Buffet René Gabriel, furniture reconstruction known as that of the disaster victims.

At the end of the Second World War, France needed to be rebuilt and refurnished. In 1944, for his knowledge of industrial methods for producing economical furniture, René Gabriel was appointed by the Ministry of Reconstruction and Urban Planning (M.R.U.) and created emergency furniture sold to those affected at a symbolic price (then in ration tickets). The furniture was made in various locations by different carpenters, using available materials, often salvaged. As a result, they frequently have different measurements and uneven craftsmanship. This sideboard is particularly high quality: It retains its original light colour (and has not been altered with multiple layers of dark varnish); The drawers are dovetail jointed (usually just nailed); The panels, within the frames, are made of solid wood and not plywood as is often the case. Therefore, the wood is not warped, wavy, or showing veneer chips as is generally seen; The back is made of beautiful solid pine wood; It is also heavier and more stable as a result; The 5 drawers slide as smoothly as on the first day. Dimensions 154x47xh97cm. 2 doors with 2 original functional keys. Solid wood handles on the drawers. Shelves inside the cupboards. It is old and shows some signs of use: variations, discolourations and colourations of the wood, a few scratches and dents. Very good overall condition.