Pair of Neoclassical Square Brass Side Tables with Onyx Tops, in the Style of Jansen, France, circa 1940

This charming pair of compact square side tables draws directly from the neoclassical vocabulary that Maison Jansen made its own during the 1930s and 1940s — the dialogue of warm gilded brass and precious stone that became one of the most recognisable signatures of Parisian luxury furniture of the period. Each table stands on a delicate gilded brass frame whose legs converge in a dynamic diagonal cross-stretcher at the base, a form derived from the ancient curule seat that Jansen’s designers revived with unfailing elegance in countless variations throughout their finest years.

The square tops are each set with a slab of warm golden onyx, whose characteristic translucent veining catches the light and creates a luminous, jewel-like quality. Onyx — a form of chalcedony marked by its parallel banding and semi-transparency — was a favoured luxury material in the French decorative arts, prized for the warm honey-amber palette that complemented gilded brass with particular harmony. The precise cutting of each slab ensures the stone fits exactly within its brass surround, with the characteristic veining presented to maximum decorative effect.

Each table measures 36 by 36 centimetres with a height of 36 centimetres, making these among the most compact pieces in the Jansen canon — ideal beside a chair or on either side of a fireplace, as matched occasional tables in a corridor, or as lamp tables in a bedroom. Their perfectly cubic proportions give them a sculptural quality that transcends mere utility, making each one an object of contemplation in its own right.

Offered as a matching pair with consistent patination and harmonious stones, these tables represent the Jansen sensibility at its most intimate and refined — a marriage of material luxury and classical geometry that remains as compelling today as when the tables were made.