Although he is among the least known of the like-minded French Art Deco furniture designers of his era, André Sornay introduced innovative fabrication techniques and a unique decorative style to his modernist seating, case pieces and other creations.
Sornay was born in Lyon in 1902, and graduated from École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Lyon in 1918. His career as a furniture designer began in 1919 when he was appointed head of his family’s furniture company after his father’s death.
In the early 1920s — inspired by the Bauhaus and De Stijl as well as his friends and fellow French avant-garde designers Francis Jourdain and Pierre Chareau — Sornay shifted the company’s focus from manufacturing period reproductions to creating contemporary designs.
Sornay’s work fused tradition with modernism. He preferred to work with metals, exotic woods such as mahogany and rosewood, rubber and Duco lacquer for a range of cabinets, desks, chairs and mirrors. Sornay’s pieces featured sleek brass drawer pulls and sharply geometric lines, and the distinctive mode that he worked in was known throughout Lyon as “Le Style Sornay.”
Sornay was also recognized for his inventive design methods that were not only decorative but functional. In 1932, he patented the cloudage technique — studding the perimeter of veneered furniture panels with uniform brass nails. Sornay integrated this technique into his wardrobes, side tables and the armchairs he designed, which were frequently defined by clean lines and sharp angles. In the early 1950s, he also patented a technique called the “Tigette,” which allowed for quick and easy assembly or disassembly of modular furniture — a forerunner to IKEA’s flat-packed furniture.
While Sornay isn’t as well known as other European modernists like Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand, he attracted modest attention at exhibitions of the day, such as the 1923 Salon d’Automne and the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris, the design fair that brought the Art Deco style to the world. He was awarded the bronze medal at Paris’s Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne in 1937.
In the late 1950s, Sornay ceded control of his furniture design company to his children, remaining as an advisor until production ceased in 1999. He died the following year.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage André Sornay case pieces and storage cabinets, seating and tables.
André Sornay Bookcase Art Deco, circa 1935
By Andre Sornay
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
André Sornay bookcase, circa 1935, satin varnich, with inclusion of brass nails. André Sornay (1902-2000) French creator from Lyon, who owes his celebrity to his modernist vision of...
Wood
$9,095
H 41.74 in W 19.69 in D 64.97 in
1930s French Buffet by André Sornay, Wood and Marble, Art Deco Style
By Andre Sornay
Located in Paris, FR
An elegant collectible buffet from the 1930s, designed by french designer André Sornay, crafted with meticulous attention to quality, featuring a sturdy wooden frame, complemented by...
Marble, Brass
$27,000
H 73.43 in W 58.47 in D 18.12 in
Andre Sornay Modernist Wardrobe Stamped and Documented circa 1940
By Andre Sornay
Located in CA, CA
This exceptionally proportioned Modernist wardrobe by André Sornay shows why his stature as one of the most important designers of the Art Dec...
Wood
$2,995
H 46.5 in W 45.25 in D 11.25 in
Antique Art Deco Carved Walnut Bookcase or Display Cabinet, Circa 1920s
By Gilbert Rohde
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous antique Art Deco bookcase or display cabinet In the manner of Gilbert Rohde USA, Circa 1920s Walnut, with beautiful book-matched burled walnut top, and mullioned glass ...
Glass, Walnut, Burl
$14,211
H 55.91 in W 53.15 in D 15.75 in
Rare André Sornay French Wardrobes Armoires Art Deco Modernist 40s - F613
By Andre Sornay
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Armoire, bookcase from the 50's by the french designer André Sornay. Structure in solid mahogany and veneer highlighted by a system of brass nails perfectly aligned around the furniture (see photos). The large sliding door opens on a series of solid wood shelves...
Brass, Copper
Art Deco glazed bookcase/display cabinet
Located in Barnstaple, GB
A beautiful Art Deco Glazed Bookcase/display cabinet with original working locks and chrome keys. Oyster veneer doors with beautiful Scalloped plinth to the upper section. This secti...
