Garnier's "Cuivrerie et Serrurerie": 19th century brasswork
Full Description: Cuivrerie et Serrurerie
MAISON R. GARNIER, Brun-Cottan Frères, Successeurs. Galerie d'Echantillons, Bureaux et Fabrique, 30 Boulevard Contrescarpe, Paris. Cuivrerie et Serrurerie Artistiques, Spécialité pour Batiment. Crémones R.G. Btées S.G.D.G. Aperçu des Principaux Modèles. La Maison Garnier crée constamment de nouveaux Modèles qu'on trouvera exposés dans sa Salle d'Echantillons. Exécution de tous Modèles sur Plans & Dessins. Reproduction de tous Modèles Anciens.
Maison R. Garnier, Paris, [c.1880]
Folio. (45 x 33 cm). Two parts bound in one. Part one: plates 1-197; part two: 300-347 (as issued, i.e., no loss of plates). The lithographic plates are printed on single sheets of papier rose (45 x 66 cm) by Edme Genet, Paris. Bound in the publisher’s original red sheep spine with gilt lettering and Garnier’s monogram in gilt and blind stamped in compartments, with red cloth covered boards, blind stamped ornamental borders and “Maison Garnier RG Paris” also stamped in blind. Marbled endpapers, the plates are printed on one side only, folded once, and mounted on tabs allowing the volume to open easily for display. The boards are rubbed with some fading and worn cloth along the foredge of the front board, the title plate and first couple of plates at the front are slightly loose, but a solid and square volume, in spite of its weight, some scattered spotting, but not affecting the plates. An excellent copy of a celebrated trade catalog. The catalog presents thousands of individual items, each with a description and item number for easy ordering.
The epic trade catalog for the world-renowned Parisian firm founded in 1832 by Rémy Garnier, recognized for their elegant and ornate cuivrerie et serrurerie artistiques (artistic copperwork, brasswork, and locksmithing). Their excellence in high-quality architectural hardware brought them contracts outfitting major landmarks such as the Hôtel de Ville after its destruction by fire during the Commune in the 1871. The present copy dates after 1874 when the Brun-Cottan Brothers took over the original firm. This astonishing company exists today. A magnificent trade catalogue for highly ornate Second Empire & Belle Époque designs for door and window hardware.
This tour-de-force catalog, which reproduces many of Garnier’s products at one-to-one scale, is divided in two parts: first, hardware designs for window frames and doors, including bronze cremones (Garnier’s patented specialty), Crémone bolts, locksets, doorknockers, doorknobs, Espagnolettes, escutcheon plates, lighting fixtures, bolts, mail slots, pilasters, and ornamental hardware; the second part is largely designs of foliage and rosette ornaments. Garnier’s elaborate designs include door knockers adorned with the figure of Poseidon, doorknobs with the face of a lion, a chandelier 12 feet high... The present designs are unusually elaborate, and rich interpretations of rococo, Louis XVI and other styles, and is a testament to the expertise of the Garnier firm which is still in business today. The catalog is uncommon: we locate 4 holdings in OCLC, another in France (Méjanes), 2 in the UK, and likely others in specialized libraries, but rare nonetheless.
