A Fayral

Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the a fayral you’re looking for at 1stDibs. Frequently made of metal, stone and marble, every a fayral was constructed with great care. Find 55 options for an antique or vintage a fayral now, or shop our selection of 1 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished piece. Your living room may not be complete without an a fayral — find older editions for sale from the 20th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 21st Century. An a fayral is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Art Deco styles are sought with frequency. A well-made a fayral has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Pierre Le Faguays and Max Le Verrier are consistently popular.

The average selling price for an a fayral at 1stDibs is $1,746, while they’re typically $800 on the low end and $6,550 for the highest priced.

Pierre Le Faguays was a master at capturing the minute details of the female form in motion. His exceptional Art Deco style transcended sculptures with stunning table lamps, desk accessories and home accents. Le Faguays’s quality is remarkable, and his distinctive pieces are rare, making his works of art highly collectible. 

Born in 1892, in Rezé, France, Le Faguays received formal training both in Paris and Switzerland. In Geneva, he met Marcel Bouraine and Max Le Verrier. The three remained lifelong friends, and together founded the Le Verrier foundry, which produced many of Le Faguays’s pieces. Le Faguays was a member of several artist groups, including La Stele, Evolution and the Salon, and designed many pieces for Goldscheider under the La Stele label.

Not all of Le Faguays’s pieces have a stamp with his name. Le Faguays used two other pseudonyms, Raymond Guerbe and Fayral, the family names of his wife and mother. While the name stamps differ, the style remains the same. Le Faguays used a range of media, such as spelter, stone, wood, alabaster, ceramics, terracotta, pâte de verre, zinc and wrought iron. His most popular items were portrayals of dancers sculpted in ivory and bronze.

Le Faguays was recognized with numerous awards and exhibitions. His works were on display at Le Salon d’Automne in 1920 and the Salon of French Artists in 1922. In 1925, Arthur Goldscheider’s pavilion showed his work at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts. In 1927, he received the French Medal of Honor and an honorable mention at Le Salon des Artistes Français. In 1937, the Exposition Internationale in Paris exhibited his work. He was a member of the Legion of Honor and the Order of Leopold.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of Pierre Le Faguays decorative objects, lighting, collectibles and more.

Art Deco furniture is characterized by its celebration of modern life. More than its emphasis on natural wood grains and focus on traditional craftsmanship, vintage Art Deco dining chairs, tables, desks, cabinets and other furniture — which typically refers to pieces produced during the 1920s and 1930s — is an ode to the glamour of the “Roaring Twenties.” 

ORIGINS OF ART DECO FURNITURE DESIGN

• Emerged in the 1920s 
• Flourished while the popularity of Art Nouveau declined
• Term derives from 1925’s Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts) in Paris, France
• Informed by Ancient Egypt, Cubism, Futurism, Louis XVI, De Stijl, modernism and the Vienna Secession; influenced Streamline Moderne and mid-century modernism 

CHARACTERISTICS OF ART DECO FURNITURE DESIGN

• Bold geometric lines and forms, floral motifs
• Use of expensive materials such as shagreen or marble as well as exotic woods such as mahogany, ebony and zebra wood
• Metal accents, shimmering mirrored finishes
• Embellishments made from exotic animal hides, inlays of mother-of-pearl or ivory

ART DECO FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

• Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann
• René Lalique
• Eileen Gray
• Jean Dunand
• Donald Deskey
• Jean Perzel

VINTAGE ART DECO FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

Few design styles are as universally recognized and appreciated as Art Deco. The term alone conjures visions of the Roaring Twenties, Machine Age metropolises, vast ocean liners, sleek typography and Prohibition-era hedonism. The iconic movement made an indelible mark on all fields of design throughout the 1920s and ’30s, celebrating society’s growing industrialization with refined elegance and stunning craftsmanship.

Widely known designers associated with the Art Deco style include Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Eileen Gray, Maurice Dufrêne, Paul Follot and Jules Leleu.

The term Art Deco derives from the name of a large decorative arts exhibition held in Paris in 1925. “Art Deco design” is often used broadly, to describe the work of creators in associated or ancillary styles. This is particularly true of American Art Deco, which is also called Streamline Moderne or Machine Age design. (Streamline Moderne, sometimes known as Art Moderne, was a phenomenon largely of the 1930s, post–Art Nouveau.)

Art Deco textile designers employed dazzling floral motifs and vivid colors, and while Art Deco furniture makers respected the dark woods and modern metals with which they worked, they frequently incorporated decorative embellishments such as exotic animal hides as well as veneers in their seating, case pieces, living room sets and bedroom furniture.

From mother-of-pearl inlaid vitrines to chrome aviator chairs, bold and inventive works in the Art Deco style include chaise longues (also known as chaise lounges) and curved armchairs. Today, the style is still favored by interior designers looking to infuse a home with an air of luxury and sophistication.

The vintage Art Deco furniture for sale on 1stDibs includes dressers, coffee tables, decorative objects and more.