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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
$7,942
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Materials
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Gouffe Deco Cerused Oak Cabinet France, 1940s, Mid-Century
By Jean Royère
Located in New York, NY
This is a very unusual piece that was part of a seven-piece bedroom set. It is in very good original condition. It is labeled Gouffe on the back. Has original key. It is believed to have been designed by Royere while he worked for Gouffe. Royere later used this square pattern to create other cabinets. This is an early example. More information or photos available upon request. Price is for this item only. In 1931, aged 29, Jean Royère (1902-1981) resigned from a comfortable position in the import-export trade in order to set up business as an interior designer. He learnt his new trade in the cabinetmaking workshops of the Faubourg Saint-Antoine in Paris. In 1934, he signed the new layout of the Brasserie Carlton on the Champs Elysées and found immediate success. This was the beginning of an international career that was to last until the early 1970s. A key figure of the Avant-garde in the 1950s, Royère tackled all kinds of decoration work and opened branches in the Near East and Latin America. Among his patrons were King Farouk, King Hussein of Jordan, and the Shah of Iran, who were captivated by his freedom of creation and his elegance and entrusted him with the layout of their palaces. Royère pioneered an original style combining bright colors, organic forms and precious materials within a wide range of imaginative accomplishments. In 1980, he left France for the United States, where he lived until his death. Jean Royere (July 3, 1902-14 May 1981) was from a privileged social class and lived a pleasant childhood in the French capital. He started to worked at Le Havre in the import and export business from its 24 to its 29 years. This profession guarantee him a good lifestyle. However, this young man left this comfortable career and choose a more risky path: the designer career, field in which he was a passionate and talented artist. He started as an employee in a furniture factory boulevard Diderot, located in the Faubourg Saint Antoine, epicenter of Parisian furniture makers. In 1933, he received a prestigious order from the Carlton on the Champs Elysees. His career took off and a year later, he was in charge of the contemporary furniture section at Pierre Gouffé...
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1930s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jean Royère

Materials

Oak

Rare Pair Nickel 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, Nickel

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

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. ...
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1940s French Modern Vintage Jean Royère

Materials

Limestone, Brass, Wrought Iron

Mid-Century Jean Royere Wardrobe, circa 1950, France
By Jean Royère, Maison Gouffé
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 consi...
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Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Bar Stool in the style of Jean Royère, Iron and Leather, Italy
By Jean Royère
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century 'Quattro Sgabelli' Bar Stool in the style of Jean Royère, Iron and Leather, Italy, 1950s - Sold Individually
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1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jean Royère

Materials

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...
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2010s British Tulu Jean Royère

Materials

Plastic

'40s Jean Royère 'Sangle' Armchair in cotton and wood
By Jean Royère
Located in Paris, FR
Jean Royère 'Sangle' armchair 1946 Wood, cotton Measures: 81 x 53 x 55 cm
Category

1940s French Vintage Jean Royère

Materials

Cotton, Wood

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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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