Pair of Lucite & Chrome X-Base Side Tables with Glass Tops, French Work circa 1970

This elegant pair of side tables belongs to that distinctly glamorous current of French design that emerged in the late 1960s and reached its peak in the early 1970s, when lucite — or plexiglass — became the material of choice for designers seeking an effect of weightless luxury. The X-shaped bases, formed from thick panels of crystal-clear lucite joined with polished chrome fittings, create an almost architectural illusion: tables that appear to float above the floor, dissolving into their surroundings rather than asserting mass.

The thick clear glass tops amplify this effect, their transparency continuing the dematerialised aesthetic of the base while providing a generous and practical surface. The chrome hardware introduces a note of metallic warmth that anchors the composition and prevents it from becoming too ethereal, recalling the luxurious interiors favoured by the Parisian grand-bourgeoisie of the period.

Tables of this type were produced by a number of French workshops in the 1970s, associated with the broader international vogue for transparent furniture that swept Europe and America following the example of such innovators as Charles Hollis Jones in the United States. Their appeal endures: in a contemporary interior, they read as both of their time and entirely timeless.

A handsome and well-matched pair offered in good vintage condition. The lucite retains its clarity and the glass tops are present and intact.