Paul Sormani was one of the most important Parisian cabinetmakers of the second half of the 19th century. He commenced business at 7 Cimetière Saint-Nicolas and in 1847 moved to 114 rue du Temple. By 1867, when he opened at 10 rue Charlot, he was at the pinnacle of his success. Sormani first showed his work at the 1849 Paris exhibition where he was awarded a bronze medal and again, at the International Exhibition in 1855, when he obtained a first class medal. He travelled to London in 1862, where he gained another award and was given special mention for his  petits meubles de fantaisie et objets décoratifs en bronze at the Paris exhibition of 1867.