A French Chinoiserie style gilt-bronze and Chinese famille rose porcelain mounted rosewood cabinet Paris, circa 1895, most porcelain plaques circa 1865-1870

the cabinet with two large doors set with porcelain plaques depicting stylized flowers and Chinese Daoist Immortal figures, opening to four shelves and raised on curved feet, the front with elephant head cast mounts. 

Augustus Bing

Thence by descent

Current Owner

See Michel Beurdeley, Chinese Furniture, Kodansha International, New York, 1879, p. 170-1, for a drawing and illustration of a cabinet in the exact same style.

Overall in good condition with the usual minor scratches, dents and nicks to veneers and carcass consistent with age and use. Slight tarnishing to gilt-bronze in places. The porcelain plaques, of Chinese origin, enameled with some minor firing damage in places and traces of dirt. The four large plaques, of Continental origin, with firing defaults mostly to edges, bleeding to pigment mostly to the pink color, and all with scratches and areas of enamel paint chips.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Augustus Bing was the younger brother of the German art dealer Siegfried "Samuel" Bing (1838-1905), active in Paris during the late 19th century. The latter was prominent in the introduction of Japanese and Asian art and artworks to the West as well as arguably the driving force in the development of the Art Nouveau style in Paris. The Maison de l'Art Nouveau (House of New Art), also known as Maison Bing, opened in December 1895 at 22 rue de Provence and represented the most avant garde artists of the time.  He was also the main selling platform for Louis Comfort Tiffany in Paris.

Augustus worked closely with his brother from his office in Yokohama, exporting Japanese and Chinese works of art to Paris.  As evidenced by Augustus Bing's carte d'exposition (see figures 1 and 2), the company exhibited such works at the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle.  A major sale of Bing's private Oriental art collection was held in 1906 in Paris.