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Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann

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.

Original Ruhlmann Signed Argentier Geoffroy Commode - Buffett/Credenza
By Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann
Located in Hillside, NJ
Original Ruhlmann Argentier Geoffroy Commode The Argentier (silver cabinet) Geoffroy was named for the first client who ordered this model. This cabinet was the second example mad...
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1930s French Art Deco Vintage Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann

Materials

Stone, Bronze

Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Listel, Pair of Art Deco Chairs, France, circa 1931
By Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann
Located in New York, NY
"Listel", or bead in French, refers not to the commissioning client, as is usual, but rather to the delicate molding that outlines the backrest of this elegant chair. Model recorded...
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1920s French Art Deco Vintage Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann

Materials

Bronze

Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann Pair of Early 20th Century Chairs for Cité Universitaire
By Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann
Located in PARIS, FR
Emblematic pair of chairs by Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann for la Cité Universitaire in Paris. Extraordinary work and condition 100 years later.
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1920s French Art Deco Vintage Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann

Materials

Fabric, Oak

Art Deco Purpleheart Table by J.E. Ruhlmann
By Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann
Located in Zurich, CH
Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann (* August 28, 1879 in Paris; † November 15, 1933 in Paris) was a French interior and furniture designer. His elegant and finely crafted furniture and interiors...
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann

Materials

Purpleheart

Art Deco Purpleheart Table by J.E. Ruhlmann
Art Deco Purpleheart Table by J.E. Ruhlmann
H 29.53 in W 72.05 in D 43.31 in
Emile Jacques Ruhlmann, Exceptional panel from the restaurant DROUANT Paris 1924
By Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann
Located in Encino, CA
Emile Jacques Ruhlmann (1879-1933) We are proud to showcase an exceptional and unique tall glass panel originating from the Drouant Restaurant in Paris, designed by Ruhlmann in 1924...
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1920s French Vintage Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann

Materials

Art Glass

'Drouant' Armchair
By Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann
Located in Paris, FR
Stamped 'Ruhlmann' under the seat Varnished wood. LITERATURE : For the same model : F. Camard, Ruhlmann, éditions du regard, Paris, 1983, p. 92, 126, 266. Ruhlmann, un génie de l...
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1920s French Art Deco Vintage Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann

Materials

Wood

'Drouant' Armchair
'Drouant' Armchair
H 33.86 in W 22.05 in D 26.78 in
Ruhlmann pair of "elephant" club chairs
By Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann
Located in Philadelphia, PA
French Art Deco pair of club chairs by Ruhlmann, 1931, in leather with solid macassar ebony feet. One chair branded Designee Par Ruhlmann. 41” wide x 34” deep x 36” high. This model was presented at the Paris Colonial Exposition...
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1930s French Art Deco Vintage Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann

Materials

Leather, Macassar

Encyclopedie Des Arts Décoratifs Et Industriels Modernes, Complete in 12 Volumes
By Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Josef Hoffmann
Located in New York, NY
First edition, complete in 12 volumes, of the Encyclopedie des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernest au XXeme Siecle, published by Imprimerie Nationale, Office Central D'Editions ...
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1920s French Art Deco Vintage Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann

Materials

Paper

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Émile-jacques Ruhlmann furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann furniture 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 furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 17 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 6 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann were created in the Art Deco style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Pierre-Paul Jouve, Leonetto Cappiello, and Sue et Mare. Prices for Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $215 and can go as high as $275,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $18,500.
Questions About Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 22, 2024
    A 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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