Janneau, Guillaume (1887-1981)

Le Fer. Ouvrages de Ferronnerie et de Serrurerie [French Ironwork] [Architectural & Decorative Arts] [Loose Plate Portfolio]

Paris: F. Contet, 1924. First Edition, First Printing. Folio Portfolio of Loose Plates.

French ironwork plates by Janneau, early Art Deco era, complete folio portfolio.

A complete folio portfolio documenting contemporary French ironwork and locksmithing in the early 1920s, edited by Guillaume Janneau. Issued as a loose-plate publication, the work presents executed designs by leading artisans, emphasizing iron as both structural and decorative within modern architectural contexts. Text is in French; the plates are entirely visual and usable without language proficiency.

Physical Description: Publisher’s portfolio with purple cloth backstrip over marbled boards, secured with original cloth ties. Folio, approximately 12.5 × 17.25 inches (44 × 32.3 cm). Four pages of introductory text followed by 40 loose photographic plates, complete. Text in French.

The plates represent work by Edgar Brandt (plates 1–19), Jacques Brégeaux (plate 20), Richard Desvallières (plates 21–23), Louis Brachet (plate 24), Nics Frères (plate 25), Charles Piguet (plate 26), Émile Robert (plate 27), Marcel & Charles Édouard (plates 28–30), Raymond Subes (plates 31–37), Georges Szabo (plates 38–39), and Pierre Yung (plate 40).

Condition: Portfolio worn with sunning to spine and edgewear to boards. Light surface rubbing. Text and plates evenly toned, with minor occasional thumb-soiling. Plates remain clean and intact. Complete. First Edition, First Printing.

Scarcity Note: Issued as a portfolio of loose plates. Complete examples with intact portfolio and full plate count are increasingly uncommon, as plates were frequently removed for reference or display.

This portfolio functions as a working reference for architects, designers, and metalworkers, presenting ironwork executed by leading French artisans at a moment of stylistic transition. While rooted in traditional craftsmanship, the designs anticipate the formal clarity and geometric restraint associated with Art Deco. Iron is shown integrated into balconies, gates, grilles, lighting, furniture, and architectural fittings, emphasizing proportion, rhythm, and material honesty rather than applied ornament.

Contextual / Historical Significance
Published one year before the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, this volume documents the state of French architectural ironwork immediately prior to Art Deco’s international consolidation.

Guillaume Janneau’s editorial role reflects his broader influence within French applied arts administration, including leadership of the Mobilier national and the national manufactories of Beauvais, Gobelins, and Sèvres, and his later academic work at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers.

Subjects: French ironwork, Architectural metalwork, Decorative iron design, Early Art Deco, Edgar Brandt, French applied arts, Decorative Arts, Architectural Design

Bibliographic References:
OCLC/WorldCat holdings under F. Contet architectural plate portfolios.
Referenced in surveys of Art Deco decorative arts and French architectural metalwork.

Item #21405

Price: $450.00