Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann Desks and Writing Tables
French, 1879-1933
Endeavoring to create exquisite work that would endure forever, designer Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann defined the grandeur of the French Art Deco movement of the 1920s. His luxurious storage cabinets, seating, other furniture and interiors garnered considerable popularity alongside the growth in post–World War I Paris’s population of newly wealthy residents.
The Paris-born Ruhlmann was the son of a decorating contractor, a business he took over in the early 1900s and expanded into furniture and interior design. But by the end of his career, he was best known for being a skilled ensemblier, a term for a designer who not only makes furniture and decorates spaces but rather personally crafts each and every piece required in the space, from doorknobs to sofas. This practice ensured that the space was harmonious and consistent with Ruhlmann’s vision, and it contributed to the lasting popularity of his designs.
Ruhlmann enjoyed the patronage of the newly affluent and was encouraged by the popularity of Art Deco. While the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movements were early influences, he is renowned for the modernity of his Art Deco–era designs, which reflected the celebratory nature of the times, including an integration of opulent flourishes; luxurious materials like Macassar ebony, amboyna burl, ivory and precious metals; and skilled craftsmanship and construction techniques.
Renowned all over the world, Ruhlmann was commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to design a cabinet in 1925, embellishing its curved door with a sophisticated floral motif by way of an ornate marriage of wood and ivory veneer. Also in 1925, at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, arguably the exhibition that introduced Art Deco on an international level, his pavilion was the most popular.
By the time the economic depression of the 1930s materialized, Ruhlmann’s exorbitantly expensive designs were no longer viable. But the majesty and elegance of the ’20s remain an important part of design history, and Ruhlmann has been described as “perhaps its finest exponent.”
Find a collection of authentic Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann furniture on 1stDibs.
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Creator: Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann
Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann Desk, France 1930's
By Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann
Located in New York, NY
A dévoré oak desk by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, with a tan leather top and small drawer to the front.
Provenance : Maison des Provinces de France, cit...
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1930s French Art Deco Vintage Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann Desks and Writing Tables
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Leather, Oak
Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, "Modèle Sultzer, " Art Deco Desk, Mahogany, 1932
By Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann
Located in New York, NY
This rare writing table in polished mahogany and silvered bronze is marked by E´mile-Jacques Ruhlmann's signature aesthetic motifs, manifest in its set of flared and tapered legs, an...
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20th Century French Art Deco Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
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Émile-jacques Ruhlmann desks and writing tables for sale on 1stDibs.
Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann desks and writing tables are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann desks and writing tables, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original desks and writing tables by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann were created in the Art Deco style in france during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider desks and writing tables by and Jules Leleu. Prices for Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann desks and writing tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $55,000 and can go as high as $125,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $90,000.
Questions About Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann Desks and Writing Tables
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 22, 2024A few things characterized the work of Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann. By the end of his career, he was best known for being a skilled ensemblier, a term for a designer who not only makes furniture and decorates spaces but personally crafts each and every piece required in the space, from doorknobs to sofas. This practice ensured that the space was harmonious and consistent with Ruhlmann’s vision, and it contributed to the lasting popularity of his designs. While the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movements were early influences, he is renowned for the modernity of his Art Deco designs, which reflected the opulent nature of the era, involving luxurious materials like Macassar ebony, amboyna burl, ivory and precious metals and skilled craftsmanship and construction techniques. Explore a variety of Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann furniture on 1stDibs.
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