Pair of Umbertini bedside tables

Features

Style: Umbertino (1870-1900)

Age: 19th Century / 1801 - 1900

Origin: Italy

Main essence: Silver Fir , Beech , Walnut

Material: Bronze

Description

Pair of Umbertine bedside tables supported by feet of which the front spinning top ones, on the front have a door surmounted by a drawer, decorated with frames. In walnut and beech, the interiors are in spruce; the door knob is in bronze.

Product Condition:
Product in fair condition showing some signs of wear.

Dimensions (cm):
Height: 83
Width: 40
Depth: 34,5

Additional Information

Style: Umbertino (1870-1900)

The name of this style is due to the ruler of the time Umberto I, appointed King of the Kingdom of Italy on 9 January 1878 and assassinated on 9 July 1900.
The Umbertino style is typically Italian and belongs to that Eclectic period that characterized the second half of the 19th century, which lasted just under twenty years, the Umbertino style spread around 1880 and ended around 1895 when a new style called Liberty and universally known took over. like Art-Nouveau to be followed by Art-Decò.
In this style, mainly eclectic and monumental, Gothic and Baroque elements originally belonging to the Renaissance but also adorned with large masks, frames and decorations were re-proposed in the furniture, from the bedside table to the large wardrobe or sideboard.
Find out more about the Umbertine style with our insights:
An Umbertine secretary dedicated to Dante Alighieri
A comparison between a Luigi Filippo console and an Umbertina one

Age: 19th Century / 1801 - 1900

19th Century / 1801 - 1900

Main essence:

Silver Fir

Soft coniferous wood, used for rustic furniture or to build the chest, that is the structure, of furniture then veneered in more precious woods. It has been used since ancient times, its most valuable use is, in the Spruce variant, in the inlays of French antique furniture of the '700 . The spruce, more typical of northern Europe, in Italy grows mainly in the Eastern Alps at altitudes above 1300 m. The noblest use of this essence was in the construction of violins, guitars and cellos: Stradivari himself produced his famous violins with this wood.

Beech

It is a semi-hard wood which, unfortunately, is easily wormed, therefore it is considered poor. Due to its light but variegated shades, from blond to reddish, it was nevertheless appreciated by French cabinetmakers. It was mainly used for furniture structures or, as an alternative to walnut, by provincial English furniture makers for popular works, mostly in the 1700s. The noblest use is due to Thonèt, who applied the steam bending of the beech in the making of the furniture, in particular for the chairs that took his name.

Walnut

Walnut wood comes from the plant whose botanical name is juglans regia , probably originally from the East but very common in Europe. Light or dark brown in color, it is a hard wood with a beautiful grain, widely used in antique furniture. It was the main essence in Italy throughout the Renaissance and later had a good diffusion in Europe, especially in England, until the advent of mahogany. It was used for solid wood furniture and sometimes carvings and inlays, its only big limitation is that it suffers a lot from woodworm. In France it was widely used more than anything else in the provinces. In the second half of the eighteenth century its use decreased significantly because mahogany and other exotic woods were preferred.