Large Three-Panel Neoclassical Brass and Wire Mesh Folding Fireplace Screen. France. Circa 1970.

A fireplace screen of this scale commands attention. At nearly 73 centimetres wide and 65 centimetres tall, this three-panel folding screen is proportioned for the generous fireplaces found in the reception rooms of French hôtels particuliers, country houses, and well-appointed apartments. It belongs to the long tradition of neoclassical brass and wire mesh screens that French craftsmen produced throughout the twentieth century, adapting an eighteenth-century form to modern manufacturing methods while preserving the clarity of line and the harmonious framing that distinguish the best work of this type.

The structure is classic in its organisation: three hinged panels of equal width, each framed in polished brass with clean rectangular profiles, hinge together to form a continuous barrier across the hearth opening or to be positioned in a shallow curve or right-angle configuration as the fireplace demands. The vertical brass hinge strips at the joints provide the mechanical connection while contributing a strong vertical cadence to the composition, dividing the surface into orderly bays reminiscent of the panelling found in Louis XVI and Empire interiors. The overall effect is simultaneously functional and architectural.

Each panel is filled with a fine dark wire mesh of tightly woven diamonds, the standard and most effective material for fireplace protection. This mesh allows the glow of the fire to remain visible from across the room while reliably intercepting sparks and embers. The contrast between the warm golden tone of the polished brass frame and the deep charcoal of the mesh is a pairing of long-established elegance, one that complements both period and contemporary interiors with equal ease.

In very good condition consistent with age and use, retaining its original brass frame and wire mesh. A handsome and genuinely large screen of this quality is increasingly rare; its size makes it suitable for the most ambitious fireplace settings, and its neoclassical character ensures that it will enhance rather than compete with its surroundings.