Art Nouveau Smokers Set

Worthy of being in a museum, this French Art Nouveau smoker's set is complete and signed by a famed artist of the era.

Art Nouveau design is skilfully and beautifully incorporated into each element of this set which includes:

• An Art Nouveau tray to hold all the other elements together. The organic, flowing-smoke style of the piece turning into handles, forming part of the aesthetic and functional design, and is signed L.O. Mattei. Featuring a beautiful young lady with flowing, flowered hair, Mattei’s contemporaries  Hector Guimard or Antoni Gaudí would have been proud of these designs.
• A large, lidded pot, once again featuring the flowing design incorporated into the functionality of the piece—the handle for the lid in this case. Another beautiful lady with flowing hair, flowers and signature also form part of this piece. Complete with brass liner, this is the only pot to have a rebate for a lid. 
• Three more smaller pots, complete with brass liners. None of these have a rebate, meaning that they were never intended to have a lid. All feature the flowing, organic design of the other pieces.
• A small, very sweet ashtray, following a similar design to the main tray.

All the pieces are in a cold-painted pewter or spelter, and are in great condition as you can see.

Louis Octave Joseph Mattei 

Born 20 November 1877 in Vern-d’Anjou (north-western France), died ‘after the 1st World War’, an accomplished sculptor and engraver, most well-known for his medal designs.