Maison Fourdinois

The Maison Fourdinois was established in 1835 by Alexandre-Georges Fourdinois (1799-1871), who became one of the most prominent ébénistes under Napoléon III’s reign, later becoming the official supplier to Empress Eugénie. Alexandre was awarded numerous distinctions and medals throughout his career, the highest being made chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur following a médaille d’Honneur at the 1855 Paris Exposition Universelle and two médailles de grande excellence at the 1862 London exhibition. His son Henri-Auguste Fourdinois took over the family firm in 1867 after a short career as a gifted draughtsman at the Félix Duban workshop and at the Maison Morel goldsmith firm in London. He soon followed in his father’s footsteps, winning distinction in both the 1867 and the 1878 Expositions Universelles. Later, as a celebrated maker, he was appointed government employed furniture critic at the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle. An ebony side-cabinet is now in the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum of London.