Bedside table in solid walnut by L. GENIN (Marseille). Circa 1900.

A beautifully crafted bedside table by L. Genin, a cabinetmaker from Marseille. How can we know this since the maker's mark isn't visible Because it comes from the same bourgeois residence in Le Vésinet as the superb commode currently for sale in my shop, and that commode is stamped twice between the marble top and the wood, an area inaccessible on our bedside table. Beneath the marble, we find the "G" of GELIN, hand-engraved, just like on the marble top of the commode. Add to this the fact that it is exactly the same type of marble and the same deep, luminous walnut, and there is little room for doubt. This provenance has the advantage of informing us about the quality of the craftsmanship. The marble top, encased in walnut, is in perfect condition. Above it is a drawer with a gilt pull, then a front that tilts back on itself, creating a trompe-l'oeil effect. Behind it is a space veneered with marble (the back panel is cracked but perfectly secure). This is the former location of the chamber pot, which, of course, has since been "deconsecrated." Note the quality of the carved feet at the front, the numerous walnut moldings, and the rounded uprights. There is a very small chip of wood at the very bottom right (see photo) and evidence of past wood-boring insect damage that has left small galleries in some places, especially on the right side. The piece had been sound for a long time, but it was nevertheless treated, hole by hole, which explains these slightly lighter spots. Otherwise, solid as a rock, stable, and beautiful as a Genin piece, it is in excellent overall condition. Height: 92 cm. Width: 42 cm. Depth: 35.5 cm. The price is firm, thank you. Delivery possible in the Île-de-France region and on the ground floor for 40 euros.