A peculiar feature was a niche en tabouret for two dogs, covered with the same damask of white and green, the wood painted white and green. Within it were two mattresses covered with white linen.
PLATE XXXIV
The furniture of Madame la Princesse de Talmont’s apartment at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1771 consisted of a bed, two settees, eight arm-chairs, two banquettes, two screens, three commodes, four writing-tables, a night-table, a bidet, three chairs, two corner-cupboards, three mirrors and two portières. The wall-hangings were white Chinese satin with figures, flowers, and animals richly embroidered in coloured silks. The same material was used for the bed, screens, sofas and chairs, but the two portières (10 feet, 9 inches long) were of white taffeta trimmed with a silk braid of many colours. The bed, a lit à impériale et à la duchesse, was composed of three outside valances of green taffeta ornamented with a deep lace of gold arranged in festoons; the four inside valances were trimmed in the same style with a narrower gold lace, and these, as well as the ceiling, back, headboard, bonnes grâces, counterpane, and three lower valances were of the white satin embroidered with figures and trimmed with gold lace. There were also two curtains of white taffeta lined with serge. The bed itself with its canopy crosswise was 5 feet, 4 inches wide, 6½ feet long, and 12½ feet high and was equipped with three mattresses, a feather bed and feather bolster. The spread was a Marseilles piqué. The two sofas were each 6 feet long of sweeping and bombé curves, the arms also rounded and adorned with the small cushion on top (manchette). The material was fastened to the frames with silver nails. Each had a mattress and two square pillows, also covered with the embroidered satin. The eight arm-chairs, the two banquettes and one screen were covered in the same style.
The folding-screen of six leaves, was 4 feet high. It was also covered with the same material, and its frame, like the wood of the rest of the furniture already described, was carved and varnished.
One of the mirrors had a border of carved leaves gilded. Its glass was 28 inches high and 21 inches wide. The other two had a gilded border, 4 inches wide; the glass of each was 26 inches high and 20 inches wide. The three commodes were à la Régence, violet and rosewood veneered. Each was surmounted by a slab of Flemish marble, and contained one large and two small drawers. All the mounts, locks, friezes, ornamental chutes, and feet were of bronze gilt. They were 34 inches high, about 4½ feet long, and 22 inches deep. Two of the writing-tables were of violet-wood and rosewood veneered with cross-grained contrasts and on the right side each had a drawer with lock, that contained an inkstand and other writing materials. One contained in front a little shelf or flap, 2½ feet wide, covered with black leather and had gilt bronze feet; the other was ornamented outside with flowers applied and was 2 feet long, about 18 inches wide and 26 inches high. The other writing tables were 2 feet long, 15 inches wide, and 26 inches high. The night-table was of cherry-wood inlaid with threads of amaranth wood with a slab of Flemish marble. This was 27 inches high, 17 inches long and 11 inches deep. The bidet, 18 inches long, 15 inches wide and 10 inches high, was of cherry. Its top was a tabouret colored with red leather put on with gilt nails. The two corner cupboards were of various Indian woods veneered, and had tops of Flemish marble. In front were two doors that locked. The feet and ornamental metal and key-plates were of bronze gilt; these were about 30 inches high and were surmounted by a series of four shelves, 28 inches high and 11 inches square.
In 1729, a complete set of “Persian” furniture consists of hangings for the wall, a lit de repos, four fauteuils à bergère, two chairs with backs, two portières and a window-curtain. The “Persian” was a kind of figured chintz with a white background. The lit de repos en Ottoman was 10 feet long and 3 feet deep, and was equipped with a mattress, 2 bolsters and 6 square cushions, all covered with “Persian.” The two portières were of two lengths, each 7 feet, and were trimmed with a blue and white silk braid, and lined with white English taffeta. The window-curtain of the same was 7 feet, 10 inches long, containing three lengths. The seats were all covered similarly.
In 1730, a furnishing for a cabinet described as “mi-party of brocade of silver background on which are gold branches outlined in musk-colour, and crimson damask trimmed with gold,” consisted of wall-hangings, a niche, two portières, two lits de repos, an arm-chair, twelve folding-stools and six small and low folding-stools. The two portières were in two parts each; each half containing three half-lengths of brocade and two lengths of damask (3 ells long), trimmed all around with a deep gold braid and lined with crimson taffeta.
“The niche, in the form of an armoire, serving as a shelter for a lit de repos,” was hung outside with five lengths of brocade and three of damask (8 feet, 7 inches high), trimmed at the top, bottom and sides with a golden braid. Inside were five lengths of brocade and four of damask. Two curtains hung before the niche, each containing three half-lengths of the brocade and two lengths of damask (8 feet, 4 inches high). These were trimmed with gold braid and fringe, and lined with crimson taffeta. There were also two valances for the niche, one outside and one inside. The outside one was of the brocade and damask mi-party, the inside one of crimson damask. They were bordered with gold braid and fringe. Above the niche were four carved vases of flowers to serve as “pommes.”
The lit de repos that was placed in the niche was 6 feet long and 2½ feet wide. It was furnished with two mattresses, two bolsters and two square pillows. The valances and coverings were of the brocade and damask, trimmed with gold braid and fringe. The cushions were ornamented with gold tassels. The other lit de repos, 7 feet long and 2½ feet wide, was similarly draped. The fauteuil and folding-stools were covered with a square of crimson damask, bordered with a band of the silver and gold brocade. The frames were painted red, picked out with gold.