A Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Bronze Coffee Table "Imperial Court Scenes"

Description

A Philip and Kelvin LaVerne bronze coffee table formed with a rectangular top set within a raised bronze perimeter frame depicting Imperial Court Scenes. The surface presents an etched pictorial composition depicting architectural pavilions, stairways, railings, and figures in traditional Chinese dress arranged across a continuous ground. Additional elements include mounted attendants, standing figures holding staffs, and paired figures carrying objects, distributed among landscape features with trees, water motifs, and distant structures. The imagery is executed through etched line work combined with patinated fields of bronze, silvered tones, and darker oxidized passages. The top rests on four cylindrical bronze legs joined by horizontal stretchers, creating a rigid base structure. Philip LaVerne and his son Kelvin LaVerne worked together in New York, producing metal furniture that combined sculptural training with metallurgical processes. Philip LaVerne began his career with formal sculptural studies before establishing a studio focused on bronze and pewter furniture. Kelvin LaVerne joined the workshop after training in art and metalworking, contributing technical execution and collaborative design development. Their partnership resulted in a body of work defined by etched narrative surfaces, layered patination, and durable metal construction. The present table bears an etched signature reading Philip and Kelvin LaVerne, positioned within the decorative field, confirming authorship by the studio. The table is produced using cast bronze elements and a hand worked etched top, finished with controlled patination to create tonal variation across the scene. The metal surface shows deliberate textural variation, including matte areas, darker oxidized sections, and lighter reflective passages. The imagery is integrated directly into the bronze surface rather than applied, ensuring permanence of the design. Tables of this type are documented as part of the LaVerne studios narrative furniture output and are recognized within the design market for their material integrity, scale, and visual density. The combination of etched figural scenes, architectural structure, and solid bronze construction places this table among the most documented and collected works produced by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne. The condition on the enameling is untouched and fabulously preserved.

Details

Dimensions