Pair of Octagonal Chrome & Bronze Glass Two-Tier Side Tables, France circa 1970

This refined pair of side tables represents the sophisticated end of French chrome and glass furniture production in the early 1970s. The characteristic octagonal form — created by chamfering the four corners of what would otherwise be a square top — is a subtle but telling design choice that elevates these pieces above comparable production of the period, introducing a faceted quality that catches the light differently with every change of angle.

The frames are executed in polished chrome with broad, flat top rails that meet at angled mitre cuts at each corner — a detail requiring precision in the workshop. The bronze-tinted smoked glass tops are cut to match the octagonal frame exactly, their warm brownish tones complementing the gleam of the chrome to fine effect. A lower glass shelf at each table adds both structural rigidity and practical utility.

At 61 cm square and 37.5 cm in height, these are generous side tables that sit comfortably alongside a sofa or an armchair. The proportions are well-judged: substantial enough to serve as useful surfaces while sufficiently refined to work in an interior of quality, and low enough to read as an unobtrusive extension of the seating rather than an intrusion upon it.

The combination of octagonal form, bronze glass and quality chrome work has made pieces of this type perennially appealing to collectors of 1970s French decorative arts. This pair, in good vintage condition with a consistent natural patina to the chrome, demonstrates the period’s ability to produce furniture that is at once practical and genuinely distinguished.