This piece was fairly certainly made at L'Ebenisterie d'Ales S. France
immediately post war. The workshop was set up as a response to wartime
frugality and post war industrial production. the handful of cabinet
makers at Ales produced fantastic examples of provencal (the most
exuberant in France) furniture using local models. Most pieces were
commissioned but a few items were made for exhibition. The work was
locally celebrated but ultimately the attention to detail and resulting
bill in man hours made the enterprise finally uneconomic. This piece
surfaced unrecognized in Brittany where we snapped it up. In relative
terms it would have cost far more new than todays ticket price (pieces
out of their region are always undervalued or unrecognized).

The piece is a fanatically faithful 20thC piece of LXV furniture in
bleached mahogany. An 18thC original would weigh in at 15000 pounds
sterling. It has a serpentine front with pieced cartouches typical of
Provence production. All four corners are rounded and cross hatched
with baroque acanthus decoration. The drawers are molded and paneled
with acanthus detailing and a central rondel framing the escutcheon
(key plate). The sides bear raised and fielded panels with wonderful
pierced LXV scallop shell cartouches flaring out from the angled bottom
traverse. I love its feet.

The piece is the only chest of its kind I have seen which can hold its
own alongside 18thC originals . It represents a lot of time,skill, joy
and Wow! for the money. Pretty much guaranteed to put a smile everyday
onto its next owners face.

Measures 122 cm long x 56 cm deep x 85 cm high