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Maison Desny Style Art Deco Modernist Box Macassar and Chrome

About the Item

This gorgeous French Art Deco decorative box is reminiscent of Desny's work. It features Macassar wood hexagonal sides with chromed metal accents on the lid. French Art Deco decoration at its finest, with excellent quality and a streamlined design. There is no visible maker's mark. The box is in good condition, with minor wear to the wood, but it does not significantly affect the overall appearance. Measurements: 8.50 in wide (21.5 cm) x 4.32 in deep (11 cm) x 3.13 in high (8 cm). Note: The Maison DESNY, founded by Clément Nauny, whose surname results from the contraction of "DESsin" (drawing) and "NauNY," produces furniture, lighting, and silversmith. Clément Nauny was born in 1900 in Oran. Upon his arrival in Paris in 1918, he immersed himself in the artistic milieu and befriended Alfred Masson and Alberto Giacometti, often frequenting the Circle of Avant-Garde Artists. This self-taught artist established the DESNY house and set up shop at 122 Boulevard des Champs-Élysées in 1927. Indirect light fixtures and modernist goldsmith pieces with a shape often close to sculpture will be an immediate success. The creations of this visionary, audacious, and astonishingly pure are part of an avant-garde movement due to their minimalist and asymmetrical geometric shape. Clément Nauny is not alone in creating decorative art. He joined forces with two designers, Maurice Nauny, his brother, Louis Poulain, and a workshop manager, Henri Dagneau. Most DESNY luminaires are made of nickel-plated metal and glass; some, called "light decorations," have the sole function of lighting up the dark corner of a room. Sometimes, mechanisms allow these lamps to adapt their shape and vary their light intensity. The best-known clients of the DESNY house are the patron Pierre-David Weill, Georges-Henri Rivière, Robert Mallet-Stevens, and the Maharajah of Indore. Clément Nauny also worked with designer labels like Worth, Chanel, and Lucien Lelong to create items. The Great Depression caused by the 1929 financial crash got the better of the original approach of the house of DESNY, and in 1933, the house ceased all activity. (Credit: various websites).
  • Attributed to:
    La Maison Desny (Retailer)Desny (Maker)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 3.13 in (7.96 cm)Width: 8.5 in (21.59 cm)Depth: 4.32 in (10.98 cm)
  • Style:
    Art Deco (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    circa 1930
  • Condition:
  • Seller Location:
    Atlanta, GA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: X121CEBBAC1stDibs: LU1632242053202

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