Folding Brass Bottle Rack for Six Bottles, France, circa 1940

This inventive folding bottle rack is constructed from slender brass-finish tubular rods connected at their intersections by small spherical brass joints, creating a reticulated structure of diamond-shaped cells. When deployed, the rack expands into an open lattice capable of cradling six bottles at a reclined angle, each nestled securely within one of the rhombus-shaped apertures of the grid. When not in use, the accordion mechanism allows the entire structure to be folded flat for compact storage — a practical feature that reflects the ingenuity of French design of the period.

Expandable or folding wine racks of this type first appeared in France in the early twentieth century and were produced in brass, chrome, and lacquered metal through the interwar and post-war decades. The diamond-grid construction is both structurally efficient and visually appealing, transforming a purely functional object into a decorative one: the open lattice pattern, with its play of solid and void, is ornamental whether loaded with bottles or standing empty. The warm golden tone of the brass rods and their globular connectors gives the piece a refined, almost jewellery-like quality.

The circa 1940 date places this piece in the period of French applied arts between the late Art Deco and early post-war eras, when functionalist design principles were balanced with an enduring French taste for elegant materials and crafted detail. Expanding brass wine racks of this type were popular among those who valued both practicality and the visual pleasures of a well-appointed cave or dining room.

In good condition consistent with age and use. The folding mechanism operates freely and the brass has a warm, even patina throughout. A functional and decorative piece that would bring distinction to any wine cellar, kitchen, or entertaining space.