Early 18th Century Walnut and Olive Wood Armoire From Eastern France

This unique armoire from the early 1700’s was made from walnut and olive wood and features a plinth base with central cherub mascaron along the crown. At just under 86 inches tall and 78 wide at the crown, this armoire has a more manageable size, compared to many of the very large armoires of the same period. The unique construction allows it to be easily disassembled for transport.

At one point, this walnut and olive wood armoire was the property of a chocoladefabriek (chocolate factory) in Strasbourg, located in the region of Alsace, near the German border. It was originally one armoire in a pair that were commissioned in Eastern France in the early 1700s. The ebeniste who created the armoire decided to use olive wood for the door panels and some of the side panels. Olive wood was a highly valued wood among wood workers of the 18th century because of its pretty color and the richness and nuances of its veining.

In the center of the crown is a foliate and floral ring surrounding a cherub mascaron. The crown and the top of the door frames have both been carved in an arch, mirroring the shape of the door moldings. Each door is mounted on iron hinges and separated by recessed molding into three uniquely shaped panels of olive wood (the rest of the armoire is constructed with walnut). Both upper panels of the doors are adorned with a series of undulating C-scrolls, while the bottom panels are rectangles with concave tops. The two sections are separated by a simple ovate center panel.

Armoires date back the 17th century when French menuisiers created the storage cabinet to house clothing. Early armoires such as this one were without feet (plinth style base) and were often seen in paneled boiserie rooms. Our 18th century French walnut and olive wood armoire will instantly add character to any room it is placed in.