A settee this size, carved this deeply, doesn't come along in every shipment. Its arms scroll out in tight, ram's-horn curls down to legs that cross underneath in the same curved silhouette, the signature of the os de mouton, or sheep's bone, style that French Louis XIII furniture is named for. We kept the original upholstery on this one rather than strip it for something new, a large-scale floral tapestry in faded olive, gold, and crimson, worn soft and pale in places where decades of use have taken the color down a shade, real fragments of the pattern showing through rather than a uniform reproduction print. That kind of wear is part of what makes a piece like this worth keeping as is. The carving runs the full length of the arm, not just at the crest, run a hand along it and feel where the tool cut deep versus where age has softened the edge. At 44 inches tall with a generous 55 inch width, it seats two comfortably. Place it at the foot of a bed, in a wide hallway, or as a second seating option in a living room, somewhere its color and carving can start a conversation on their own.
*Era: Antique, Louis XIII (os de mouton) style
*Dimension: 55"(W) x 31"(D) x 44"(H), seat height 19"
*Material: Carved wood frame, vintage tapestry upholstery
*Finish: Dark stained and waxed carved frame, original upholstery retained
*Condition: Wear consistent with age & use, blemishes and imperfections will be present. These are not to be considered defects but rather part of its character & historical value. The vintage upholstery shows genuine fading and worn fragments in the fabric pattern, consistent with decades of use rather than a fresh reproduction print.
A vintage French os de mouton settee, Louis XIII style, 55"W x 31"D x 44"H with a 19" seat height. Carved scrolled arms and crossed sheep's-bone-shaped stretcher legs, upholstered in its original vintage floral tapestry showing genuine age fading. Sold by DE-COR, a 20+ year antique showroom in Pasadena, CA.
Q: What does "os de mouton" mean, and how do I recognize this style?A: It translates to "sheep's bone," describing the curved, crossed stretcher legs that resemble the shape of a lamb shank. Paired with scrolled ram's-horn arms, it's the signature look of French Louis XIII style seating, and this settee carries both details.
Q: Is this the original upholstery, and should I have it reupholstered?
A: The fabric is vintage, not a modern reproduction print, and shows genuine fading and worn fragments in its floral pattern from real age and use. That's a design choice: keep it as found for the patina and the story it carries, or reupholster for daily heavy use. Either is reasonable, but an original textile like this adds collector value a new fabric can't replicate.
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**Please bear in mind that colors of products shown may vary slightly from their original color due to monitor display settings or photography studio
