Rare Pair of Faux-Bamboo Bronze Wall Sconces by Maison Baguès

Maison Baguès, founded in Paris in 1870, is one of the supreme names in French bronze and lighting, celebrated for the extraordinary quality of its craftsmanship and the invention of its decorative repertoire. Among the motifs most closely associated with the house, faux-bamboo holds a special place: the illusionistic rendering of bamboo in cast and chased bronze, with every node, internode and surface texture faithfully reproduced in metal, is a demonstration of both the founder’s technical mastery and the house’s enduring love of the exotic and the unexpected.

These wall sconces, dating to circa 1940, are a rare and distinguished example of the Baguès faux-bamboo production. The arms and mounts are modelled as bamboo stems and nodes with exceptional precision, the patinated bronze surface capturing the natural irregularity of the material in a manner that continues to deceive the eye at close inspection. The circa 1940 date places them within a period of particular refinement for the house, when the interwar taste for exoticism — chinoiserie, bamboo, lacquer — was at its height.

Measuring 23.5 × 11.5 centimetres with a height of 32 centimetres, each sconce is well proportioned for a salon, boudoir or bedroom. The pair creates a composed bilateral symmetry when mounted flanking a mirror, console or chimney breast, and the patinated bronze finish will complement both period and contemporary settings with distinction.

An exceptional and rare pair from one of the great names in French decorative bronzes. In good vintage condition consistent with age. Sold as a pair. Dimensions: 23.5 × 11.5 × 32 cm each.