Tahan à Paris. Jean-Pierre Alexandre Tahan

(1813 - 1892)

Literature:
Jean Pierre Alexandre (1813-1892), son of Pierre Lambert Tahan, was born in Paris and began collaborating with him as early as 1837. In 1844, when his father retired from business, he took over its complete management. Thanks to his creativity and innovative skills, he initiated an important phase of development for the company. Among his first initiatives, he separated the workshop on Rue de Quincampoix from the retail store located on Rue Basse-du-Rempart. In addition to refining the production of boxes, he expanded the range of furniture produced, including larger pieces such as bonheur-du-jour, desks, and sewing tables. As early as 1845, he began advertising his creations in newspapers, a practice that was still uncommon at the time.
Thanks to the quality and elegance of his works, he became the “Supplier to the King and Princes” and won a silver medal at the Exhibition of Industrial Products in 1849, earning him the title of "Prince of Small Cabinetmaking." In 1855, at the Universal Exhibition, he was awarded the title of "Supplier to the Emperor" after presenting an extraordinary sculpted aviary. The Imperial Court commissioned numerous pieces from him, including rosewood planters, salon tables for the Palais des Tuileries, and a majestic mahogany and gilt bronze cabinet for Napoleon III’s office. The Tahan store changed locations several times, first moving to 34 Rue de la Paix (1849-1866) and later to 11 Boulevard des Italiens (1866-1878).
In 1861, La Chronique des Arts et de la Curiosité described him as "one of those manufacturers who do not follow fashion but anticipate and define it." Among his most innovative collaborations, his partnership with Julien-Nicolas Rivart stood out, leading to the development of porcelain floral inlays in furniture—a technique that became one of the hallmarks of his production and solidified his status as a pioneer of modernity.
In 1867, he won the gold medal at the Universal Exhibition, and by the end of the Second Empire, he employed over two hundred workers across multiple workshops. Passionate about innovation, much like Rivart, he personally patented several mechanisms, including a cylinder system and an original document holder with a translucent facade in 1858.
However, with the fall of the Empire, which had strongly supported his business, the Tahan Manufactory entered a period of decline. In 1882, production ceased permanently, and the store closed its doors.