Pair of Black Lacquered Wrought Iron & Glass Side Tables, French Work circa 1950

This striking pair of side tables presents one of the most compelling expressions of postwar French metalwork: bases of black lacquered wrought iron fashioned into an audacious composition of arched forms, interlaced oval motifs, and curved structural elements that recall the great tradition of decorative ironwork cultivated in France by artists such as Gilbert Poillerat and Edgar Brandt. The thick, clear glass tops, square in format, hover above these sculptural bases with the transparency of water, allowing the ironwork beneath to be appreciated from every angle.

The design negotiates with remarkable confidence the tension between decorative exuberance and structural purpose. The semi-circular arch that forms the principal support is counterbalanced by crossing oval or “fish-eye” elements — a motif that appears frequently in French decorative metalwork of the 1940s and 1950s — while the whole composition maintains a light, open quality despite its visual complexity.

Such tables occupied a cherished place in the interiors of the French postwar avant-garde, gracing the apartments and villas of collectors who sought to distinguish their décor with work of artisanal ambition. They pair naturally with both the bolder forms of mid-century furniture and the more restrained lines of contemporary design.

Offered as a well-matched pair in good vintage condition. The black lacquer retains good coverage and the glass tops are present and intact.