French architect, sculptor and designer André Arbus was destined to become one of the 20th century’s finest furniture makers. According to him, the craft was in his blood. “I come from an old family of cabinetmakers,” he once said. “From father to son for a very long time. In other words, I was born in a cabinet-making workshop.”
Born in Toulouse in 1903, Arbus spent his childhood working in his father’s business which sold reproductions of 18th century French furniture. He later studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Toulouse under sculptor Henry Parayre.
After graduating, Arbus returned to work with his father as the business’s artistic director. When his father retired, Arbus transformed the company from selling furniture reproductions to one that produced his own formidable designs, including cocktail tables, sofa tables and floor lamps that merged neoclassicism with Art Deco and featured alluring modernist characteristics.
In 1925, Arbus exhibited at several shows, including the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs, Exposition des Arts Décoratifs, Salon d’Automne, the Gallery L’Epoque and won a medal at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, which brought the Art Deco style to the global stage.
Arbus moved to Paris in 1932, won the prestigious Premier Prix Blumenthal in 1934 and opened his own gallery in 1935. His sconces, chandeliers and dining room tables attracted a steady clientele of some of Paris’s wealthiest. Arbus exhibited at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York and, throughout the 1940s, received numerous notable commissions. The French government gave many of his pieces as gifts to visiting foreign heads of state. He furnished several luxury ocean liners, collaborated with Maison Veronese on a line of lighting fixtures and was tasked to build a jewel cabinet for Princess Elizabeth.
In 1946, Arbus participated in the refurbishment of the Élysée Palace and the Château de Rambouillet with fellow French architects and designers Louis Süe and Jean-Charles Moreux.
Arbus focused on sculpture throughout the 1950s until he died in 1969, drawing inspiration from eminent sculptors such as Vadim Androusov and Sylva Bernt. Today, Arbus’s works can be found in museums around the world.
On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage André Arbus lighting, tables and seating.
French Mid-Century Modern Neoclassical Dining Table by Andre Arbus, Paris, 1949
By André Arbus
Located in New York, NY
An Elegant And Timeless French Late Art Deco / Modern Neoclassical dining room table in Cherry wood by Andre Arbus. The table without leaves is 72" ...
Brass
$21,005
André Arbus Dining Room Set.
By André Arbus
Located in Paris, FR
André Arbus dining room set. Oak table in ebonized pearwood. 8 chairs and 2 armchairs with medallion backrest, conical front and saber back legs. Covered in Havana velvet. Table ...
Velvet, Ebony, Pearwood
1970s Mid Century Dining Room Set of 7
Located in North Hollywood, CA
This 1970s dining set is a striking example of American mid-century design, combining timeless style with thoughtful functionality. The set features a solid wooden dining table with ...
Wood
Mid-Century Modern Round Dining Table, Gold Glass Top, Walnut Legs
By Augusto Romano
Located in Albano Laziale, Rome/Lazio
Fabulous round dining table with an organic design and with a gold colored glass top. Produced in Italy in the 1950s in the manner of Augusto Romano. The legs have supreme craftsmans...
Glass, Walnut
Andre Arbus and Gilbert Poillerat Small Table
By Gilbert Poillerat, André Arbus
Located in Philadelphia, PA
French Forties Art Deco petite drinks/coffee/cocktail table designed by Andre Arbus and executed by Gilbert Poillerat, circa 1945 in patinated iron with gilt details. This small gem ...
Iron
$4,500
H 29.5 in W 97.63 in D 49.25 in
Fine French Art Deco Mahogany Dining Table in the Manner of Arbus
By André Arbus
Located in Long Island City, NY
A fine French Art Deco mahogany dining table in the manner of Arbus. A set of 12 matching chairs and a console are also available (not included in pric...
Mahogany
Pair of Andre Arbus Style End Tables, circa 1940
By André Arbus
Located in North Bergen, NJ
A pair of Andre Arbus style end tables having shaped top over two bow front drawers supported on bronze mounted tapered legs.
Lovely Dining Set, Four Chairs and a Dining Room Table
Located in New York, NY
This set includes a dining room table that includes an attachment. The table is approximately 53 inches long, but the extension adds 16 inches, making it nearly 70 inches in length. ...
Wood
$41,600
H 28.86 in W 59.06 in D 27.56 in
Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Dining Table by Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler, 1950
By Martin Eisler, Carlo Hauner, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in New York, NY
Designed by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler in the 1950s, this table was conceived to maximize space and functionality, assuming two distinct configurations. In its standard position,...
Rosewood
$8,173Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 38.19 in W 21.66 in D 106.3 in
French Art Deco Sideboard in Sycamore, Style of André Arbus, c. 1940
By André Arbus, Jules Leleu
Located in Alcoy, Alicante
A Rare and Impeccable Masterpiece of French Modernism Please note that this sideboard is part of a rare matching dining suite. A complementary dining table from the same workshop is...
Brass, Bronze
Side Table by Andre Arbus
By André Arbus
Located in Bridgewater, CT
Andre Arbus side table. Cream lacquer and parchment, signed twice. Measures: Height 19", width 22.5", depth 16".
Wood, Parchment Paper
André Arbus Eight Legged Table
By André Arbus
Located in Hanover, MA
END OF SUMMER SALE French-polished rectangular table in acajou crotch mahogany attributed to André Arbus, circa 1938. Four-way book matched veneer top. Double beveled edge on 2 inch...
Bronze
André Arbus - Gaming Table
By André Arbus
Located in Hasselt, VLI
Slightly decorated, yet simple Art Deco gaming table, designed by André Léon Arbus for a private residence in Toulouse. Made from mahogany and mahogany veneer, this game table has a...
Felt, Mahogany
French Art Deco Dining Room Set
Located in Long Island City, NY
This stunning and rare French Art Deco dining set captures the nobility and distinct modern elegance typical of the period. Crafted from rich solid mahogany and premium veneers, it o...
Mahogany