Faux-Bamboo Bronze Side Table with Églomisé Glass Shelves by Maison Baguès, circa 1940

This elegant faux-bamboo bronze side table with églomisé glass shelves, by the celebrated Parisian house Maison Baguès, dates from the 1930s–1940s and exemplifies the eclectic decorative sophistication for which the house was renowned. The combination of faux-bamboo bronze work and églomisé glass—both highly fashionable materials during the Art Déco period—results in a piece of great refinement and visual interest.

The frame, cast in bronze to simulate the jointing and texture of bamboo, draws upon a long tradition of chinoiserie-inflected French furniture that began in the eighteenth century and was enthusiastically revived during the 1920s and 1930s by the leading Parisian decorators. The shelves in églomisé glass—their silvered reverse creating a luminous, reflective surface—add a note of glamour that perfectly complements the exotic warmth of the bronze.

Maison Baguès was one of the foremost producers of luxury decorative metalwork and lighting in twentieth-century Paris, supplying the most distinguished private clients and decorating houses of the day. This side table, compact enough to serve beside a sofa or armchair, is a fine example of their ability to combine inventive ornamental design with the highest standards of manufacture.