An Empire mahogany and gilt metal mounted suite of

An Empire mahogany and gilt metal mounted suite of seat furniture, stamped for Chateau de Saint-Leu, circa 1810, comprising five armchairs, rectangular studded  backs, the tapestry decorated with musical trophies and bouquets of flowers in medallions on garnet background, gilt metal anthemion mounts, open arms, arm supports carved as stylised female busts, anthemion mounted frieze and square tapered legs, two further armchairs with padded sides, of similar design, some chairs with a crowned stamp 'SL' and numbered top seat rails, 92cm high., 62cm wide, 60cm deep; together with a similar settee, of later date
For a related suite of seat furniture also bearing the stamp, see Christies Important French Furniture, 25th May 1993, New York, Lot 88.
The 'SL' brand is that of the château de Saint-Leu, on the edge of the Fôret de Montmorency. In 1774, the late 17th century château belonged to Jean-Jacques de Laborde, banker to the Court, who carried out many improvements, particularly to the gardens. In 1777, the property passed to another well-known banker Nicolas Beaujon, who sold it in 1780 to the duchesse de Chartres, wife of Louis-Philippe-Joseph, duc de Chartres (1747-1793). The duc de Chartres, Philippe-Egalité, succeeded his father as duc d'Orléans in 1785; his wife was the daughter of the duc de Penthièvre and granddaughter of the comte de Toulouse. The château was purchased by her in order to escape the notice of the duc de Chartres' many creditors. It was at Saint-Leu that madame de Genlis, their governess, educated the duc de Chartres' five children. On his succession in 1785, the duc d'Orléans sold the château de Saint-Cloud, an Orléans property, to Louis XVI. In 1792, the duc d'Orléans handed over the château de Saint-Leu to the marquis de Giac. In 1804, Saint-Leu was bought by Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland from 1806-1810, who became comte de Saint-Leu after his resignation in 1810, and from 1810-1815 the château was the home of his wife, Queen Hortense, daughter of Empress Joséphine. Following the Cent Jours (June 1815) the château was bought by the last Prince de Condé and after his death in 1830 it was demolished.'