A rare French parchment-covered side table, made in France for COMTE and originally from the Palais Sans Souci in Argentina, circa 1930s.

The table has a particularly restrained square form, with a top divided into four parchment-covered panels above a shallow apron and four straight legs. The parchment continues across the top, apron and legs, giving the piece a unified architectural appearance and allowing the material and proportion to carry the design.

One of the most distinctive details is the subtle inward curve to the inside face of each leg immediately beneath the apron. It is an unusual constructional detail and gives an otherwise extremely simple form a degree of refinement that becomes more apparent on closer inspection.

The present table is illustrated on p.128 of Mo Amelia Teitelbaum’s Jean-Michel Frank: Une aventure sud-américaine. It appears within a group of tables from the Palais Sans Souci described in the publication as having been made in France for COMTE. This is the actual table illustrated in the book.

Its provenance from the Palais Sans Souci is particularly important. Together with the published reference, it provides a documented connection between the table, its original interior and COMTE’s work in South America during the period in which Jean-Michel Frank was closely associated with the company.

Although the table sits naturally within the restrained vocabulary associated with Frank and COMTE, we have not found documentation that allows us to attribute the design securely to Jean-Michel Frank or to a particular French workshop. We have therefore chosen to leave the manufacturer unidentified rather than make a speculative attribution.

The underside retains two old numbered metal inventory tags. There is also clear evidence that two further labels or metal plates were once attached, with their outlines and fixing holes still visible. Unfortunately, neither of the surviving tags identifies the manufacturer, and the two missing plates no longer allow the workshop to be established. We have deliberately retained all of these traces, as they form part of the documented history of the table.

The parchment has been professionally cleaned and remains in very good condition. It retains subtle variations in tone, surface and colour consistent with age, which we have deliberately preserved. The table had been well cared for before coming to us and required no structural restoration; the frame remains sound and stable.

The underside reveals the timber construction beneath the parchment covering and provides a useful contrast with the refined exterior. We particularly like the fact that the table has survived without being over-restored, allowing the parchment to retain the depth, variation and character expected from a surface of this age.

The combination of its Palais Sans Souci provenance, documented manufacture in France for COMTE, surviving parchment surface and publication history gives the table an unusually strong background. Rather than simply being a related period example, this is the actual table illustrated in the published group from the palace.

Viewing is warmly welcomed at our West London showroom.

High-resolution photographs, detailed condition reports and video inspections are available upon request.

We offer local, national and international shipping.

Please contact us for further information or to arrange a private viewing.