Maison Ribaillier (French, founded 1832), 1883. Well carved walnut architectural-form buffet a deux corps or cabinet in the Henri II renaissance taste, having a broken arch pediment centered on a figure of Athena in a niche, overall foliate decoration with fruited garlands, the upper case with winged putti and satyr caryatids, center door with a figure of "Labor", flanked by griffin decorated doors in cartouches, the lower case with grotesque decorated columns, center drawer above open compartment, flanked by carved panel doors, the sides with strapwork panels, and rising on a stepped plinth with bun feet. The upper doors reading "Nice" and "1883", the underside of the drawer stenciled "Ameublements/Rue Amelot 74 et 76/Maison Fonde en 1838/Naulot-Ribaillier/94 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 94"/Paris". Note: Pierre Ribaillier (or Ribalier), the elder, in collaboration with the his son-in-law the ebeniste Paul (or Pierre-Paul) Mazaroz would open a factory in 1855, after which they would exhibit at the Universal Exhibition of that year and be awarded a silver medal. They would later go on to be suppliers to Napoleon III. and win the Grand Prize at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867. This cabinet was created for the Nice International Exhibition, 1883-1884, under the name of Riballier et Naulot. Approx. h. 110.5", w. 79", d. 20.5".

Upper center pediment is loose; break to dolphin tail on upper crest; minimal edgewear; small section of moulding chipped to center back left; element missing from drop on center door; key is present; case is structurally sound.