The architect Pierre Guariche was one of the leading modern furniture and lighting designers of postwar France. Guariche can, in some ways, be thought of as the French version of Charles Eames: with his lean and angular chairs and slender, sculptural table lamps, he helped introduce a new aesthetic to the country’s interiors — and he was an eager pioneer in the use of new industrial materials and production techniques that emerged in the 1950s.
Guariche studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris (the national design academy) under René Gabriel — a designer known for his quality, mass-produced furnishings, who served as a director of the postwar Ministry of Reconstruction. Two years after graduating in 1949, Guariche opened his own design firm, and he was soon creating pieces for numerous companies, including the lighting manufacturer Disderot.
Wood and metal were rationed in the years following the war and Guariche learned to do more with less. His chairs of the early 1950s include several designs with narrow, softly angular wooden frames; others, like the Tonneau chair, feature a single piece of molded plywood set atop metal legs. His lamps of the period are likely his best-known works. They include delicate compositions of slender steel tubes, and more flamboyant pieces such as the Kite lamp, with its curved metal reflector panel.
Always on the lookout for new materials, Guariche spent several years in the mid-1950s operating a firm making furniture in fiberglass and other plastics, along with Joseph André Motte and others. After 1957 — when Guariche was named head of design for the Belgian company Meurop and given a brief to create stylish, up-to-date chairs and cabinets — he began to look to America for ideas.
In the mid-1960s, Guariche produced several lines of deeply upholstered, rounded lounge chairs inspired by the Space Age look, and gave them names like Jupiter, Polaris and Luna. While Guariche always kept pace with his times, throughout his career he showed a consistent talent for producing elegant, eye-catching forms using a minimum of materials.
Find vintage Pierre Guariche furniture today on 1stDibs.
A MID-CENTURY-MODERN "Tonneau" CHAIR by PIERRE GUARICHE, STEINER, France 1950
By Steiner, Pierre Guariche
Located in PARIS, FR
A single and real iconic chair : the Modernist, Free Form, Mid-Century-Modern, Reconstruction, "Tonneau" chair in its finest aluminium version : 4 legs in black lacquered tubular met...
Metal, Aluminum
Rare Pierre Guariche Tulip 'Tulipe' Aluminium Chair, 1950s, France
By Steiner, Pierre Guariche
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
A rare original Pierre Guariche cast aluminum Tulip / Tulipe chair, dating from the 1950s. A super example in very good original, vintage condition. Can be polished up brighter if d...
Aluminum, Iron
Pierre Guariche SK660 Armchairs in Cream Bouclé, France 1960’s
By Siege Steiner, Pierre Guariche
Located in New York, NY
Editions Steiner. Black lacquered feet. Freshly reupholstered in crème white bouclé by Bisson Bruneel. Brass necks at the junction of armrests and back.
Brass, Steel
1950s Cast Aluminum Dining Chair by Pierre Guariche for Steiner
By Pierre Guariche, Steiner
Located in Saint Paul, MN
Pierre Guariche's work has risen in popularity as reissues bring light to his magnificent body of work. The Tulipe Chair is one such piece that has become popular despite it being us...
Aluminum
Rare Pair of Pierre Guariche Tulip 'Tulipe' Cast Aluminium Chairs, 1950s, France
By Steiner, Pierre Guariche
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
A rare pair of original Pierre Guariche cast aluminium Tulip / Tulipe chairs, dating from the 1950s. Extremely nice examples in very good original condition. Natural imperfections ...
Aluminum, Iron
Pierre Guariche Cast Aluminium Tulipe Seat for Steiner with original fabric 1953
By Steiner, Pierre Guariche
Located in Santa Gertrudis, Baleares
Stunning cast aluminum chair with their original orange fabric, extremely rare chair with their original fabric. In 1951 Guariche began to collaborate with Steiner, another major f...
Aluminum
Pierre Guariche for Meurop Set of Six 'Coquillage' Dining Chairs
By Meurop, Pierre Guariche
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pierre Guariche for Meurop, set of six chairs in yellow and blue plastic, model 'Coquillage', Belgium, 1960s. These chairs were designer by Pierre Guariche for Meurop and titled 'Co...
Metal
Rare Yellow Fiberglass Tulip Chair by Pierre Guariche for Steiner, 1950s
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Dronten, NL
A exceptional example of mid-century French design, this rare tulip chair was created by Pierre Guariche for Steiner and produced in fiberglass in the late 1950s. Guariche was known ...
