1935 Jansen Dining Table

About the Item

The January 1935 issue of Plaisir de France featured two dining tables by Jansen. The editors saw fit to present the same photograph of one of the two once again in the book Decoration de France, a 1949 compilation of articles and images previously published in the magazine. This photograph shows the table before an antique Chinese screen, extravagantly set with Lalique glass, and a fantastical Misia Sert centerpiece of glass pearls in the form of a sheaf of wheat. The table is described as palisander, or rosewood, with bronze mounts. Our table is amboyna, an exotic burlwood, with silvered-bronze-mounts. Since they spelled Misia as Missia, and identified the glass base of her centerpiece as rock crystal, they may also have misidentified the table’s wood, and overlooked the silvering. Yet our table could be a different iteration of the same design, since more than one may have been made, although it’s unlikely that any two were exactly alike. The designer of the table was Gaston Schwartz. In 1920 he was one of three designers Henri Jansen brought into his firm, as he was easing his own way into retirement. The other two were Stéphane Boudin, now celebrated, and Jean-Jules Vandries, now unknown, who was probably involved with business end rather than design. Schwartz was born in 1879 in Sens, and died in 1938 in Paris. Since he was frequently cited in the newspaper L’Universe Israelite, he was presumably Jewish. In 1910 he married Rachel Franck. In 1920 he joined Jansen as a partner. And in 1928, just before the death of the founder, he was made director of the firm. By 1930 he became a Chevalier of the Legion d’Honneur. Professionally, he was out of the picture before his death, by which time Boudin was the firm’s director. The only surprise in his biography is that he was a socialist, having had his wedding banns published in Le Travailleur Socialiste, a party newspaper. Needless to say, this was not par for the course for a decorator who catered to the rich.

Creator:

Maison Jansen (Designer)

Dimensions:

Height: 31 in (78.74 cm)Width: 117 in (297.18 cm)Depth: 47 in (119.38 cm)

Style:

Art Deco (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Bronze,Opaline Glass,Other,Silvered

Place of Origin:

France

Period:

1930-1939

Date of Manufacture:

1935

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use. The wood has been polished. There is a small chip on one corner of the black-glass top. As it's small, smooth, and on the underside of the beveled glass, it will not catch or cut when in position.

Seller Location:

New York, NY

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU1061426088062

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Shop All Maison Jansen

Maison Jansen

The Dutch-born Jean-Henri Jansen (1854–1928) was only in his mid-20s when he set up his Parisian design business in 1880. By the time he died, Maison Jansen had become the world’s first international decorating firm. Today, it is still regarded as one of the most notable firms and period furniture manufacturers in history, with its vintage floor lamps, tables, dressers and other furnishings remaining in demand.

Maison Jansen initially came to international prominence in 1883 when the young Jean-Henri Jansen traveled to Amsterdam to participate in the International Colonial Exposition, an event that featured presentations by 28 different nations and was attended by over a million visitors. There he exhibited as part of the French pavilion and won the silver medal. This led to two prominent new clients: King William III of the Netherlands and King Alfonso XII of Spain. Next was King Leopold II of Belgium for the interiors of the Château du Laeken, as well as commissions for Egypt’s King Farouk and Great Britain’s King Edward VII. Thanks to his participation in global expositions and fairs, Jansen expanded the renown of the firm so that its studios would reign in such major cities as London, New York, Buenos Aires, Cairo and many more.

Jansen was not only sought after for his taste but also for his custom period-inspired pieces. For example, in the Count and Countess de Revilla de Camargo’s Havana mansion, Jansen designed Louis XV–style furniture crafted from Cuban mahogany, enhancing Maison Jansen’s reputation as an expert maker. His custom furniture business was so successful that by 1900 he had opened his own atelier and employed around 700 artisans. In the 1960s, the firm, then led by Stéphane Boudin, worked with Jacqueline Kennedy on the refurbishment of rooms in the White House, including such spaces as the Queens’ Sitting Room, which featured bright blue fabric and neoclassical details.

Maison Jansen continued to produce furniture designs through the 20th century, responding to shifting tastes from Art Nouveau to Modern Regency. The atelier and studio officially closed its doors in 1989.

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