A silver-mounted oak humidor cabinet attributed to Charles Guillaume Diehl (1811-1885), Napoleon III, circa 1865

the upper section with a door mounted with Apollo driving his chariot amongst clouds  with a ribbon-tied laurel wreath at each angle interposed by stylised anthemions opening to reveal the interior fitted as a humidor with five pull-out drawers with caned bases, above a frieze drawer mounted with an alternating chain of patera and diapers, the lower section with a shaped apron applied with a stylised anthemion and scrolled mount flanked at each corner by a pierced boss on flared square tapering legs applied with foliate mounts and joined by a shaped stretcher centerd by a pinecone finial on tapering toupie feet, with two pencil inscribed paper labels 6197, M, QYC 

In overall good conserved condition. Old minor marks, chips and scratches commensurate with age and normal usage. The front of the top drawer internally is slightly lighter in colour than the rest. One hairline crack down the right side and two down the left of the cabinet section which can easily be filled or left as they are hardly noticeable. Old restored break to rear of the stretcher which has been well executed. There is slight shrinkage to the frieze drawer and the circular boss on the stretcher. Two very minor restorations to the base of the front apron.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Although not stamped, the design of this cabinet, quality of its execution especially the silver mounts bear all the hallmarks of Charles-Guillaume Diehl.

It  belongs to a group of almost identical cabinets by Diehl with minor variations in, for example the woods employed or the mounts. Some of the cabinets were also fitted inside as a humidorfor cigars.

Examples of almost identical cabinets in terms of the design and mounts include:

-A virtually dentical cabinet in oak sold in these Rooms, 8th June 2005, lot 75.

-Another very close example signed Diehl on the lockplate was sold

Christie's London, 29th October 1998, lot 71.

-An almost identical humidor cabinet in cedar was offered for sale Sotheby's Paris, 23rd March 2006, lot 26.

-An identical cabinet apart from the frieze mount has bronzes by Emmanuel Frémiet of which some bear the mark `C.D.' is recorded in the trade.

Charles-Guillaume Diehl, was a craftsman of German origin (1811-circa 1885) who moved to Paris in around 1840. He established his workshop at 39, Rue Saint-Sébastien and  had around 600 employees there in 1870, which illustrates the grand scale of his operation. Diehl participated in all the major international exhibitions during the middle of the 19th century commencing with the Great Exhibition in 1851. There were a number of articles made from thuya amongst his medal-winning stand at the Exposition des Arts Industriels in 1861. He was awarded the hors-concours at the 1878 exhibition. Various pieces by Diehl are in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Musée de l'Ecole de Nancy, Nancy, the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York and the Musée d'Orsay, Paris. A cabinet conceived as a humidor ordered by Napoléon III from Dielh which was never delivered, is  today in the musée de la Seita, Paris.