleon Bonaparte ordered several pieces of furniture for his residence in Saint-Cloud from him. In 1811, Molitor became fournisseur de la Cour impériale (purveyor to the imperial court).
In 1800, Bernard Molitor bought a house on the elegant Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. In 1815, he married a second time, and in 1820 he moved to Fontainebleau where he died in 1833 at the age of 78 years. He is buried in the Fontainebleau cemetery. (Source - Wikipedia)
Investigating the construction of a molitor Abattant desk
Before the term figures on the Molitor secretary could be cleaned, they had to be removed. Unfortunately, they were bolted in from the rear, which necessitated removing the fitted desk interior to access the hardware. This was not too difficult. First the door hinge hooks were detached from the drop front. Then, the two upper screws that held the desk in place were removed. Next, the desk unit was slid out about an inch so the back screw on the bottom hinges could be unscrewed. The unit could then be safely removed.
As you can see from the pictures below, the back, sides and facers are solid mahogany. Note how the back-board is very rough on the reverse side - no need for grade A as this would never be seen. Strong mortise and tenon joints everywere.
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