Oval Two-Tier Brass Drinks Trolley with Gallery Tray, in the Style of Maison Jansen, circa 1940

This charming oval drinks trolley belongs to the distinguished tradition of French brass bar furniture that flourished throughout the interwar years and found its fullest expression in the output of the great Parisian decorating houses. The present example, in the refined spirit of Maison Jansen — the legendary firm on the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré whose influence shaped the luxury interior from the Belle Époque to the mid-twentieth century — combines elegance of form with the functional ingenuity that characterised the best service furniture of the period.

The upper tier takes the form of a removable oval tray enclosed within a delicate gallery rail with a repeating baluster motif, fitted with side carrying handles that allow it to be lifted independently and brought to guests. The lower tier, designed to hold bottles and glasses, ensures everything required for cocktail service is arranged within reach. The two levels are connected by a central turned brass column crowned with a decorative finial, the whole raised on small castors for ease of movement.

This type of bar trolley was a fixture in the salons and drawing rooms of Parisian high society throughout the interwar decades, serving champagne, cocktails, and digestifs with the ceremony appropriate to its setting. Its presence in a contemporary interior lends an air of effortless sophistication to any entertaining space.

In good vintage condition, the brass retaining a warm patina. Glass shelves intact.