Pair of Modernist Wrought Iron Andirons with Spiral Columns and Ball Finials by Raymond Subes

Each andiron of this exceptional pair rises from a base of four splayed scroll feet to a tightly wound spiral column in wrought iron, the helix ascending with precise, even rhythm to a polished ball finial at the apex. The combination of the energetic upward movement of the spiral shaft with the grounded stability of the scroll base creates a composition of rare formal intelligence, at once vigorous and controlled.

The attribution to Raymond Subes (1893–1970) places these andirons at the summit of the French decorative ironwork tradition. Subes — who trained under Émile Robert and went on to direct the great Borderel et Robert workshops — was the pre-eminent French maître ferronnier of the mid-twentieth century, responsible for ironwork commissions on the Normandie ocean liner, the Élysée Palace, and the finest private residences of the era. His work is characterised by the seamless fusion of classical decorative vocabulary with the exacting technical standards of the modernist workshop.

The spiral column, a motif with deep roots in classical and Renaissance ornament, is here reinterpreted with the clean precision that distinguishes Subes’ output: the helix is regular and taut, the section uniformly worked, the surface finished to a rich dark patina. Andirons of this quality and attribution are significant collector’s objects, and the present pair, with its exceptional ironwork technique and distinguished provenance, represents the tradition of French decorative metalwork at its highest level.

Dimensions: W. 24.5 × D. 41.5 × H. 43 cm.