L'escalier De Cristal : Le Luxe À Paris, 1809-1923

The shop L'Escalier de cristal was created near the Palais Royal in 1804 by Madame Désarnaud. By assembling cut crystal and gilded bronze in an original and spectacular way, she quickly acquired a great reputation. During the First Empire, Madame Désarnaud had a surprising and enchanting staircase installed. Under the July Monarchy, Emile Pannier and then his sons took over the shop, managing to maintain a tradition of high quality in the field of decoration.

This book studies the history of this shop until its closure in 1923, of the luxury trade, and more broadly that of the bourgeoisie, its rise, its conduct, its practices and its tastes.