Napoleon III Rococo Revival Round Side Table with Floral Marquetry & Ormolu Mounts

Design & Inspiration

Set this table in the centre of a reading room or beside a formal salon sofa and something shifts in the room — the eye is drawn upward to the top, held there by a radiating medallion of floral marquetry that unfolds like a botanical illustration from a 19th-century Parisian cabinet-maker's portfolio. Faithfully reproduced in the tradition of Napoleon III Second Empire cabinetmaking, this round side table draws from the design vocabulary of the most theatrical decorative period in French furniture history: the 1850s–1870s, when eclecticism was not a failure of taste but a declaration of ambition.

Materials & Craftsmanship

The circular top is the defining statement. A sunburst-veneered border in richly figured wood frames a central field of dense multi-species marquetry — scrolling acanthus, tulips, berries, and foliate tendrils rendered in contrasting light and dark veneers, set with inlaid mother-of-pearl to catch and scatter light. The apron below repeats the floral vocabulary at a smaller scale, with further mother-of-pearl accents on a deep mahogany-toned ground. Four slender cabriole legs rise from ormolu sabots — cast gilt-bronze foot mounts — and meet the apron at ormolu espagnolette mounts: female-mask capitals that mark the transition from leg to frieze with the precision of a trained sculpteur. The brass gallery rail around the top perimeter is both decorative and practical — the traditional mark of a guéridon intended to carry objects of value.

Dimensions & Details

Diameter: 67 cm / Height: 106 cm
One drawer, marquetry-fronted with a central ormolu pull. Four cabriole legs with gilt-bronze sabots and espagnolette corner mounts. Brass gallery rail to top edge. Multi-species floral marquetry with mother-of-pearl inlay to top and apron. French polish finish.

Handcrafted in Egypt

Each table is produced by hand in Brass & Wood's Egyptian workshops, where marquetry cutters, carvers, and gilders collaborate on a single piece across multiple stages. The inlay work alone — cutting, fitting, and laying each veneer fragment — represents dozens of hours of focused craft. The ormolu mounts are cast and finished individually, then hand-applied to the frame. The result is not a mass-produced piece with applied decoration: it is a hand-built object in which the decoration IS the structure. Customization of finish, fabric, or brass tone is available upon request.

Frequently Asked Questions

What materials is this table made from?

The frame is solid mahogany. The top features multi-species wood marquetry with mother-of-pearl inlay. Decorative mounts are cast gilt brass (ormolu-style). The finish is French polish, applied by hand.

Is assembly required?

Minimal assembly only — the legs are attached on delivery. No specialist tools are required.

Can this table be customized?

Yes. Brass & Wood offers customization of brass tone, wood finish, and overall dimensions. Please contact our team before ordering to discuss your requirements.