Raymonde's Buffet

French Provincial Carved Sideboard *circa 1942-1944. A rare find. This monumental French provincial buffet (218x54x73cms) was sourced locally and restored with full respect for its origins. Finished in Bleu Minuit by Tollens, sealed with linseed oil. Door panels inset with raw steel mesh (tôle déployée, SAS CQFD, France). Original gothic cross iron strap hinges, escutcheons, and Paris stamped locks cleaned and reinstalled. Brushed brass 25 mm knobs on drawers and doors added with restraint. Original wood-on-wood drawer system preserved intact. Inside the top of the drawer, the carpenter who built this buffet inscribed the name of the woman for whom it was made: Raymonde. Next to her name, the newspaper of the day - still intact after eighty years -. A section of small provincial French ads from the occupation years: delicatessens, skilled workers, the British. The original door locks are stamped "Paris" - the manufacturer's mark is still legible after eighty years. The original drawer sliding system has been preserved intact - wood on wood, as built. Restored by Ana B Castano, International Architect *Latitudes* Objects, Materials & Interiors.