Pair of Wrought Iron Andirons with Interlaced Latticework Uprights in the Manner of Raymond Subes. France. Circa 1940.

These andirons are distinguished by the exceptional intricacy of their wrought iron uprights, each formed by a complex arrangement of interlaced oval loops disposed in a rhythmic lattice composition. The loops, forged and welded at their junctions, create a series of oval apertures that lighten the visual mass of the upright while maintaining its structural integrity. A small ball finial caps the composition at the top, and the transition to the base is effected through scrolled and splayed feet that anchor the pair with quiet authority. The angled log dogs complete the functional design with characteristic restraint.

The interlaced loop vocabulary — a technical and formal tour de force in hand-forged iron — places this pair firmly within the orbit of Raymond Subes and the tradition of complex iron openwork for which his atelier was celebrated. The execution requires the ironworker to heat, bend, and join multiple individual rods into a coherent interlaced structure, maintaining consistent spacing and alignment throughout. The visual result, reminiscent of fine grille or grating work transposed to fireplace scale, demonstrates the métier at a high level of accomplishment.

The pair is in good condition, the original forged iron surface retaining a rich dark patina consistent with age and fireside use. The interlaced elements are intact with no breaks or deformations. The scrolled base feet are sound and the overall structural integrity is fully preserved. The pieces present well as a closely matched pair.

Raymond Subes (1891–1970) was the dominant figure in French decorative ironwork of the twentieth century, whose complex loop, lattice, and interlaced compositions became defining features of the French Art Déco and modernist ironwork tradition. While not bearing a maker’s mark, these andirons are consistent in both vocabulary and technical execution with ironwork produced in the orbit of his atelier during the 1930s and 1940s, when interlaced openwork of this type was among the most sought-after expressions of the French ferronnerie d’art.