Pair of Three-Tier Mahogany & Brass Console Tables, Maison Jansen, France circa 1940

An authoritative pair of three-tier side tables from Maison Jansen, the legendary Parisian decorating house whose unrivalled command of the neoclassical tradition made it the preferred supplier for the world’s greatest private interiors from the Belle Époque through the mid-twentieth century. Each table is constructed with Jansen’s characteristic combination of precious materials and impeccable craft: three rectangular shelves of warm mahogany veneer are supported at each corner by cylindrical columns that alternate sections of polished brass with sections of black lacquered metal, the two materials working together to create a lively, jewel-like rhythm along the height of each support. Small brass knob finials mark the junction of column and shelf on the upper tier, adding a further note of precious decoration that repays close inspection.

The mahogany surfaces are finished with the smooth, lustrous quality associated with the finest French ébénisterie, their warm reddish-brown grain complementing the golden tones of the polished brass without competing for attention. The alternating brass-and-black treatment of the columns is a Jansen signature that appears across many pieces from this period — a device of neoclassical origin, recalling the carved and gilded supports of Empire-period furniture, here translated into a modern, metal vocabulary.

At 65 cm wide, 42 cm deep, and 49.5 cm in height, these are generously scaled tables well suited for use beside a sofa, as side tables flanking a console, or as freestanding accent pieces in a salon or library. The three-tier configuration provides exceptional storage and display capacity within a compact footprint.

A distinguished and well-preserved pair in very good condition, retaining their original patina throughout. An exceptional opportunity from one of the most coveted names in twentieth-century interior decoration.