Brass Fire Necessary with Duck Head Handles on Base. In the Go

Few motifs in French decorative ironwork of the 20th century are as immediately recognisable — and as consistently distinguished — as the elongated duck-head handle, a shape quintessentially associated with the legendary Parisian decoration house Maison Jansen. This complete fire set, comprising a poker, tongs, shovel, and brush on a circular base, showcases this motif with assured mastery: each slender brass stem curves into a graceful S-shaped neck, culminating in a finely cast duck head, with the beak and eye rendered with the sharp precision of high-quality casting. The tools are entirely executed in polished brass, with surfaces that are golden and warm without lacquer or artificial darkening, allowing the metal to express its own intrinsic brightness. The circular base, with its clean disc shape and balanced proportions, anchors the whole with a satisfying solidity while allowing each tool to fan out in a beautiful arrangement — a formal solution that is as practical as it is aesthetic. The duck or aquatic bird head as a decorative motif has deep roots in the tradition of French decorative arts, appearing in furniture, bronzes, and fireplace accessories since the Directoire and Empire periods. Maison Jansen, the famous house on Boulevard des Capucines active from 1880 to 1989, brought this vocabulary to its most refined mid-century expression, producing brass accessories of extraordinary quality that are now among the most sought-after items in the international decorative arts market. The present set, dated around 1960, is perfectly in line with the aesthetic and technical requirements of the house. In very good condition, the brass retaining all its polish and the four tools being present and complete, this fire set represents the best of mid-century French brass craftsmanship — a piece.