Steel
Pair of Pierre Guariche Yellow Fiberglass Side Chairs by Steiner - France 1950's
By Pierre Guariche, Siege Steiner
Located in New York, NY
Rare pair of yellow fiberglass side chairs by Pierre Guariche in good vintage. These "tonneau" chaped chairs are iconic Guariche pieces and epitomize his series of compact barrel sha...
Steel
Set of 6 Tonneau chairs by Pierre Guariche for Steiner
By Pierre Guariche, Studio A.R.P. (Joseph-André Motte, Michel Mortier and Pierre Guariche)
Located in Antwerp, BE
Set of 6 dining chairs ‘model Tonneau’ designed by Pierre Guariche and produced Steiner in France during the 1950’s. The frame features molded plywood shells that have been stained b...
Beech, Plywood
Tonneau chair by pierre guariche from the 60s in solid wood
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Tonneau’ chair from the 60s by French designer Pierre Guariche. All-wood model in moulded plywood. Very good vintage condition with a beautiful patina. The chair shows signs of age a...
Wood
$795 / item
Six Pierre Guariche Coquillage Chairs
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Dronten, NL
White fiberglass shell chairs designed in the 1950s by Pierre Guariche. For a very short period the Coquillage or Scallop chair was reissued by Maisons...
Steel
Six “Tonneau” chairs by Pierre Guariche, Editions Steiner, France, circa 1954
By Pierre Guariche, Steiner
Located in Paris, FR
Six “Tonneau” chairs, designed by Pierre Guariche for Steiner in 1954. Molded plywood shell, birch veneer, black moleskin cover, black lacquered metal base. Biography: Pierre Guaric...
Metal
Fiberglass Chair by Pierre Guariche
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gorgeous fiberglass chair by Pierre Guariche. Cream fiberglass frame sits on four iron legs. Great vintage condition and beautiful design. Great standalone piece. Fantastic piece of ...
Iron
Set of 4 Pierre Guariche Aluminum Chairs, 1950s France
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gorgeous set of 4 aluminum chairs by Pierre Guariche. Cast aluminum frame sits on four iron legs. Great vintage condition and beautifully minimal design. Extremely rare. The non conv...
Aluminum, Iron
$2,400Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Tonneau Guariche Chairs
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bent plywood chairs in original condition from the 1950s missing their original upholstery Located in Brooklyn.
Plywood
Cast aluminium 'Tulipe' chair by Pierre Guariche. French 1950s.
By Pierre Guariche
Located in London, GB
"Tulipe" chair by Pierre Guariche for Steiner. Cast aluminium shell seat with black tubular steel legs. In good vintage condition. The cast aluminium seat shows lots of very nice cas...
Aluminum, Steel
1951 Pierre Guariche, Prefacto Set of Four Chairs, Airborne Edition
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Prefacto by Pierre Guariche Very rare suite of four chairs Airborne Publisher 1951 Dimensions: 80 x 42 x 48 cm Mahogany and metal Mythical and very rare Beautiful condition Se...
Metal
P. Guariche for Meurop, 1960s Coquillage Chair
By Pierre Guariche, Meurop
Located in Antwerp, BE
The Coquillage side chair was designed by Pierre Guariche for Meurop in the early 1960s. The shell is made of grey perforated propylene, the base of black lacquered metal. The chair ...
Metal
$926Sale Price / set|20% Off
Mid-Century Modern Design Robin Chair Set by Pierre Guariche for Meurop, 1950's
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Mid-Century Modern design Robin dining chair set of 2 by Pierre Guariche for Meurop, made in Belgium late 1950's. All original purple fabric on seat on black metal frame base...
Metal
Black Tonneau Chair by Pierre Guariche, 1950s
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Brussels, BE
Black Tonneau Chair by Pierre Guariche, 1950s
Wood
Pierre Guariche Dining Chair for Meurop, 1960s
By Pierre Guariche, Meurop
Located in Tokyo, Tokyo
Mid-century dining chairs designed by French designer Pierre Guariche for Belgian furniture maker Meurop in 1960s. Upholstery and black painted metal legs...
Metal
Dining Chair for Meurop by Pierre Guariche
By Pierre Guariche, Meurop
Located in Tokyo, Tokyo
1960s / Belgium Size W410 D480 H820 SH460 mm Dining chair designed by Pierre Guariche and manufactured by Meurop. The seating has been reupholstered.
Steel
$12,078 / item
H 30.32 in W 25.6 in D 47.25 in
Kissing Armchair, Modern, Sculptural, Rounded, Bronze Metal, Cream Boucle Fabric
By Lara Bohinc
Located in Holland, AMSTERDAM
Kissing Armchair features two semi-circle layers; one bearing the cupped seat and a second forming the back-rest. All the lines are covered with soft ...
