Garden bench with oak seat and backrest and a cast-iron frame, circa 1900

This bench is marked on its two cast-iron legs: "CORNEAU FRERES A CHARLEVILLE." Corneau Frères was a prominent French iron foundry based in Charleville (now known as Charleville-Mézières), established in 1846 by brothers Alfred and Émile Corneau. The company rapidly expanded into a large factory employing 300 workers, renowned for its high-quality stoves, fireplace plates, and elegant decorative cast-iron pieces. Following Alfred’s death in 1886, his son-in-law, Albert Deville, took over the management; the factory was subsequently modernized and eventually evolved into the well-known French stove brand, Deville. Height: 82 cm. Width: 122 cm. Depth: 50 cm. Seat height: 41 cm. Origin: France, circa 1900. Material: cast iron, oak.