Alexander Roux, Cabinetmaker
The French cabinetmaker Alexander Roux (1813 to 1886) opened his Manhattan cabinet firm in 1836. Specializing in Victorian furnishings in the Renaissance, Gothic and Rococo Revival styles, Roux worked in New York City until his retirement in 1881. Alexander Roux’s son, Alexander J. and his brother Frederick joined the business and continued operating the firm through 1898 at various locations.
The firm used a variety of elaborate engraved marks and labels. The earliest of these was a stencil reading “FROM/ALEXANDER ROUX/478 B. Way/N.Y.” dating pieces from the period of 1843 to 1847 when the manufacturer occupied a single building at this address. (Antiques for July 1976 pictures a rosewood sofa table with this mark) When Roux’s brother Frederic joined the business the stenciled mark employed was “From/A. &F. Roux/479 Broadway/N.Y.” When Frederick returned to Paris, Alexander Roux adopted another stencil, which reflected a second location for the business at 481 Broadway. This stencil was used from 1850 to 1857.
Also during this period Roux employed an elaborate engraved label illustrating his workshop and warehouse at the numbered addresses of “479 and 481″ which was worded “A.Roux/Cabinet Maker/481 Broadway/ New-York”.
The finding of a rare partial printed label which appeared on is work from 1857 to 1860 seems to suggest that he had a partnership with another cabinetmaker. This label read, “A. Roux & Co./479 Broadway, /43 & 46 Mercer St./Cabinet-Makers”.
By 1860, Roux had returned to a single proprietorship which is born out by this label, “From/Alexander Rous, /479 Broadway, /43 & 46 Mercer St./New York/French Cabinet Maker, /And Importer of /Fancy Buhl/and Mosaic Furniture/Established 1836. The city directory of 1867 also listed his business at this address.
In 1870 when the son Alexander J. Roux entered the business the company became known as Roux & Co. and the location was listed as 133 Fifth Avenue. While several vagrant script signature marks appear some pieces from the period of 1855 to 1865, this latter label was used until the business came to an end in 1898.