The years between the two world wars were a golden age for wrought-iron work in France, and Edgar Brandt was the period’s pre-eminent iron-worker. He designed grillework and fixtures for private homes and hotels as well as public commissions, including for the ocean liner Normandie. The 1925 Paris International Exhibition was a perfect platform for Brandt to show off his work through several grand displays, including the main entry gates at the Porte d’Honneur and his own stand on the Esplanade des Invalides, at which this serpent torchère was exhibited. Brandt’s serpent torchères were produced in two different designs and sizes.