Vintage Brutalist Polished Brass Coffee Table With Glass Top By French Sculptor Santa (Claude Santarelli), 1970s
Camberley, United Kingdom
£29,950 per item
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Item details
Height
35.0 cm
Width
100.0 cm
Depth
100.0 cm
Wear conditions
Good
This item has been confirmed as being signed by artist by the seller. Please reach out to the seller for more information.
Included
Wear conditions
Excellent
Shows little to no signs of wear and tear.
Good
May show slight traces of use in keeping with age. Most vintage and antique items fit into this condition.
Average
Likely to show signs of some light scratching and ageing but still remains in a fair condition.
Apparent Wear and Tear
Visible signs of previous use including scratches, chips or stains.
Please refer to condition report, images or make a seller enquiry for additional information.
Description
Vintage Brutalist polished brass coffee table with glass top by French sculptor Santa (Claude SANTARELLI), 1970s.
Claude Santarelli, known as Santa, was a French sculptor born in Paris, on 6th March 1925 and died in the same city, on 10th March 1979. Following his studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris under Marcel-Armand Gaumont and Hubert Yencesse, he was hired as a stylist at the Glass atelier of Arques. After moving to Saint-Omer he began working with metal forms in 1958 and adopted an abstract style. He initially constructed his sculptures from industrial waste such as plates, tubes and bars. In the 60s he took to using brass as it was more malleable and easier to work than iron and most of his recognisable pieces use brass as the main medium.
Although predominantly known as a sculptor he also applied his style to furniture, and in particular, to a vanishingly small number of coffee tables and dining tables. In common with his sculptures, his work is instantly recognisable by the construction; more usually this encompasses flat panels welded together to form strong geometric shapes and patterns and then joined with thick welded wire. The welded wire most closely resembles bamboo, but has also been likened to long fingers with joints and callouses which ‘hold’ the structure together.
His art soon drew the attention of an International audience and in 1965 he was invited to participate in the first Symposium du Québec in Montreal where, later, he was awarded the André Susse Prize. In the 1970s he continued with his sculptural work but also created a number of unique pieces of jewellery for the Parisian jeweller Gennari. He later married Sylviane Garnier, who owned a small gallery of modern art, Rue de Wissocq in Saint-Omer where his pieces were exhibited and sold.
His work is extremely rare and sought after by collectors and is often described as Brutalist - and certainly in its raw form it can look very stark and industrial with sharpened, angular shapes that cut into the space around them. Occasionally you will find examples hand patinated to resemble bronze, but more often they are refinished and polished – as here. This creates a stunning juxtaposition of bright, polished surfaces adorning what are often dark and brooding shapes, and thus lifts the art to a different level.
In this piece, which is signed by the artist on one side panel as shown in the accompanying photographs, we see a rare combination of bright polish, but also with a brushed finish to the main flat panels on the reverse. The brushing adds texture and contrast and this gives the added flexibility of allowing the base to be shown either way up depending on your own personal preference.
As is common with his work, despite the polished finishes the craftsmanship exhibited by grinding marks and fissures remain in the surface and along some of the edges here and there, just as you would expect with a hand-made piece. The glass top is in good condition with light scratches and marks, but there are no chips out of the edge.
Dimensions
Overall with glass top H35 X W100 X D100cm
Base: H34 x W84 X D80cm
Condition report:
Good condition - previously refinished and polished
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We have a 14-day return guarantee for orders from individual sellers, within the UK and European Union. View full policy.
Price range detailed is for UK deliveries and obviously varies based on the size and number of items and your location. On this basis please send us a message with your postcode for a quote and we'll get back to you asap.
Alternatively you are welcome to pick up at our storage facility in Newbury, Berkshire free of charge. Items are usually ready for pick up within 1-3 business days.
We can also organise Worldwide, International and European insured delivery and will normally be able to provide shipping quotes within 24-48 hours.
Estimated delivery time
Less than one week
Free collection available
Yes
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- Selling at Vinterior since 2017
- 13 sales
- Ships from Camberley, United Kingdom
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Cancellations and Returns
Last updated: 24th March 2025
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