One of the most elegant and innovative 20th-century French furniture designers, Jacques Adnet created a simple, unadorned signature style that is both trim and vigorous. He began his career in the heyday of the Art Deco era, and in the 1950s, in association with Hermès, created chairs, lamps, desks and other pieces that employed slender metal frames clad in stitched saddle leather. With such furnishings, Adnet brought a fashion sensibility to design and decor that had not been seen since the 1920s prime of the great Paris couturier-decorator Paul Poiret.
Adnet was born in a provincial town in Burgundy, where he studied design before moving, along with his twin brother, Jean, to Paris to study at the École des Arts Décoratifs. After their graduation in the early 1920s, the brothers were hired to work in the decorative-arts atelier of the department store Galeries Lafayette, under the direction of Maurice Dufrêne, an Art Deco master who developed a singularly robust and opulent style. Both Adnets showed their work at the 1925 Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes — the design fair from which the term Art Deco is derived.
In 1928, Jacques Adnet took charge of the struggling La Compagnie des Arts Français, a decorative-arts firm founded by Louis Süe and André Mare that created modern furnishings that bore traces of 18th-century styling. Adnet immediately took the company in a different direction. He developed a simple lithe and lean look that incorporated industrial materials such as metal and glass, along with exotic woods and finishes such as parchment and sharkskin.
Adnet’s furniture begs to be described in terms of personalities: charming faux-bamboo side tables, suave chrome lighting and urbane club chairs. His most noted pieces, which feature sleek metal frames wrapped in Hermès leather, have a character all their own — smooth, elegant and self-assured, they inhabit a room with the same wit and grace as Jean-Paul Belmondo and Catherine Deneuve.
Find vintage Jacques Adnet furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
French Modern Neoclassical Chinese Red Lacquer Sideboard by Jacques Adnet
By Jacques Adnet
Located in New York, NY
Two Rare and Exceptional French Mid-Century Modern Neoclassical Sideboards in Chinese red lacquer with Chinese red glass tops by Jacques Adnet, Franc...
Wrought Iron
Jacques Adnet, Leather-topped Mahogany Desk with Bronze Details, France, 1955
By Jacques Adnet
Located in New York, NY
Provenance: Palais des Consuls de Rouen. Bibliography: For an illustration of these pieces, see: Rouen, le Palais des Consuls. Presentation booklet. 26. For an illustration of these...
Bronze
Jacques Adnet, Curved Leather &Mahogany Desk with Bronze Details, France, 1955
By Jacques Adnet
Located in New York, NY
Provenance: Palais des Consuls de Rouen. Bibliography: For an illustration of these pieces, see: Rouen, le Palais des Consuls. Presentation booklet. 26. For an illustration of these...
Bronze
$8,939 / item
H 23.63 in W 63 in D 17.72 in
Contemporary Alma Floating Sideboard, Brass, Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple
By Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Contemporary Floating Sideboard Alma, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. The Alma floating sideboard embodies the essence of the soul, featurin...
Brass, Stainless Steel
$8,400
H 36 in W 73 in D 21 in
Tall Bleached White Wash Painted Walnut Marble-Top French Sideboard Console
Located in Rockaway, NJ
French circa 19th century white paint wash marble-top sideboard console. Standing 36" tall on elegant legs connected with beautifully carved stretcher. The sideboard has three d...
Marble
Jacques Adnet Leather Desk and Chair, 1950s France
By Jacques Adnet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Exceptional Art Deco era desk with matching chair by French modernist designer Jacques Adnet. Entire desk is wrapped in leather. Iron frame with 4 po...
Brass, Iron
$3,726
H 32.29 in W 72.25 in D 22.05 in
Antique Chinese Temple Alter Sideboard with Cupboards in Solid Teak Reddish
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely vintage Chinese alter sideboard with original finish A very good looking and naively made ant...
Teak
$79,000
H 39.75 in W 102.75 in D 17.75 in
Mid-Century Modern Italian Sideboard, Walnut & Maple, Circa 1940-1960
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A light-brown, large vintage Mid-Century Modern Italian freestanding sideboard made of hand crafted polished, partly veneered Walnut and Maplewood, in good condition. The console table, credenza is composed with a clear floating glass top, composed with two upper drawers and two doors, enhanced by detailed wood grains, carvings, standing on four curved wooden spider legs. The interior of the cabinet is featuring two shelves, consisting its original hand crafted ceramic door handles...
Ceramic, Glass, Maple, Walnut
$68,000
H 29.93 in W 47.25 in D 23.63 in
Jacques Adnet - A French 1950s Desk with Lamp by Jacques Adnet
By Jacques Adnet
Located in Long Island City, NY
Jacques Adnet - A fine French Mid-Century rectangular desk and lamp, with a black lacquered metal base, pivoting leather covered drawer, saddle-stitched leather mail holder...
Metal
French Jacques Adnet Brass Mounted Black Lacquered Writing Desk
By Jacques Adnet
Located in Queens, NY
French 1940s brass mounted black lacquered bureau plat /writing desk with tan leather inset top above a range of frieze drawers (attributed to Jacques Adnet).
Brass
1950's Stitched Leather Desk by Jacques Adnet
By Jacques Adnet
Located in Bois-Colombes, FR
1950's Stitched leather desk by Jacques Adnet. Metal is in vintage condition. See pictures for details. Other pics on request, overall very good condition.
Metal
$32,508
H 30.52 in W 51.58 in D 24.22 in
Rare Desk and Armchair by Jacques Adnet, Stitched Leather and Skaï, 1950s
By Jacques Adnet
Located in Paris, FR
These desk and armchair by Jacques Adnet are quite rare with its marine type handles. Thea are completely covered with a mix of leather and skaï (faux leather) which is saddle-stitch...
Metal, Brass
Jacques Adnet Leather and Oak Desk, 1950s France
By Jacques Adnet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Monumental Art Deco era desk by French Art Deco Modernist designer Jacques Adnet. Iron frame with 4 posts, inverted u-shaped bases and brass support ...
Brass, Iron
1950's Stitched Leather Desk by Jacques Adnet
By Jacques Adnet
Located in Bois-Colombes, FR
1950's Stitched leather desk covered with stitched leather France Designed by Jacques Adnet.
Metal
1950's Stitched leather desk by Jacques Adnet
By Jacques Adnet
Located in Bois-Colombes, FR
A Rare French Midcentury Modern hand stitched leather desk by Jacques Adnet, circa 1955. Adnet had a rare talent for creating works that had used exquisite form and lines with rich ...
Bronze
Sold
H 28.75 in W 47.25 in D 22 in
Jacques Adnet, Neoclassically Inspired Oak Console Table, France, Midcentury
By Jacques Adnet
Located in New York, NY
By famed French designer Jacques Adnet, this two-tiered, light oak console table is comprised of four columns with two sliding drawers. Jacques A...
Oak
Exceptional Console or Desk by Jacques Adnet
By Jacques Adnet
Located in Bois-Colombes, FR
Stitched leather console in perfect shape This is a super rare piece saw only twice in 25 years.