Mobilier International Desks
Mobilier International was a prominent French furniture company that produced high-end pieces for the French market in the latter half of the 20th century. The company’s mid-century modern offerings boasted a relaxed and functional elegance. Known mainly for its leather lounge chairs and chaise lounges, Mobilier International also distributed pieces like cocktail tables and writing desks.
The story of Mobilier International began in 1955, when Michel Schulmann established Arflex France to import Italian Arflex furniture and SICAF to import Scandinavian and other Italian designs. In 1957, Shulman set up Mobilier International to bring the whole collection together under a single brand.
One of the company’s first significant imports was in 1959 with the Superleggera chair by Italian designer Gio Ponti. That same year, Mobilier International signed a contract to manufacture and sell Herman Miller furniture. The company had established itself as one of the few to offer mid-to-high-end modern furniture in France.
Throughout the 1960s, Mobilier International opened several manufacturing facilities. The company also introduced many now iconic designs, including Marco Zanuso’s Woodline armchair and the DSC 106 chair by Giancarlo Piretti. In 1968 alone, Mobilier International ordered 2,000 to 3,000 DSC 106 chairs per month to distribute in France.
In 1972, designer George Ciancimino created an interlocking aluminum furniture line for Mobilier International. The company also collaborated with Pierre Paulin on the Pacha furniture line for public buildings like hospitals and museums. Meanwhile, it continued importing international designs, like the Tizio lamp created by Richard Sapper for the Italian lighting company Artemide.
Mobilier International worked with several big names in furniture design throughout the 1980s, including Bruno Gecchelin, Pascal Mourgue and Bernard Govin.
In 1991, Mobilier International was sold to Haworth, an international office furniture manufacturer, ending the production of the company’s lounge chairs. Schulmann retired in 1994 and died in 2004, at the age of 94.
On 1stDibs, find Mobilier International seating, tables and more.
1970s French Modern Vintage Mobilier International Desks
Aluminum, Steel
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Mobilier International Desks
Chrome
1960s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mobilier International Desks
Walnut
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Mobilier International Desks
Aluminum, Steel
1950s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mobilier International Desks
Brass
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mobilier International Desks
Aluminum, Steel, Chrome
Mid-20th Century American British Colonial Mobilier International Desks
Brass
1960s American Vintage Mobilier International Desks
Aluminum
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mobilier International Desks
Aluminum, Steel
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Mobilier International Desks
Chrome
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mobilier International Desks
Chrome
Late 20th Century American Campaign Mobilier International Desks
Oak
1940s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mobilier International Desks
Gold Leaf
1980s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mobilier International Desks
Metal
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mobilier International Desks
