Rare Neoclassical Brass Drinks Trolley with Removable Glass Sides, Maison Baguès, France c.1940

A rare and exceptionally refined neoclassical brass drinks trolley attributed to the Maison Baguès, the prestigious Parisian house of decorative metalwork founded in the nineteenth century and celebrated for the consummate quality of its bronzework and gilt metal furnishings. This piece exemplifies the firm’s mastery of classical form applied to functional furniture of the highest order.

The trolley is constructed throughout in polished gilt brass, with a generous rectangular form supported on two large spoked wheels with decorative rosette hub plates to the front and smaller castors to the rear. The frame features elegantly curved arched supports and a sweeping handle bar, all in the Empire manner. The two clear glass shelves sit within the brass framework, and the defining feature of this model is its removable glass side panels, which allow the piece to be used as an open serving trolley or enclosed as a bar cabinet on wheels.

The construction is of the highest quality throughout, with precisely cast and chased brass elements characteristic of the Baguès atelier. The wheel spokes and rosette medallions are particularly refined in their execution, reflecting the firm’s origins in ornamental bronzework for the grandest French interiors.

A rare and museum-quality piece in the French grand decorative tradition, in excellent original condition with a rich, warm patina to the brass throughout.