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Jean Royère

French, 1902-1981

World traveler, polyglot and avant-garde visionary Jean Royère (1902–81) is one of the biggest names in French mid-century design. He was fascinated by different materials, such as raffia and zebrawood, and aesthetics from around the world, from Scandinavian modernism to the traditions of the Middle East. Owing to this venturesome spirit, Royère produced an eclectic body of work that truly doesn’t fit a singular style. One light fixture might have organic shapes reminiscent of Art Nouveau, while a table would be crafted with minimalist straw marquetry.

Born in Paris, Royère studied classics at Cambridge University and then worked for an import-export company. In 1931, he switched gears to design, studying cabinetmaking in the workshops of Faubourg Saint-Antoine and furniture making under the tutelage of Pierre Gouffé. He made his debut in interior design in 1934 when he won a design contest for the brasserie in the Hotel Carlton on the Champs-Élysées.

Royère’s most famous piece of furniture was his biomorphic Boule sofa, sometimes playfully called the Ours Polaire, or Polar Bear. Designed for his mother in 1947, the curved sofa with its fuzzy white velvet shocked the French interior design world when it was displayed at the Art et Industrie exhibition, but it proved enduringly popular with customers, such as the Shah of Iran, who purchased several for his daughter. Royère would continue to design furniture and interiors for an elite clientele, including the kings of Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Royère retired in 1972, then moved to the United States in 1980. After he died a year later, his archives were given to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. His works continue to be highly coveted — Kanye West, for instance, once tweeted that the Polar Bear sofa is his favorite piece of furniture. In 2016, Galerie Patrick Seguin in Paris opened a retrospective of his distinctive designs, from the plush 1943 Eléphanteau chair to the 1963 Tour Eiffel table with its elegant metal supports.

Find vintage Jean Royère tables, storage cabinets and other furniture today on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$5,968
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Jean Royère Adjustable Iron Floor Lamp 1940
By Jean Royère
Located in Benington, Herts
A Identical Matched Pair of Jean Royère adjustable Iron standing Floor Lamp France Paris circa 1940’s Both in wonderful original condition by one of the most sought after mid 2...
Category

20th Century French Jean Royère

Materials

Iron

Jean Royère Adjustable Iron Floor Lamp 1940
Jean Royère Adjustable Iron Floor Lamp 1940
H 72.84 in W 24.02 in D 24.02 in
Jean Royère - Day Bed Croissilion - Reminiscent of lit croissilion & lit simple
By Jean Royère
Located in Hasselt, VLI
Beautiful oak daybed with croissilion headboards. Reminiscent of the more well-known "lit croissilion" or "lit simple" by Jean Royère. Royère created various iterations of this popul...
Category

Mid-20th Century Algerian Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère

Materials

Fabric, Foam, Oak

Jean Royère, Tour Eiffel Console, Iron, Bronze, Marble, France, 1956
By Jean Royère
Located in High Point, NC
A painted iron, gilt bronze and Porter marble "Tour Eiffel" console table designed and produced by Jean Royère, France, c. 1956. Dimensions: 36.375“ H x 35.25“ W x 17.75“ D Provenance: Monsieur and Madame Raymond Saleha, Beirut, acquired directly from the artistThence by descentGalerie de Beyrie, New YorkCollection of Norah and Norman Stone...
Category

1950s French Vintage Jean Royère

Materials

Marble, Bronze, Iron

Wrought iron floor lamp by Jean Royère
By Jean Royère
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Elegant tripod floor lamp designed in the 1950's with articulated arm on rack to rise or lower the shade. Lamp is in its original condition from the 1950's and original shade . Docu...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère

Materials

Wrought Iron

Rare Pair Chrome Jean Royere Coat Hooks Racks Hangers Mid-Century French 1950s
By Jean Royère
Located in Sherborne, Dorset
This rare pair of Mid-Century nickel-plated coat hooks by avant-garde French designer Jean Royère are incredibly stylish and functional. Born in Paris, Jean Royère (1902-1981) made a...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère

Materials

Cut Steel, Chrome

Mid-Century Jean Royere Wardrobe, circa 1950, France
By Maison Gouffé, Jean Royère
Located in Girona, Spain
DESCRIPTION: Walnut veneer storage cabinet with quadrangular opening and four doors decorated with gilded brass frame. Circa 1950, France. CONDITION: Very good condition. Wear consistent with age and use. DIMENSIONS: Height: 159cm (62.40in) Width: 240cm (94.48in) Depth: 50cm (17.52in) ABOUT THE DESIGNER: Jean Royère (French, 1902–1981) was an important furniture and interior designer of the 20th century. Born into a distinguished family, Royère originally worked as a banker before quitting in 1931 to pursue his passion for design. Following his apprenticeship with Parisian furniture maker Pierre Gouffe, Royère went on to win a contest to design the brasserie for the luxurious Hotel Carlton on the Champs-Élysées in 1934. From there, his fame quickly grew, and he went on to found his own company in 1944, designing custom furniture for high-end clients. Throughout his life, Royère traveled extensively, notably opening offices in Cairo, Beirut, Teheran, and Sao Paulo. Some of his most enthusiastic patrons included King Farouk, King Hussein of Jordan, and the Shah of Iran. His most memorable work was often considered whimsical or even eccentric, featuring unusual elements such as furry armchairs...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère

Materials

Brass

Wrought Iron and Comblanchien Limestone "Ruban" Coffee Table by Jean Royère
By Jean Royère
Located in New York City, NY
Impressive, refined "Ruban" coffee table by Jean Roye`re. The wrought iron and brass frame is quintessentially modern, an impressive feat given the table was designed in 1949. ...
Category

1940s French Modern Vintage Jean Royère

Materials

Limestone, Brass, Wrought Iron

Jennifer Rutherford Biodegradable Sustainable Lamp by Glowdog in Bioplastic 3D
By Jean Royère
Located in London, GB
Jennifer Rutherford. “The distinctly feminine design of our Jennifer Rutherford lamp possesses an endearing elegance that oozes class into any room of the house. The gentle light that the lamp emits through its precisely sculpted grooves adds an enchanting indoor light after sunset. The fine textured shade is made with a plant-derived material that is biodegradable, reducing the lamp’s overall impact on the environment. It is a powerful piece of interior decoration that is sure to draw the eye of all who encounter it. Sharp Blossom The Sharp Blossom lamp is inspired by the spiralled petals of a budding flower. The unusual yet natural shape of this lamp causes light to be evenly distributed throughout any room that it is used in. It is a fascinating merge of classic and extremely contemporary styles. The lamp can be easily personalised to suit your interior, with three colours of base available as well as a clear or white lampshade. Blossom Delicately sculpted in the shape of a flower bud at the start of Spring, the Blossom lamp diffuses light in a unique manner thanks to the plant-derived bioplastic from which it is made. The shades take a total of over 10 hours to sculpt in our London factories, such is the intricacy of their design. This lamp is a beautiful physical embodiment of old and new entwined, offering a modern and nature-inspired twist on a classic design. Bloom Just as the Sharp Blossom draws inspiration from a flower’s initial blooming stages, the ridged twists of the Bloom lamp...
Category

2010s British Tulu Jean Royère

Materials

Plastic

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Jean Royère furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Jean Royère furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Jean Royère furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Jean Touret, Marc Held, and Philippe Cheverny. Prices for Jean Royère furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $445 and can go as high as $33,203, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $5,378.

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