Rare Amsterdam School Art Deco accent tables by N.V. Hero de Groot, 1920s

A very rare pair of small Amsterdam School lamp or accent tables, produced by N.V. Hero de Groot in Bodegraven, 1920s. The price is for one. Can be bought as a set (change order amount to 2 pieces)

Particularly unusual in this modest size, the tables have a wonderfully sculptural presence. There in solid oak, with a circular top above a broad Macassar ebony-veneered apron, creating a rich contrast between the warm grain of the oak and the almost black, dramatically figured exotic wood.

Four wonderfully shaped supports surround each table. Their edges have been individually carved into a softly undulating profile, a characteristic detail that adds an organic quality. The supports continue slightly above the tabletop, forming four small curved tabs around its edge, while below they terminate in contrasting black-stained feet.

To view the pieces in motion, click this link to a video of them.

N.V. Hero de Groot was founded in 1905 as a wood- and metalworking company. Initially producing technical wooden products for the dairy and chemical industries, the firm later collaborated with decorative artists and architects, to create sophisticated furniture and interior objects.

During the 1920s Hero de Groot produced a series of so-called “lamp tables”, conceived to accompany the elaborate Amsterdam School lighting of the period, in particular fors stained glass De Honsel tablelamps.

Hero de Groot lamp tables are documented in the important reference publication Living in the Amsterdam School: Designs for the Interior 1910–1930.

The tables are in very good condition. They have been expertly restored and are solid, stable and ready for use.

Background: Amsterdam School

The Amsterdam School was one of the most distinctive Dutch design movements of the early 20th century. Flourishing principally between 1910 and 1940, it began in architecture but quickly extended into furniture, lighting and the decorative arts.

Its designers embraced expressive forms, rich materials, sculptural details and highly accomplished craftsmanship. Rather than treating furniture simply as functional equipment, Amsterdam School designers often approached an interior as a complete artistic environment.

These two little tables are a wonderful example: highly practical objects transformed through proportion, carving, contrasting woods and an unmistakable sense of character into pieces of miniature sculpture.