Saturday seems to become the day when I visit the antique shops, and for two weeks in a row now I didn't come back empty handed! The rafraîchissoir I came back with yesterday is a perfect example of this type of wine cooler side table I wanted to have in our collections for a long time. It is a very singular type of furniture, and many rafraîchissoirs made from the end of the 18th century to the early 20th century present the same general arrangement.
As you can see from the photographs, a rafraîchissoir is a small table with, generally, two circular openings on top in which are placed two metal containers where bottles are kept in ice.
Our rafraîchissoir has a marble top. As you can see below, the tin containers can be removed to pour ice in them more easily, or, quite conveniently, to empty the ice and water when their job is done!
Usually, a rafraîchissoir has a small drawer, on the side or front. On our model, the drawer is large enough to contain a couple of glasses. Once again, quite convenient! I'm still looking for a bottle opener from the same period to keep in here too.
If you read the post about the side table, you have probably noticed the similarities in stile between the side table and the rafraîchissoir. It is possible that the two were made by the same cabinet maker.
One last thing. Today, such a piece of furniture as the rafraîchissoir has of course become a curiosity, as wine bottles are kept chilled more conveniently, if needed, by more modern apparatuses. Therefore, it is not uncommon for rafraîchissoirs to be used as decoration tables and for the holes or containers to receive plants. A word of warning though : Xavier Dièvre, MOF, cabinet maker in Versailles, warns on its website that the humidity produced by the plants in such a case is not good for the piece of furniture. You've been warned if you decide to use your rafraîchissoir in such a way!
As you can see, ours, which is very precious, is kept in a pristine condition by being used only in accordance with its original function, or, better still, not used at all. This, ladies and gentlemen, is money well spent.
Cheers!
A Louis XVI style Wine Cooler Side Table from the palace's collections. The glasses and bottles are from Lego ® .
Yet another amazing piece added to the collection.
ReplyDeleteI see there is no mention to the current location of that exquisite piece of furniture.
Is it not in a room accessible to the general public? Perhaps kept in storage until it can be displayed in a room?
It would be quite exhliarating so see that masterpiece of ebenisterie in person.
Thanks a lot Monica! As you mention, the rafraîchissoir was photographed in studio before it was displayed in the palace. It is now in a private apartments inside Versailles, but not necessarily in the actual room where it will be used. This type of relatively light piece of furniture is also easily moved inside an apartments or even outside with the palace's services permission. If you wish to see the rafraîchissoir, our newly acquired Louis XVI style chest of drawers (article to come in this blog), or any other piece of our collections, please contact me or Mme la Duchesse. We'll be happy to give you a special tour of our most precious furniture! Take care Monica!
ReplyDeleteNique la Duchesse!
ReplyDeleteThis type of comment is highly unnecessary!
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