Brass Neoclassical Coffee Table with Antique Mirror Top, Maison Baguès, France, circa 1940

This exquisite neoclassical coffee table is executed in polished brass with a circular top inset with an aged mirror, the deliberate patination of the silvered glass adding a warm, atmospheric quality to the surface. The restrained profile, the precisely drawn brass moulding framing the mirror top, and the tapering legs in the manner of Louis XVI bronzework speak to the finest tradition of French decorative metalwork, refined and elevated for the most distinguished inter-war interiors.

The piece bears the characteristic vocabulary and quality of execution of Maison Baguès, the prestigious Parisian bronzier founded in the mid-nineteenth century and operating from their premises on the Boulevard Saint-Germain. Celebrated for the refinement of their brass furniture and lighting, Baguès supplied the most distinguished decorating houses and private clients of the period. The combination of polished brass with an aged mirror top was among the most sought-after signatures of the Baguès production, combining the reflective warmth of the metal with the atmospheric depth of the deliberately patinated glass.

In excellent original condition, the brass frame retains its warm golden patina and the aged mirror its characteristic mottled surface. The diameter of 60.5 cm and height of 41.3 cm are well-proportioned for use as a cocktail table, lamp stand, or centrepiece in a neoclassically furnished drawing room or reception space. A distinguished example of the Baguès production at the height of the house’s inter-war prestige.