French Oak Notary's Cabinet w/ 12 Doors and Bronze Label Holders c. 1920 - 31"

This French notary’s cabinet in oak, circa 1920, is a low, substantial piece composed of a rectilinear fame on a plinth base with an overhanging top and panelled sides. The façade presents twelve small compartments arranged in a precise grid, each door with stepped square mouldings, a round brass knob, and an ornate bronze label holder worked like a miniature picture frame. The oak shows a warm, natural tone with a dry patina; Several knobs are later replacements, one lock is missing, and the remaining doors close with a satisfying click. Designed for orderly storage of case files and correspondence, such notary cabinets were fixtures of French legal offices in the early twentieth century. The frame‑and‑panel construction in solid oak reflects the durable workshop practices that served professional environments, while the geometric door treatment nods to older coffered traditions revived in utilitarian furniture of the period.

Today, this versatile cabinet lends character and practical organization to an entry or mudroom as a shoe and glove console, or to a dressing room for accessories and folded pieces. It also works as a low credenza in a home office or living room, where the rhythmic grid of doors adds texture beneath artwork or a mirror. 

Condition and patina consistent with age.
Approx. overall 31" high x 43¾" wide x 17¼" deep
Approx. overall 79cm high x 111cm wide x 44cm deep