Neoclassical Oval Coffee Table in Brass and Carrara Marble, Janse House

This magnificent oval coffee table from Maison Jansen stands as one of the most striking examples of French neoclassical furniture in the interwar tradition: a harmonious dialogue between the noble material of white Carrara marble and the warm glow of polished brass, resolved with the formal authority that distinguished the great Parisian decoration house throughout the first half of the 20th century. The oval marble top—a generous slab of white Carrara marble veined with sinuous grey streaks that has made this Italian stone the supreme choice of architects and decorators for five centuries—rests on a brass base with neoclassical vocabulary: turned legs whose profiles are informed by the language of ancient columns, joined by an X-shaped stretcher at the base. Each element testifies to the deep mastery of classical tradition by the house, transformed by the precision of its artisans into furniture for a sophisticated modern world. Maison Jansen, established on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, counted among its clientele kings and queens, statesmen, and the greatest private collectors of the century. Its furniture, produced in small series at the highest level of craftsmanship, is now ardently sought after by institutions and private collectors. A table of this quality, in this state of preservation, represents a rare opportunity. A beautiful example in excellent condition. The marble top is intact and retains its original polish. The brass is in excellent condition.