Each Claude Victor Boeltz piece is glamorous yet retains a richly organic feel that adds a touch of bold sophistication to any interior. This French Surrealist designer popularized a technique he called “exploded bronze” — a process that has the metal components of a given piece appear as if they were liquified and then crystalized after an explosion.
Boeltz was born in Paris in 1937. There were several artists in his family, and Boeltz quickly developed creative interests at an early age. He fell in love with painting, architecture, ceramics and more, but was also intrigued by scientific fields such as geology and anatomy.
Boeltz studied under the sculptor Henri Molins and apprenticed at the Susse Frères and Houdot foundries. Additionally, he enrolled in classes in the evenings at the Boulle School in Paris and the Paris Academy of Art. He frequented museums and found much to appreciate in the work of artists such as Alberto Giacometti, Demetre Chiparus, Salvador Dalí, and Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann.
After moving to the French Riviera, Boeltz became personally acquainted with Pablo Picasso. He worked for a period with Picasso, and in the mid-1960s, he established a foundry in the Loire Valley. By the late 1960s, his work was being noticed around Europe (his works were sold by the likes of Cartier). His turning point came in the early 1970s when he met the sculptor César Baldaccini, whose “compression” pieces inspired Boeltz to experiment with abandon, and his “exploded bronze” technique was born.
Boeltz’s Hollywood Regency-style furnishings — mirrors, candlesticks, picture frames, lamps and even ceiling fixtures — were made with this new process. The designer then worked to decorate these “exploded” pieces with semi-precious stones — often African emeralds — or other luminous materials such as quartz and Murano glass. He subsequently opened two foundries to produce these kinds of works.
In the early 1980s, Boeltz moved his facilities to the United States. He built a large foundry in Nevada, and today, Las Vegas hotels now house many of his works. His collectors have also included Salvador Dalí, Baron Rothschild and others.
On 1stDibs, find Claude Victor Boeltz decorative items, lighting, serveware and more.
H 21.26 in W 11.82 in D 7.88 in
Pair of Exclusive Philippe-Jean Brass Art Sculpture Table Lamps, Signed
By Philippe Jean
Located in Voorburg, NL
Rare pair of Table lamps by French Artist Philippe-Jean, France, 1970s. These sophisticated midcentury Table Lamps have a fine gilded brass sculpture on a creamy-marble foot with the...
Marble, Brass
H 23.63 in W 11.82 in D 11.82 in
Pair of Brass Sculpture Lamps by Angelo Brotto for Esperia Italy, 1980s
By Angelo Brotto, Esperia
Located in SAINT-OUEN, FR
Mid-Century Modern Space Age pair of set of 2 brass sculpture table or bedside lamps lights lighting by the italian designer Angelo Brotto for the editor Esperia. Famous design like ...
Brass
H 17.72 in W 3.55 in D 7.09 in
Pair Italian design brass table lamps with solid figure decor
Located in London, GB
Pair of table of table lamps with solid brass sculpture figure decor. Italian design Measurement with shades: 30cm x 25cm x H 60cm Shades measurement used: 30cm x 25cm x H 20cm
Brass
H 9.85 in Dm 4.73 in
Angelo Brotto Pair of Bronze Table Lamps, circa 1970, Italy
By Angelo Brotto
Located in Brussels, BE
Nice pair of Angelo Brotto table lamps, circa 1970, Italy. Bronze, brass, wood. Rewired, E14 bulb. Good original condition. All purchases are covered by our Buyer Protection Guarante...
Brass, Bronze
Pair French Mid-Century Modern Neoclassical Brass Table Lamps, Jean-Michel Frank
By Jean-Michel Frank
Located in New York, NY
Elegant and Timeless Pair of French Mid-Century Modern Neoclassical Solid Brass / Bronze table lamps circa 1930 in the style of Jean Michel Frank. The lamps are special in their clas...
Bronze, Brass
H 27.17 in W 13.78 in D 13.78 in
Maison Charles. Pair of bronze vgrenadeb lamps. 1970s.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Maison Charles Pair of bronze lamps with a double patina, depicting a burst pomegranate revealing its seeds. Original metal lampshades with gold trim. Note: The top of each lamp fe...
Bronze
H 26.78 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in
Pair of Gold Maria Pergay Brass Plated Table Lamps
By Maria Pergay
Located in Hastings, GB
A very rare pair of 1970’s brass plated stainless steel Table lamps, designed by Maria Pergay. Born in 1930 in Moldova, Romania to Russian-Jewish parents, Pergay and her mother fled to France at the beginning of World War II. After the war, Pergay studied costumery, set design, and sculpture at the Institut des Hautes Études Cinématographiques in Paris, before opening her own shop to sell decorative silver objects. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that she began using stainless steel. Pergay lives and works in Paris, France. Today, her works are held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. These lamps are sometimes mistaken for designs by the Italian company Il Punto...
Stainless Steel
H 29 in W 8 in D 8 in
Mid Century Aged Brass Table Lamps by Hart Associates - A Pair
By Hart Associates 1
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Stunning pair of sculptural brass table lamps by Hart Associates, featuring elegant flared petal bases and tall, architectural stems. Finished in warm brass with subtle patina, these...
Brass
H 13.39 in Dm 7.88 in
Bronze Pair of Table Lamps by Luciano Frigerio, circa 1970, Italy
By Luciano Frigerio
Located in Brussels, BE
Rare bronze Luciano Frigerio pair of table lamps, circa 1970, Italy. Bronze, new off-white fabric shades. Rewired, E27 bulb . Beautiful patina of the bronze, vintage item. Dimensions...
Bronze
H 33 in W 9 in D 3 in
Exquisite Pair of Modern Brass Lamps in the Style of Parzinger, circa 1960
Located in Atlanta, GA
A stunning pair of large-scale solid brass alter candle sticks, circa 1960, as newly made custom lamps. Heavy, exceptionally crafted pieces which e...
Brass
Maison Charles–Attributed Pair of Gilt Bronze and Ostrich Egg Table Lamps
By Maison Charles
Located in New York, NY
This elegant pair of table lamps is attributed to Maison Charles, Paris, and dates to the mid-20th century, reflecting the firm’s signature blend of classical motifs and refined mode...
Bronze
French Neoclassical Gilt Metal Table Lamp
Located in New York, NY
A handsome French gilt metal table lamp, circa 1950–1970, designed in the neoclassical taste. The sculptural body is formed as a dramatic spray of stylized foliate elements, evocativ...
Bronze
Gilded Brass and Agate Table Lamp, Willy Daro, circa 1970
Located in New York, NY
Willy DARO (20th Century), table lamp in gilded brass with a rectilinear base inset with a natural agate slice, surmounted by a cream silk rectangular shade edged in brass, and stamp...
Agate, Brass
The Classical Glow: Pair of Mid Century Cream Tole Painted Kylix Shaped Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Mid-Century Cream-Painted Tole Kylix-Form Table Lamps: A refined pair of mid-20th-century table lamps crafted in tole and finished in a soft cream paint with gilt accents. E...
Metal
Pair of 19th Century Parisian Bronze Lamp-Post Form Table Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Pair of 19th Century Parisian Bronze Lamp-Post Form Table Lamps A distinguished pair of 19th century bronze table lamps modeled after classic Parisian street lanterns of the Haussma...
Bronze
Iconic Pierre Cardin Lucite Table Lamp with Brass Mounts, 1970s
Located in New York, NY
A striking example of 1970s design at the intersection of glamour and early postmodernism, this table lamp reflects the distinctive aesthetic associated with Pierre Cardin. The compo...
Metal, Brass
