Pair of Commodes by Maison Jansen

Rare pair of armchair by Maison Jansen, in full metal and brown cognac leather in original conditions, circa 1940. The condition is good and stamped "JANSEN".

Paris-based design firm Maison Jansen was one of the most well-known and influential interior decorating houses of the 20th century, patronized by royalty, socialites, leaders of nations, and other luminaries of elite society. It was also one of the first truly global design firms. Founded in 1880 by Dutch designer Jean-Henri Jansen (1854-1928), Maison Jansen originally sourced existing antiques or contracted outside cabinetmakers to produce furniture when producing custom interiors for clients. By the 1890s, however, the firm began to manufacture furnishings in-house. Soon, Maison Jansen’s luxury, traditional-style pieces earned an international reputation. Their most sought-after pieces reflected the influence of erstwhile designs from the Louis XIV, Louis XVI, Directoire, and Empire eras, as well as objects Jansen encountered during his travels to Japan and Turkey. By the 1920s, Maison Jansen had offices around the world, including London, New York, Buenos Aires, Havana, Cairo, Prague, Rome, and Rio de Janeiro. During the early 1920s, Stéphane Boudin (1888-1967) joined Jansen as the chief designer and director. His attention to detail, concern for historical accuracy, and ability to create dramatic and memorable spaces brought ever-more work to the firm. Among his many projects, Boudin was responsible the renovations of the White House—including the Red Room, designed in collaboration with Paul Manno—during the administration of John F. Kennedy. By the 1930s, Maison Jansen’s five-story, Paris atelier employed over 700 highly skilled artisans and would go on to employ many famous designers, including Pierre Delbée (1900-1974), Carlos Ortiz-Cabrera, Francis Chaillou, Serge Robin, Henri Samuel, Claude Mandron, and Arthur Kouwenhoven. Maison Jansen’s design aesthetic was forward-thinking and counter-cultural, even as the firm came to specialize in high-end reproductions. Among the many styles Maison Jansen’s furniture and interiors drew from are 18th-century Bourbon Court, the Aesthetic Movement, Art Nouveau, Art Moderne, and even midcentury modernism. The firm’s genius lay in mining the past for forms, colors, and materials that were sure to make an impact. Maison Jansen was commissioned by an array of impressive clients, including William III of the Netherlands, Alfonso XII of Spain, the Duke & Duchess of Windsor, King Leopold II of Belgium, the Shah of Iran, the oil magnate Charles Bierer Wrightsman, Leed’s Castle, Hotel Parr in Vienna, the German Reichsbank, the Rockefellers, Bartolomé March, Coco Chanel, Elsie de Wolfe, and the Kennedys, among many others. In 1989, sixty years after the death of its founder, Maison Jansen closed its doors. Today, Maison Jansen’s designs are highly sought-after by collectors, fetching high prices at auction that range between $5,000 and $20,000—though it is not uncommon to see even higher prices. The most valuable and collectible examples of Maison Jansen furniture are 18th-century antiques that were appropriated and re-upholstered by Maison Jansen in the late-19th century. To date, the record for highest priced Maison Jansen piece was set at Christie’s in London in 2005, when a suite of Louis XVI...

Set of four side tables attributed to Maison Jansen, very high quality, circa 1960s. Some ships on the glass.

Pair of table lamps by Maison Charles, stamped Charles Made in France Model "Fractal". Very Good and original conditions. Original wired.

Pair of table lamps by Maison Charles, stamped Charles Made in France Model "Lotus". Good and original conditions with new rewired.

Rare Horse Table lamp by Maison Charles in original conditions, stamped on the base "Made in France , Maison Charles". Perfect condition and original rewired.

Pair of monumental Louis XVI style marble-top commodes in the Maison Jansen fashion. These impressive and finely constructed commodes or sideboards are simply stunning and leave noth...

Mid 20th Century French Maison Jansen commode. In the regency style with bronze mounts and kingwood veneer. (Book on this item: Jansen Furniture By James Archer Abbott - page 248)

Pair of marble-top commodes in the Louis XV fashion by Maison Jansen. This fabulous pair of oak secondary wood commodes. Each in the Louis XV style having routed panel sides and fron...

Pair of marble-top commodes in the Louis XV fashion by Maison Jansen. This fabulous pair of oak secondary wood commodes. Each in the Louis XV style having routed panel sides and front serpentine routed drawer fronts. Solid wood construction with heavy bronze mounts. The cases supporting a fine conforming marble top. Can buy one. Part of our enormous collection of custom black and white lacquered home...

An exciting example of French design firm Maison Jansen’s commissioned pieces. This large sideboard is made from solid oak, lacquered in a rich dark brown and bronze–golden finish. T...

An exciting example of French design firm Maison Jansen’s commissioned pieces. This large sideboard is made from solid oak, lacquered in a rich dark brown and bronze–golden finish. T...