Liqueur sets began
to appear in the late
18th century.
Rare even at that time, they were a necessary accessory to the vacationing bourgeoisie.
Small with exquisite marquetry they consisted of four to six decanters accompanied
by two to four glasses.
The beginning of the 19th century saw few changes in the number of liqueur sets
produced but a rise in imaginative designs. Gone were simple squares, now replaced
by more curvature, floral decorations in mother-of-pearl and sculpted decanters
and glasses.
The golden age of liqueur sets comes in the mid 19th century when their production
becomes more important and diversified. Now available in artisans' stores and
made to order by famous ebenistes Paul Sormani and Jean-Pierre Alexandre Tahan,
the liqueur sets are used in parlours, smoking rooms and offices. Though mostly
made of mahogany during the first half of the 19th century, the eclectic style
of Napoleon
III influences
the uses of woods: ebony, rosewood, palisander wood, loupe de thuya, loupe d'amboine,
and le Poirier noirci and the English style influences the use of materials:
cardboard and paper mache. Brass becomes a popular decorative tool, at first
used to highlight the sides and later becoming more intricate in design with
flowering sprays and putti.
The insides of the liqueur sets go through many changes as well. If the classic
liqueur set still holds four decanters, the glasses now number sixteen. The
glass is typically carved, engraved and highlighted with the use of gold and
the most precious of sets uses crystal from Baccarat or Saint-Louis. Finally,
rounded or tapering decanters are now the norm as opposed to a simple square
design.
As they are no longer used solely for vacationing their size increases as well
in order to store more necessities such as bottle openers and cigars. The tops
are constructed in two moving parts, allowing for opening and folding for a
better esthetic display and the sides are hinged to open outwards to allow for
easier access. The increased size leads to a more creative arrangement for the
decanters and glasses, which are now fitted in a special basket, made with bronze
handles and of the same wood that can be easily extracted from the case.
Liqueur sets continue to be made well into the first quarter of the 20th century
but those pieces are characterized by a decrease in quality. It is not until
later with the help of collectors and the return to favour of the Napoleon III
style that liqueur sets become popular once more.