Art Deco coffee table by Maison Franck (1900 - 1962). Antwerp, ca. 1920-1930

Art Deco coffee table by MAISON FRANCK (1900 - 1962). Antwerp, ca. 1920-1930.
Table top in tortoiseshell marquetry on red background, supported by four turned and sculpted legs.
Lit.: Catalogue of the exhibition Art Déco Belgique 1920-1940, Musée Ixelles 06.10-18.12.1988, p. 186-188; JOOS, E. (1916), Franck, an exceptional Antwerp family, BAI NV; Müllendorf, E. (2002), "The furniture and interior design of Maison Franck of Antwerp (1900-1962)" in Furniture History, journal of the Furniture History Society (no. 38), p. 150-165.
Measurements: 45 x 92 x 66 cm.

Table made by the renowned Maison Franck, a thriving Antwerp decorative firm engaged in furniture production, interior design and the antiques trade, which found in tortoiseshell its signature material. Antwerp was then the main center for the production and export of tortoiseshell veneered cabinets; however, the Franck family knew how to reinterpret this unique material with a language of its own.

The table presented for bidding stands on turned legs decorated with a scrolled floral garland. At the top, they end in palmettes that wrap around the knees. The tabletop has a geometrical floral motif and a slightly curved waist.

The remarkable success of the house was due to the fact that its tortoiseshell Art Deco furniture differed considerably from international Art Deco pieces. This uniqueness can be explained by the influence of Frank, son of the founding couple, who frequently traveled to Paris and possessed Ruhlmann's Sketches, a compendium of sketches by the famous Parisian designer Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann (1879-1933). From these references, Franck developed a personal interpretation that gave rise to his own distinctive style.