A Scarce French Painted Wrought Iron 'Saint Saveur' Bistro Table by Grasin à Arras c.1885

Origin: French
Period: 3rd Republic
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1885
Height: 28”
Diameter: 24”

The charming time-worn painted wrought iron Grasin à Arras bistro table having a circular top raised on bent supports united by a triform stretcher with cast maker's marks terminating to lion's paw feet, the whole retaining its original layers of painted decoration and displaying a wonderfully distressed surface developed through decades of use and weathering and surviving from the last quarter of the nineteenth century France.

The table remains in highly decorative untouched condition. Layers of historic paint have worn naturally to reveal successive colours beneath, producing a richly textured surface much sought after by collectors of authentic garden furniture. Surface wear, oxidation and age-related imperfections are entirely consistent with its age and outdoor use, contributing significantly to its character and charm. There are some losses to the edges of the top at the rim as photographed which is akin to the surface of a distant planet. The proportions are particularly pleasing, combining lightness of form with the robust construction for which Arras furniture became renowned.

Furniture from Arras occupies a special position in the history of French decorative arts. Produced in northern France throughout the nineteenth century, Arras ironwork became synonymous with elegant garden furniture supplied to grand estates, châteaux and public gardens. Pieces bearing the Grassin mark are increasingly difficult to find, particularly presented like this example in original paint and without later restoration and their sculptural quality and rarity have led to strong demand among interior designers and collectors alike.

A highly desirable example of authentic French Arras garden furniture, combining rarity, provenance and exceptional decorative presence which would be equally at home in a conservatory, garden room or sophisticated interior, where its untouched surface and elegant silhouette can be fully appreciated.