Edward F. Caldwell & Co. (1895-1946), founded and based in New York City, was America’s leading producer of lighting and decorative metalwork during its existence.  The company client list included Rockefellers, Carnegies and Roosevelts.  Caldwell furnishings can be found in prominent landmarks such as Grand Central Station and Carnegie Hall to this day.

 

The design style known as Louis XVI dates to the reign of King Louis XVI of France (1774-1792). The style appeared in architecture, furniture, decoration and art and rejected the elaborate ornate curves and frilly embellishments of the preceding Baroque period.  Louis XVI’s queen, Marie Antoinette, was instrumental in returning design focus to a style characterized by the elegance and of ancient Greek and Roman models, employing the use of ornate detail, precise shapes, light and refined color palettes, and symmetry.  The royal apartments in the palaces of Versailles, Fontainebleau, Tuileries, as well as other royal residences contain outstanding examples of these beautiful designs.   No expense was spared to create elegant, refined and expertly crafted wares produced by the master craftsmen of the period in this period just prior to the French Revolution. 

 

Bronze d'oré, also known as ormolu or gilt bronze, was a decorative finish used on luxury furnishings in the 18th and 19th centuries. An application of finely ground high carat gold and mercury amalgam was placed on objects of bronze. When subjected to extremely high heat, the mercury evaporated, leaving behind a lustrous coating of gold.