Bronze
Fiberglass Chair by Pierre Guariche
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gorgeous fiberglass chair by Pierre Guariche. Cream fiberglass frame sits on four iron legs. Great vintage condition and beautiful design. Great standalone piece. Fantastic piece of ...
Iron
Four French, 1950s Chairs Attributed to Audoux-Minet
By Adrien Audoux and Frida Minnet
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Chic and unfussy set of four oak dining chairs with rope seats, attributed to Adrien Audoux and Frida Minet, of Vibo Vesoul. The backs have a simple medallion decor. The front legs a...
Rope, Oak
$2,350 / item
H 33.86 in W 17.52 in D 20.08 in
8 Fine French 1950s Beech Dining Chairs (priced per chair)
Located in Long Island City, NY
Eight fine French Mid-Century solid beech side chairs with a cross shaped cut out handle in the seat back. Minimum purchase is 2 chairs.
Beech
Set of 6 Fine French 1950s Beech Dining Chairs
Located in Long Island City, NY
A set of six fine French mid-century beech dining chairs.
Beech
$1,157Sale Price|25% Off
H 27.96 in W 28.75 in D 24.41 in
Armchair G1 de Pierre Guariche, Airborne 1950
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Paris, FR
Armchair model G1 by Pierre Guariche - Airborne Edition - 50s. White metal structure (wear traces of use in the photos) - redone yellow canvas cover.
Metal
Pierre Guariche Vintage SK660 Armchairs Chairs
By Pierre Guariche, Steiner
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
Pierre Guariche was born in 1926, son of a family of Parisian goldsmiths. He studied at the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs, where he was taught by René Gabriel. He graduated in the Spring of 1949. He became a member of the Union des artistes modernes (UAM). He joined the studio of another of his teachers, Marcel Gascoin. He began to exhibit his own work in the Salon des Arts Ménagers and the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs.[1] In the period after World War II (1939–1945) there was increased interest in using new methods and materials for mass production of furniture. Manufacturers of materials such as formica, plywood, aluminum, and steel sponsored the salons of the Société des artistes décorateurs. Designers who exhibited their experimental work at the salons in this period included Guariche, René-Jean Caillette, Joseph-André Motte, Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand, Antoine Philippon and Jacqueline Lecoq Beautiful pair of SK660...
Metal
Sold|$3,563
H 29.14 in W 18.12 in D 18.51 in
Aluminum Tonneau Chair by Pierre Guariche for Steiner, 1950s
By Pierre Guariche, Steiner
Located in Renens, CH
A cast aluminium Tonneau Chair designed by Pierre Guariche in the 1950s. The chair features a curved shell seat on a black painted metal base. The raw finish of the cast aluminum, wi...
Aluminum
$2,975
H 32.29 in W 31.11 in D 29.53 in
Mid-20th SK660 Armchair by Pierre Guariche in New Bouclé Upholstery France, 1953
By Pierre Guariche, Steiner
Located in Almelo, NL
SK660 armchair designed by Pierre Guariche and manufactured by the French company Steiner, 1953 Tubular black lacquered metal feet and wooden frame foam-filled and reupholstered with...
Bouclé
$1,850
H 28.35 in W 17.33 in D 20.48 in
Rare Yellow Fiberglass Tulip Chair by Pierre Guariche for Steiner, 1950s
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Dronten, NL
A exceptional example of mid-century French design, this rare tulip chair was created by Pierre Guariche for Steiner and produced in fiberglass in the late 1950s. Guariche was known ...
Steel
Tonneau chair by pierre guariche from the 60s in solid wood
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Tonneau’ chair from the 60s by French designer Pierre Guariche. All-wood model in moulded plywood. Very good vintage condition with a beautiful patina. The chair shows signs of age a...
Wood
$2,731 / set
H 35.44 in W 18.12 in D 15.36 in
Perriand - Inspired - Set of 4 Chairs - MidCentury - 1950s - French
By Charlotte Perriand
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Presenting a set of oak and rush chairs inspired by the iconic style of Charlotte Perriand, a renowned French designer. Crafted in France around the 1960s, these chairs embody the ti...
Oak, Rush
Aluminum Tonneau Chair by Pierre Guariche for Steiner, 1950s
By Pierre Guariche, Steiner
Located in Renens, CH
A cast aluminium Tonneau Chair designed by Pierre Guariche in the 1950s. The chair features a curved shell seat on a black painted metal base. The raw finish of the cast aluminum, wi...
