Pair of Modernist Wrought Iron Andirons with Loop Finial and Knob-Branch Uprights

A distinctive pair of hand-forged wrought iron andirons of pronounced modernist character, attributed to French craft production of the 1940s. Each piece features a tall, sculptural upright composed of a V-shaped bifurcated stem supporting two outward-reaching branches capped with small forged ball terminals, from which rises a prominent open oval-loop finial. The ensemble creates a bold, graphic silhouette that is simultaneously spare and ornamental.

The two andirons differ in their base configurations, reflecting their respective functions: the front chenet rests on a flat rectangular plinth, providing a stable decorative presence at the fireplace opening, while the rear log-support features an arched foot designed to cradle and elevate the firewood. This functional asymmetry is entirely traditional in French andiron design and adds coherence to the pair.

The wrought iron displays the characteristic mark of hand-working: a slightly textured, irregular surface resulting from the hammer blows of the forge, distinct from the uniform smoothness of cast or machined metal. The bold, reductive forms—loop, sphere, V-frame—recall the vocabulary of Art Deco and early modernist ironwork in the tradition of Raymond Subes or Gilbert Poillerat.

An elegant and characterful pair in very good condition, well suited to a period fireplace or to a curated interior of modernist sensibility.