Modern Classics

A French Arts & Crafts Modernist oak pedestal table, c. 1920-30. The circular tabletop is supported by a pedestal of four panels, each pierced with a quatrefoil motif, raised on splayed legs.

The table sits at the intersection of several design movements, giving it a captivating historical design interest. Its bold geometric, almost abstract, structure gestures towards early Modernism and Art Deco, while the pierced quatrefoil decoration draws from the Neo-Gothic vocabulary of the Arts and Crafts movement. The honest, structural quality of the construction suggests confident provincial craftsmanship.

The stained oak displays bold, visible veining and an even patina throughout, adding decorative warmth. With a generous tabletop and ideal height for use, an early modern side table with rare form and distinctive craftsmanship.

A mid-century gouache on board, c. 1950–1960, by French painter Antoine de Roux (1901-1986), depicting an interior still life centred on an inkwell and pencils, arranged alongside paper cards on a tabletop. The background is animated by an abstract composition of rectangular forms, bordered by a frieze of scalloped motifs, while the overall scene is framed by wood-grain patterns.

A bright and assured palette of red, blue, yellow and green, structured by black accents, gives the composition rhythm through geometric planes of colour and decorative pattern, balancing a sense of perspective with abstraction and colour experimentation.

Signed lower right and presented glazed under museum glass in a dark brown modernist frame. Antoine de Roux worked from the 1930s to the 1960s, focusing primarily on interior scenes and still lifes. While his earlier works retain a naturalistic, almost naïve approach to objects, his later works, such as this one, favour abstraction, while maintaining a consistent interest in interior space, colour structure and decorative presence.

An early 20th-century glazed stoneware vase by Belgian ceramicist Roger Guérin (1896–1954). Of tall flared trumpet form with a stepped base, the elegant shape is characteristic of the Art Deco period.

The surface is decorated with blue and green glaze drips on an earthy ground, with contrasting black glaze to the base and inner lip — a muted but distinctive palette that highlights the verticality of the form.

A rare and sculptural Art Deco vase, in excellent condition, marked underneath.

A distinctive mid-century glazed ceramic lamp from the Romacrea school in Rome, active in the 1950s–60s and renowned for its inventive forms and decorative style. It features a graceful baluster shape with a large round base, narrow neck, and bulging sections between. The deep blue glaze alternates with intricate carved motifs in light brown, with drips at the base in the same hue, creating a rich interplay of texture and colour. An elegant Italian lamp with sculptural modern presence and refined glazing.

A 1948 oil study on canvas by Swiss painter Fernand Dubuis (1908–1991). The composition depicts a cellist in tuxedo and bow tie, set at the centre, surrounded by abstract geometric shapes and patterns that animate the background and emphasise the vertical format of the work.

The cellist and cello are rendered in expressive brushwork, the curved form of the instrument set in quiet contrast against the angular lines of the tuxedo. The background is vivid and decorative — a clash of geometric shapes in reds, blues, purple, yellow and brown, some rendered in broad strokes, others in finer feather-like brushwork, recalling the colourful elements of a staged interior. Dark and white highlights lend depth to the shapes, while the geometry of the tuxedo merges the figure with its surroundings. The rhythm of the composition echoes the musical subject with compelling vitality.

Born in Sion, Switzerland, Dubuis moved to Paris in 1930, where he absorbed the currents of Fauvism, Cubism and Expressionism, working alongside artists including Raoul Dufy, Fernand Léger and André Lhote. His works of the 1940s are characterised by expressionist brushwork and near-Cubist form. This work showcases his interest in music, shared with many contemporary artists. The Musée d'Art du Valais de Sion holds a related portrait of a cellist by Dubuis, dated 1946.

Signed, dated and titled verso. Presented in a black and gilded frame. A rare work, combining bold colour, expressive brushwork and a rich decorative sensibility.

A French Art Deco bedside table in solid oak, c. 1930, offering both display and concealed storage, with an open shelf above a single cupboard door. Its form is defined by bold vertical uprights framing the facade. The top is subtly set back from the structure, introducing a refined tiered detailing effect that is echoed throughout the stepped feet and the slender geometric handle.

The warm mid-toned oak, with its pronounced natural grain, lends an organic richness to a shape that is otherwise beautifully restrained and architectural. A well-proportioned and considered bedside table, with geometric details characteristic of the Art Deco period, softened by solid oak, well-suited to a bedroom or to another room in need of an elegant storage solution.

A vibrant trio of mid-century jugs from the Romacrea school in Rome, active in the 1950s–60s and renowned for its creative shapes and decorative invention. Each piece features a lively design of green and yellow bands with red circular motifs, the colours enhanced by a textured glaze. Their slender, medium-sized forms are completed with sculptural green handles. A distinctive set of modern Italian jugs, rich in colour and texture.

A distinctive midcentury stoneware vase, converted to a table lamp. Its refined urn form showcases a warm golden brown glaze, rich in tonal variations and textures. The upper section is decorated with precise rows of carved diamond motifs, adding rhythm to the vessel’s generous silhouette. A sculptural studio pottery lamp that brings character and elegance.

This early 20th-century glazed earthenware jar comes from the renowned workshop of Pierre de Verclos in Nabeul, Tunisia. It features a striking decor of Tunisian ornaments rendered in a soft, washed effect, showcasing a rich palette of deep blue and green, accented with orange and manganese against a cream background. With a tall, tapered shape, the jar has two small handles at the top, and a blue line finishes the rim. In excellent condition, it is signed at the base and underneath in Arabic. With its captivating decor and distinctive form, this rare jar is a stunning example of early 20th-century craftsmanship from Nabeul.

Pierre de Verclos established the ceramics workshop "La Fabrique" in Nabeul in 1920. The workshop quickly gained acclaim and expanded, contributing to the golden era of artistic pottery in Nabeul from 1925 to 1935 alongside the Chemla and Tessier workshops. It participated in international exhibitions and was included in various museum collections.

A striking French midcentury brass column lamp, featuring a square base adorned with stylised leaves, a fluted shaft with undulating lines, and a short capital decorated with acanthus motifs. The architectural form is adorned by a variety of reinterpreted classical patterns.

The rich, polished brass surface lends the piece a warm, glamorous presence, while its generous scale and bold silhouette make it a decorative focal point. An elegant statement piece, of classical form with a distinctive midcentury twist.

This oil painting on canvas by French artist Suzanne Jean, titled Fonds Marins (Underwater) and dated 1952, presents a dynamic abstract composition of curves and circles layered over vertical stripes, anchored by a red form reminiscent of a face. A rich palette of reds, oranges and yellows contrasts with cooler purples and blues, creating an immersive surface suggestive of the movement of ocean waves.

Hints of maritime imagery appear throughout the composition, with small rounded forms recalling fish eyes and seashells gathered at the centre, lending the painting a subtle surreal quality. Jean builds the surface through textured brushwork and overlapping patches of colour to evoke a rich and expressive landscape.

Although little is documented about Suzanne Jean’s artistic career, this work engages with the spirit of post-war French abstraction, combining geometric structure with imaginative, dreamlike references. The maritime undertones draw parallels with the poetic visual language found in the work of Leonora Carrington or Leonor Fini.

The painting is signed and dated on the front, with the artist’s signature and title on the reverse, and is presented in its original artist’s frame.