Maison Desny Rare Silver and Wood Modernist Bowl French Art Deco

This rare silver-plated modernist bowl, designed by Maison Desny, showcases a unique blend of materials, featuring a sophisticated macassar wood treatment base—an unusual choice for the firm known primarily for its metalwork. The wood displays a fine design, harmonizing perfectly with the modern metal elements. Given the rarity and quality of the piece, it is possible that it was a custom order, as Maison Desny was in operation for only five years, from 1927 to 1933.

The bowl is an impressive example of the modern design ethos that Maison Desny excelled in, with their designs remaining unmatched and unreproduced to this day. The firm’s background might be uncertain, but the excellence of its modernist creations is undeniable. The juxtaposition of perpendicular shapes and planes, a hallmark of the firm’s style, makes their pieces easily identifiable.

This particular bowl is signed on the bottom “DESNY PARIS made in France DEPOSE.” The signature attests to its authenticity and exceptional craftsmanship.

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The firm Maison Desny is recognized for its innovative and resolutely modern objects, especially lighting fixtures that incorporated glass and chrome-plated metal; they also produced silverware, bath accessories, carpets, and murals. They favored plain, highly polished surfaces of chromed, silver or nickel-plated metal.  The business was started around 1927 but was negatively affected by political events in Europe, and unfortunately, closed in 1933. Information on the history of La Maison Desny remains vague, it appears that Maison Desny was established by two designers, Desnet and Rene Nauny, from whose names the contraction of “Desny” was derived.