Walnut
$28,000
H 51.5 in W 67.25 in D 12.5 in
Rare French Art Deco Modernist Secretary Desk by André Sornay, 1950s
By Andre Sornay
Located in Chicago, IL
A rare French Art Deco Modernist secretary desk by André Sornay, produced in the 1950s. Architectural in composition, the desk is defined by a disciplined geometry softened through ...
Leather, Wood
$1,975
H 61.42 in W 35.83 in D 11.42 in
ANTIQUE CIRCA 1920'S ENGLISH OAK ART DECO CARVED BOOKCASE CABiNET
Located in Pulborough, GB
Antiques of London A handsome Vintage Yew Wood Filing Cabinet, combining practical storage with classic British elegance. Crafted in richly figured yew wood, the cabinet showcas...
Oak
Art Deco Bookcase from Italy, 1930s.
Located in London, GB
Art Deco bookcase in birch and walnut veneer with ebonised details.
Wood, Walnut, Paint
$3,995
H 70.75 in W 34 in D 19.5 in
Stickley Brothers Antique Art Deco Maple Breakfront Bookcase Cabinet, Circa 1920
By Stickley Brothers
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous antique Art Deco period breakfront bookcase cabinet or dining cabinet By Stickley Brothers USA, CIrca 1920s Gorgeous carved maple, with mullioned glass front doors. Int...
Walnut, Pine
Art Deco bookcase - Sweden, 1940s
Located in London, GB
A study in proportion and restraint, this Swedish Art Deco bookcase is executed in darkly stained wood with a strong rectilinear presence. Raised on four block feet, the form is divi...
Wood
Art Deco Cabinet by Andre Sornay
By Andre Sornay
Located in Bridgewater, CT
A French Art Deco cabinet by Andre Sornay (1902-2000,) circa 1920-1925, in ebony Macassar and oak, with walnut root marquetry.
Ebony, Macassar
$44,500
H 72.84 in W 108.08 in D 17.72 in
André Sornay Rare Geometric Bookcase with Sliding-Doors in Ash
Located in Waalwijk, NL
André Sornay, library bookcase, ash, mahogany, lacquered wood, France, 1950s/1960s This rare bookcase is exemplary of his later work and showcases his innovative use of the patented...
Wood, Ash, Mahogany
Pair of Burl Wood Art Deco Bookcases
By Theodore Alexander
Located in Westwood, NJ
Handcrafted in a stunning Tamo ash burl veneer, this bookcase showcases the intricate and unique grain patterns of the wood, exuding luxury and timeless style. The rich Pyramid Brown...
Metal
$8,800
H 51.25 in W 70.5 in D 19.5 in L 51.25 in
Art Deco Mahogany Sideboard by André Sornay, France, Circa 1930
By Andre Sornay
Located in Detroit, MI
This truly exceptional Art Deco wooden sideboard or bar cabinet was designed by Andre Sornay (attr.) in France circa 1930. Andre Sornay has come to be highly appreciated for his uniq...
Brass
$2,995
H 51.25 in W 36.5 in D 14.5 in L 51.25 in
Antique English Art Deco Carved Oak Bookcase or Display Cabinet, Circa 1930s
By Gilbert Rohde
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous antique English Art Deco bookcase or display cabinet In the manner of Gilbert Rohde England, Circa 1930s Oak, with mullioned glass front doors. Interior shelves are rem...
Glass, Oak
André Sornay Rare Bookcase with Sliding-Doors
By Andre Sornay
Located in Waalwijk, NL
André Sornay, library bookcase, mahogany, lacquered wood, France, 1950s/1960s This rare bookcase is exemplary of his later work and showcases his innovative use of the patented tige...
Glass, Wood, Mahogany
André Sornay Pair of Storage Cabinet, circa 1930
By Andre Sornay
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Andre´ Sornay pair of storage cabinets, circa 1930. Restored. "Certificate of Authenticity" from Thierry Roche, French expert for Andre´ Sornay.
Brass
André Sornay Console-Bookcase, circa 1930
By Andre Sornay
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Beautiful console-bookcase in rosewood by André Sornay. Inlay of brass nails, circa 1930. Stamped. Restored. Certificate of authenticity from Thierry Roche, French expert for And...
Brass