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Jean Royère Furniture

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.

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Color:  Brown
Creator: Jean Royère
'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 Furniture

Materials

Cotton, Wood

Club Armchair
By Jean Royère
Located in Paris, FR
Club armchair circa 1937 with straight slanted back and full arms with rounded cuffs on a cubic sycamore corner base. Fully upholstered in a sand-colored fabric by Pierre Frey.
Category

1930s French Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Sycamore

Jean Royere Coffee Table
By Jean Royère
Located in Philadelphia, PA
French Modernist Art Deco coffee table by Jean Royere, 1937, in black rosewood and satinwood, made by Goufe. Documented. 47" long x 17" deep x 20" high. Wo...
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

Materials

Rosewood, Satinwood

Jean Royère Mahogany Credenza / Console
By Jean Royère
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Jean Royère mahogany Credenza cabinet console purchased at auction with integrated bar detail and impeccable pedigree.
Category

20th Century French Jean Royère Furniture

Materials

Mahogany

Royere Gouffe Cerused Oak Daybed Deco, France, 1930s-1940s Midcentury
By Maison Gouffé, Jean Royère
Located in New York, NY
Royere Gouffe cerused oak daybed deco, France, 1930s-1940s midcentury Amazing rare pair of daybeds designed by Royere and made by Maison Gouffe. ...
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

Materials

Oak

French Oak Dining Table with Extension Leaves by Jean Royere
By Jean Royère
Located in Atlanta, GA
A rare French oak dining table designed by Jean Royere circa 1955 as part of his "Sculpture" series. It featured a dramatically rounded legs of solid oak and a removable top. The design of this series around 1955 as well as "Visiteur du soir" series were likely stemmed from an earlier series "Coin de repos pour L'hiver", presented in artists and decorators' pavilion, international exhibition, Paris, in 1937. The table is 62" wide without leaves and when fully extended it measures 102" in width. It can be used as a bespoken desk as well. Provenance: Originally purchased from Wright Auction Modern Design Sale October 3rd, 2004; Lot 250. Literature: De Beyrie, Catherine & Stephane. Jean Royère. 2001. pp 48-57. Jacques Lacoste...
Category

20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture

Materials

Brass

'50s Jean Royère 'Ours Polaire' Armchair in Oak and Velvet Upholstery
By Jean Royère
Located in Paris, FR
Jean Royère 'Ours polaire' armchair 1950 Oak and velvet upholstery
Category

1950s European Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Velvet, Oak

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...
Category

1930s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

Materials

Oak

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Art Deco bedside tables, Poland, 1940s. Very good condition, after professional renovation. Wood: walnut dimensions height 54 cm width 53 depth 37 cm
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Jean Royère Style Oak Four Poster Bed, France 1950's
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Oak bed in the manner of Jean Royere with undulation design on the headboards and posts that end in spheres, a classic design of the period.
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Art Art Deco Maple Bed, 1930s
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Midcentury Round Light Teak Danish Modern Extension Dining Table 3 Leaves
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1930s Dutch Art Deco Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

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Art Deco Night Stands  Satinwood Holland 1930s
Art Deco Night Stands  Satinwood Holland 1930s
H 19.69 in W 19.69 in D 13.39 in
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Midcentury White Boucle Club Armchair, 1960s
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Midcentury White Boucle Club Armchair, 1960s
Midcentury White Boucle Club Armchair, 1960s
H 28.35 in W 27.56 in D 19.69 in
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Antique Swedish Leather Club Armchair
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H 27.96 in W 30.71 in D 30.71 in
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Previously Available Items
Art Deco Dining Table and 8 Chairs Jean Royere for Gouffe Paris
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Solid Oak Art Deco Sideboard by Jean Royere for Maison Gouffé Paris, 1940s
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1940s French Art Deco Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

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Pair of "Trèfles" Armchairs
By Jean Royère
Located in Paris, FR
Pair of sycamore armchairs with cloverleaf back and curved tapered legs, covered with almond green mohair.
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1940s French Art Deco Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

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Pair of "Trèfles" Armchairs
Pair of "Trèfles" Armchairs
H 32.29 in W 23.63 in D 22.45 in
Stool
By Jean Royère
Located in Paris, FR
Rectangular seat stool covered with a sand-colored fabric by Pierre Frey. X-shaped legs in horn of plenty joined by a sycamore spacer.
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1930s French Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

