Pair of Adjustable Brass Reading Lamps with Removable Arm, Attributed to Maison Jansen, French Work, circa 1940

Conceived during the golden age of French decorative arts, this exceptional pair of adjustable reading lamps exemplifies the refined craftsmanship for which Maison Jansen became celebrated the world over. Executed entirely in polished brass, each piece features a pivoting removable arm that allows the user to direct the light with precision — a testament to the practical elegance that defined the atelier's production.

Founded in Paris in 1880 by Henri Jansen, the Maison Jansen rapidly established itself as the preeminent decorating house of its era, counting among its clients the crowned heads of Europe, several heads of state, and luminaries such as Jacqueline Kennedy, for whom it undertook the celebrated renovation of the White House in 1961. Working across styles from the Napoléon III tradition to Art Déco modernism, the firm maintained an unwavering standard of quality and invention that elevated it above all competition.

Dating from the period 1930–1940 and fully in keeping with the restrained grandeur of Art Déco, this pair speaks to an era when form and function were held in equal esteem. The warmth of the brass, the clean lines of the adjustable arms, and the sheer practicality of the design ensure that these lamps remain as desirable today as when they first illuminated a Parisian interior. An ideal addition to a reading corner, library, or any interior that prizes authenticity and distinguished provenance.