French neoclassical decorative artS

NEW - Stripping paint from gilded boiserie

boiserie

Jacob Chair Construction - coming soon

French Royal Stamps empire/restauration

Stamps

Welcome to the Desmalter website - named in honor of François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter. Desmalter was the finest French furniture maker of the Empire and early Restauration periods. The purpose of this site is threefold. First, to contribute to the general knowledge of the works of the Directoire, Empire and Restauration periods, whether by Jacob or one of his contemporaries. Second, to discuss collecting issues such as cleaning and care. Third, to comment on the antique market in general and current new trends.

Cleaning gilded sconces by maison millet

millet

NEW - The beds of Mesangere

Mesangere
Portrait of Jacob Desmalter

The problem with experts - fake or fortune coming soon!

contents

INSIDER - Articles on antiques and their care including identifying fake Sevres, safe cleaning of gilt bronze, and interesting finds.

GO to insider

NEOCLASSICAL DECORATIVE ARTS - Examples of furniture collected by the author.

Neoclassical reference

INTERESTING SALES - Comments on items coming up for auction or private sale. Look for "Rummy on the Board" - items that are mislabled and may become bargains!

go to sales

Best of Paris - Where to Go and What to Do

Best of Paris

Blog - Article on Life in Paris, Antiquing, Dealers (good and bad), Hermes and the best of Paris.

go to BLOG

Jacob family stamps

ACCEPTED STAMPS: The Jacob family estampilles that are fully accepted are G*IACOB, JACOB FRERES *RUE MESLEE, JACOB*D R*MESLEE, IACOB and JACOB. Jacob Freres also used a paper label at times. Some items from prestigious collections have also been stamped J.D. - the verdict is still out on whether this was a stamp used by Desmalter. Recently, I have seen the stamp J.F. purported to be that of Jacob Freres, but chairs were Restoration period, so this is clearly wrong. Finally, as this is a discussion of the Jacob family, I have included the stamp of their cousin, Henry Jacob. While his work was frequently derivative of the more famous George Jacob, he did design some very clever Louis XVI and Directoire furniture.

FAKE STAMPS: If, in Paris, you ask if a peice of furniture is stamped, the dealer will frequently joke, "not yet." Of the Jacob stamps, the most common fakes are "G * JACOB" and "JACOB". Some fakes are quite good, some not. At Sotheby's Paris last year I saw a grand Empire desk chair with a clearly apocryphal George Jacob stamp presented as correct. Instead of the expected diamond shape seperating the G and the I, it had a round dot. I was not surprised to see the same chair back at Drouot a few months later selling as unstamped. As for fake "Jacob" stamps, they are typically quite poorly done, using modern letters with no serifs. NOTE: If you are curious about a stamp on a piece of 18th/19th century French furniture you own, send me an email with pictures and I will be glad to research it for you at no charge!