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Sycamore

Stool
Stool
H 19.3 in W 23.23 in D 16.15 in
Jean Royere, Pair of Straw Marquetry Side Tables, circa 1950
By Jean Royère
Located in Paris, FR
A pair of square side tables in blond and brown straw marquetry, each with two tiers connected by brass struts with gold patina. Provenance: M. L-R., close collaborator to Jean Royer...
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Jean Royère, Daybed, circa 1930
By Jean Royère
Located in New York, NY
Jean Royère, daybed, circa 1930 Wood, linen. Great original condition, the upholstery was redone few years ago. Jean Royère (1902-1981) Born in Paris, Jean Royère made an international reputation as designer of luxury interiors in Europe, the Middle East and Latin America in the jet setting 50s and 60s. Eschewing the mass production mindset of contemporary design, Royère dedicated himself to the creation of lively and spacious rooms for leisure and play, envisioning each of his plush sofas and freeform coffee tables as a singular contribution his total effect. Favoring jewel tones, richly polished wood and curvaceous, vegetal forms, Royère created vibrant spaces, which encourage movement and interaction; appropriate to settings for sophisticated entertaining and recreation. Though declaring himself "against furniture," Royère designed influential pieces, which have gained attention in the succeeding decades. Considering ornamentation ephemeral and subject to the winds of fashion Royère concentrated on shape and volume; making pieces in fabric, metal and wood which carved space or filled the air with their strong forms and lines. His Tour Eiffel lamps...
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Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture

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Linen, Wood

Jean Royère, Daybed, circa 1930
Jean Royère, Daybed, circa 1930
H 28 in W 84 in D 36.5 in
1940s Jean Royère Oak Credenza
By Jean Royère
Located in Pasadena, CA
Rare oak buffet by Jean Royère. Cast iron make up the piece's legs and decorative accents in an elaborate wave-like pattern. This buffet was custom designed and produced in 1943 and ...
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1940s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

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Iron

1940s Jean Royère Oak Credenza
1940s Jean Royère Oak Credenza
H 37.5 in W 70.75 in D 18.25 in
Jean Royere Chair 1945, Original Condition
By Jean Royère
Located in Encino, CA
Jean Royere ( 1902 - 1981 ) Authentic Original Beechwood chair 1945, Model "Croisillon" H.30"3/4 x W.21"1/8 x D.20"3/8 Original condition ...
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1940s French Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

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Jean Royere Chair 1945, Original Condition
Jean Royere Chair 1945, Original Condition
H 30.75 in W 21.1 in D 20.4 in
Six Dining Chairs by Jean Royère, France Circa 1955
By Jean Royère
Located in Jersey City, NJ
Six armless dining chairs by Jean Royère, each comprises rounded, cylindrical ash wood posts as the back and front legs, two perpendicular, cylindrical stretchers, a bowed and curved...
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1950s Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

Chair, "Croisillon" Model, by Jean Royère, circa 1950
By Jean Royère
Located in Paris, FR
In ash with curved backrest and crosspieces, tapered back legs. Seat upholstered with pastel fabric. Bibliography : "Mobilier et Décoration" N° 7 de septembre-octobre 1954. Œuvres identiques reproduite page 297. "Jean Royère : décorateur à Paris" Catalogue de l'exposition éponyme au musée des Arts Décoratifs, Editions Norma & UCAD, Paris, 1999. Œuvres identiques page 16. Pierre-Emmanuel Martin-Vivier, "Jean Royère", Norma Editions, Paris, 2002. Œuvres identiques reproduites pages 39 et 119. Jacques Lacoste & Patrick Seguin, "Jean Royère, vol. 1", Editions Galerie Jacques Lacoste...
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1950s French Art Deco Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Ash

Six Dining Chairs by Jean Royère, France, circa 1955
By Jean Royère
Located in Jersey City, NJ
Six armless dining chairs by Jean Royère with rounded, cylindrical rush wood posts as the back and front legs, two perpendicular, cylindrical stretchers, a bowed and curved ash seat ...
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1950s Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

French Art Deco Bookmatched Satinwood Desk with Silvered Pulls by Jean Royère
By Jean Royère
Located in New York, NY
This elegant Art Deco desk was custom-made, by hand, in France, circa 1940, by Jean Royère- one of the most esteemed and influential designers of the first half of the 20th Century. ...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Jean Royère Furniture

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Silver Plate

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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