Art & Design - Peter Woodward
Provenance: Villa Médy-Roc
A refined rectangular occasional table by Maison Leleu, produced circa 1950 as part of the celebrated decorative scheme for Villa Médy-Roc, Cap d’Antibes — one of the firm’s most important post-war private commissions.
The table is constructed with a slender patinated iron base enriched with gilt-bronze detailing, supporting an original mottled “acajou tabac” nitrocellulose lacquer top. This distinctive finish, developed by Leleu for Mediterranean interiors, is prized for its warmth, depth, and subtle tonal variation, designed to respond to natural light rather than present a uniform gloss.
The model corresponds to furniture illustrated in The House of Leleu by Françoise Siriex, the definitive monograph on the firm, where the Médy-Roc interiors are documented in period photographs.
The lacquer surface retains its original patina and has been sensitively conserved, with discreet edge touch-ins carried out using reversible, museum-appropriate materials. An elegant and highly usable example of French mid-century decorative design, combining architectural restraint with refined material detail.
France, circa 1950
| Condition | Original lacquer surface with light age-related wear. Minor edge losses have been discreetly conserved using reversible, museum-appropriate materials. |
|---|---|
| Designer | Maison Leleu |
| dimensions | 100cm x 50 cm 45cm high |
| Medium | Patinated iron base with gilt-bronze spherical details, supporting a lacquered wood top |
| Reference |