Aluminum
Pierre Gauriche Pair of 'G1' Lounge Chairs in Black Leather
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pierre Guariche for Airborne, lounge chairs model 'G1', lacquered steel, black leather, designed in 1953 This wonderful set of 'G1' lounge chairs is designed by Pierre Guariche in 1953 for Airborne. The simplistic and modern design consist of a tubular steel frame with a seating of black leather. The shell, resting on the thin metal frame, forms a Classic, modern combination. The leather is in overall good condition, with some traces of use and age. Pierre Guariche (1926-1995) was a French architect, designer and decorator. Guariche was a student of Reneé Gabriel...
Metal
Pierre Guariche for Airborne Pair of Lounge Chairs
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pierre Guariche for Airborne, pair of lounge chairs model FS 105 model, solid oak, black fabric, France, 1940s. These armchairs in solid oak are...
Fabric, Oak
Pierre Guariche Set of Four Dining Chairs for Airborne
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pierre Guariche for Airborne, four dining chairs, black faux leather, metal, France, 1960s To be upholstered. The chairs are stamped Airborne and are designed by the French designer Pierre Guariche. The faux leather elements are connected to the metal black metal frame. The thin slender legs form a balanced contrast to the simplistic leather elements. Pierre Guariche (1926-1995) was a French architect, designer and decorator. Guariche was a student of Reneé Gabriel...
Metal
Pierre Guariche Set of Six Black Dining Chairs for Airborne
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pierre Guariche for Airborne, six dining chairs, black faux leather, metal, France, 1960s This set of six comfortable dining chairs features a thick, comfortable seat and back. The chairs are stamped Airborne and are designed by the French designer Pierre Guariche. The faux leather elements are connected to the metal black metal frame. The thin slender legs form a balanced contrast to the simplistic leather elements. Pierre Guariche (1926-1995) was a French architect, designer and decorator. Guariche was a student of Reneé Gabriel...
Metal
Chair by Pierre Guariche for La Plagne, France, 1970s
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Tokyo, Tokyo
Crafted in solid wood, this chair was designed by Pierre Guariche for the La Plagne mountain project. Its balanced proportions, honest construction, and visible joinery reflect Guari...
Wood
Sold
H 28.75 in W 18.12 in D 18.12 in
Tulip Chair by Pierre Guariche for Steiner, 1950s, Original Patina
By Steiner, Pierre Guariche
Located in SOTTEVILLE-LÈS-ROUEN, FR
A rare Tulip chair in fiberglass, designed by Pierre Guariche and produced by Steiner in the 1950s. An iconic example of post-war French design, this chair reflects Guariche’s pione...
Steel
Chair by Pierre Guariche for La Plagne, France, 1970s
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Tokyo, Tokyo
Crafted in solid wood, this chair was designed by Pierre Guariche for the La Plagne mountain resort project. It features compact proportions, visible joinery, and a warm natural fini...
Wood
1950s Cast aluminium chair, Pierre Guariche for Steiner
By Pierre Guariche
Located in VILLEURBANNE, FR
Chair with a cast aluminium shell designed by Pierre Guariche for Steiner around 1953. This model, emblematic of postwar French design, features a single-piece cast aluminium seat t...
Metal, Aluminum
Sold
H 28.35 in W 19.69 in D 19.69 in
Set of Six “Tonneau” Chairs by Pierre Guariche for Steiner, France, 1950s
By Emanuel Steiner, Pierre Guariche
Located in Boom, Vlaams Gewest
Beautiful set of six original “Tonneau” chairs, designed by Pierre Guariche and produced by Steiner in France during the 1950s. These iconic chairs feature molded plywood shells with...
Plywood
Sold
H 32.68 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Mid-Century modern Pair of “Tonneau” chairs, 1965 edition by Steiner
By Pierre Guariche
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Pair of “Tonneau” chairs, 1965 edition by Steiner, designed by Pierre Guariche. Presented in their original dark brown velvet upholstery, the chairs remain in good vintage condition,...
Steel
Sold
H 30.32 in W 20.48 in D 18.9 in
5er Set Pierre Guariche Tonneau / Amsterdam Stühle Leder, Entwurf 1950er
By Pierre Guariche, Steiner
Located in Reutlingen, DE
Fantastisches 5er Set Pierre Guariche für Maison Du Monde Modell „Amsterdam“ Reedition der „Tonneau“ Stühle für Steiner aus den 1950er in Leder und schwarzem Stahlrohrgestell, Frankr...
Steel