French designer Jean Claude Mahey is best known for his elegant Hollywood Regency and Art Deco–style burl wood furniture. Vintage Mahey tables, mirrors and case pieces are often embellished with decorative techniques so that the rich, sumptuous materials he uses are paired with marquetry, lacquer, marble elements or brass accents that renders his furniture striking in contemporary dining rooms and living rooms.
Born in Mayenne, France, in 1944, Mahey found himself surrounded by a close family of painters and decorators. He graduated from the College of Applied Arts of Paris in 1966. From 1967 to 1976, Mahey worked for several luxury furniture manufacturers such as Maison Jansen, Roche Bobois, Maison Romeo and Maville Interiors. In 1976, he decided to make the bold move of striking out on his own and founded his namesake furniture design company.
Besides his love of marquetry, Mahey was interested in perfecting a heavy lacquer technique that produced mirror-like finishes and softened hard edges. Lacquered furniture and decor have long been cherished by design lovers. In the 18th century, European and English royals adored Japanese lacquerware.
During the Art Deco period, French furniture designers partnered with Japanese lacquerers to create a whole new genre of shimmering cabinetry — Jean Dunand learned the techniques from Japanese lacquer master Seizo Sugawara and introduced his first of many lacquered pieces in 1921. Dunand wasn’t the only Art Deco designer to use the material (Irish architect Eileen Gray famously did so too), but he employed it much more prolifically and decoratively. Collectors greatly admire and seek out Mahey’s lacquered chests of drawers and cabinets.
Today Mahey’s atelier is still family-led. Working closely with his wife, Betty, they have created many successful designs popular throughout France and around the world. In 1992, he opened his current showroom in the center of Paris and soon after, his children Cecilia and Maxence joined the family firm.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Jean Claude Mahey tables, storage pieces, lighting and more.
| Average Sold Price |
| $2,026 |
| Styles |
| Materials |
| Related Creators |
White Lacquer and Brass Sideboard by Jean Claude Mahey, 1980s
By Jean Claude Mahey, Roche Bobois
Located in Antwerp, BE
Gorgeous sideboard white lacquer and brass elements designed and handcrafted by French designer Jean-Claude Mahey for Roche Bobois, 1980. This features brass detailing around the dra...
Brass
Bar/Coffee Table by Jean Claude Mahey, 1970s
By Jean Claude Mahey
Located in Brussels, BE
Bar/Coffee Table by Jean Claude Mahey, 1970s
Metal
$4,500
H 12.01 in W 45.28 in D 23.63 in
A NEOCLASSICAL SHABBY-CHIC Lacquer COFFEE TABLE by JEAN-CLAUDE MAHEY France 1970
By Jean Claude Mahey
Located in PARIS, FR
An elegant and luxurious rectangular coffee table, Post-Modernist, Shabby-Chic, base in black lacquered wood, thick square section top in burgundy red lacquered wood (deep and intens...
Brass
Black lacquer and brass sideboard by Jean Claude Mahey, 1970s
By Jean Claude Mahey
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Luxurious seventies glamour sideboard by Jean claude Mahey consitsing of black lacquer panels and brass. The use of different high quality materials makes this piece very attractive...
Brass
$10,776
H 29.53 in W 88.98 in D 53.55 in
Midcentury Ivory Jean-Claude Mahey Dining Table France lacquered wood brass
By Jean Claude Mahey
Located in Valladolid, ES
One of a kind and exquisite table clearly embodies the spirit of high-end French design from the 1970s and 1980s, characteristic of Jean-Claude Mahey. Its precise geometry and lacquer finish evoke an aesthetic that fuses Art Deco, reinterpreted with modern glamour. The octagonal shape of the tabletop is particularly striking. This formal choice breaks with rectangular or circular tradition, providing dynamism and sophistication. The golden brass lines, which divide the surface into triangular planes, reinforce the compositional structure and allude to a sense of almost architectural order. These golden lines function not only as decorative accents but also as visual guides that direct the eye toward the center, generating visual balance. Jean Claude Mahey often used this contrast between polished lacquer and shiny metals to highlight geometric shapes. The ivory or cream lacquer finish provides a polished surface, typical of Mahey's style, which amplifies the sense of luxury and modernity. This type of finish is often associated with Hollywood-inspired interior design and the refined opulence of the mid-20th century. The square-sectioned, also lacquered base presents itself as a solid, geometric volume, generating an elegant tension between the visual mass of the base and the lightness of the tabletop. The gilded metal profiles that frame the edges of the base reinforce the idea of geometric luxury and add stylistic continuity with the design of the tabletop. The table is extendable. Its basic shape is square, but the two extensions (which fold in half) are hidden within the base and fit into rails that are concealed beneath the tabletop. Overall, this table is a paradigmatic example of Jean Claude Mahey's style: refined, geometric, glamorous, and deeply linked to an artistic vision of furniture as functional sculpture. Jean-Claude Mahey (Mayenne, France, 1944–) Jean-Claude Mahey is a French designer famous for his burlwood furniture...
Brass
$5,752
H 12.8 in W 47.25 in D 23.63 in
French Faux Tortoise Shell Lacquer & Brass Coffee Table J.C. Mahey C.1970
By Jean Claude Mahey
Located in London, GB
French Faux Tortoise Shell Lacquer & Brass Coffee Table Designed by Eric Maville and Jean Claude Mahey for Maison Romeo C.1970 A lacquered coffee table, with gilt edges, raised on a black rectangular block base, makers plaque to the side. Known for his French chic...
Brass
$6,631Sale Price|20% Off
H 29.53 in W 45.67 in D 45.67 in
Dining Room Table by Jean Claude Mahey for Roche Bobois 1980s
By Jean Claude Mahey, Roche Bobois
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
Rare and fine quality French design 1980s square luxury dining room table by Jean Claude Mahey for Roche Bobois. This fantastic tabl...
Smoked Glass, Walnut
$1,172
H 13.78 in W 51.19 in D 29.53 in
Mid-modern century briarwood and brass coffee table by Jean Claude Mahey, 1970s
By Jean Claude Mahey
Located in Nicolosi, IT
Mid-Century Modern Briarwood and Brass Coffee Table by Jean Claude Mahey, 1970s Elevate your living space with this stunning coffee table by Jean Claude Mahey, a hallmark of 1970s F...
Brass
| Sold Date | Sold Price | Category | Material | Creation Year | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| $2,026 |
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months |
| $751-$3,509 |
| Sold price range of items in the past 12 months |