Jean Royère Furniture
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.
Late 20th Century American Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Velvet
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Faux Fur
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Faux Leather, Wood
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jean Royère Furniture
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jean Royère Furniture
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
2010s British Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Oak, Beech, Alpaca
2010s British Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Alpaca, Beech
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jean Royère Furniture
Wrought Iron
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jean Royère Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century Jean Royère Furniture
Metal
Early 2000s European Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Faux Fur, Oak
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Fabric
Early 2000s American Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Wool, Mohair
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Jean Royère Furniture
Bouclé, Walnut
2010s English Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Mohair, Wood
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Cut Steel, Chrome
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Jean Royère Furniture
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Oak
2010s British Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Alpaca, Beech
1930s French Vintage Jean Royère Furniture
Fabric, Sycamore
2010s English Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Mohair, Wood
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Steel
2010s British Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Alpaca, Wood
2010s English Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Wood, Mohair
2010s British Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Alpaca, Beech
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Carrara Marble, Wrought Iron
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Wrought Iron
2010s British Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Fabric, Wood
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Steel
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jean Royère Furniture
Iron
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Carrara Marble, Wrought Iron
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Carrara Marble, Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Iron
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Wrought Iron
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Carrara Marble, Wrought Iron
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Steel
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Wrought Iron
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Oak, Sheepskin
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Brass, Enamel
2010s British Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Alpaca, Wood
Late 20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Fabric, Wood
2010s British Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Alpaca, Beech
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Jean Royère Furniture
Upholstery, Velvet, Wood
2010s British Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Alpaca, Beech
2010s British Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Alpaca, Beech
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Brass
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Wood
1940s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jean Royère Furniture
Wool, Beech
2010s British Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Alpaca, Beech
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jean Royère Furniture
Wire
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Metal
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Jean Royère Furniture
Iron
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jean Royère Furniture
Wrought Iron
2010s British Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Alpaca, Beech
2010s British Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Alpaca, Beech
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Jean Royère Furniture
Wrought Iron
2010s British Art Deco Jean Royère Furniture
Alpaca, Wood