Baluster Table Lamp in Lacquered Shell Marquetry and Gilt Brass in the Neoclassical Style. French Work. Circa 1970

This table lamp adopts the form of a Medici vase whose entire surface is covered with a lacquered shell marquetry in brown, amber and bronze tones, playing on deep tortoiseshell effects beneath the varnish. The flared neck is underscored with a gilt brass band, and the cyma base rests on a square plinth also ringed with brass. A black tapered shade with a gilt interior crowns the whole.

This technique of lacquered shell marquetry, popularised in the 1970s by French workshops and refined productions in the spirit of Jean-Claude Mahey or Maison Lancel, partakes of the neoclassical taste for precious materials and shimmering surfaces.

Condition report: Good general condition. Complete marquetry with a fine polish, without visible lifting; gilt brass with an even patina. Electricity checked by an electrician. A warm and sophisticated lamp, perfect in a sitting room or a library.