If his famed cousin and longtime colleague Charles-Édouard Jeanneret — better known as Le Corbusier — was the visionary, then Pierre Jeanneret was the member of the architecture and design team who got things done. In recent years, Jeanneret has emerged from Le Corbusier’s shadow, as collectors have discovered his simple and striking chairs, benches, coffee tables and other furniture creations.
Jeanneret studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Geneva and after he graduated in 1921 he became a partner in Le Corbusier’s office in Paris. The pair collaborated on numerous residential projects, most notably the Villa Savoye, the iconic modernist house in suburban Paris completed in 1931.
Jeanneret also worked with the great Charlotte Perriand on the Grand Modele line of tubular metal furnishings that was a sensation at the annual Salon d’Automne design expo in 1929. A rift developed between Jeanneret and his cousin during World War II, as the former joined the French resistance, while Le Corbusier cooperated with the occupying authorities in Vichy. The two did not work together again until 1950, when Le Corbusier persuaded Jeanneret to help execute the master plan for the new city of Chandigarh in Punjab, India. Jeanneret lived and worked there until the final years of his life.
A hallmark of Jeanneret’s furniture designs is his great sensitivity to materials. In contrast to the tubular-steel chairs produced by Marcel Breuer and other members of the Bauhaus, the chromed metal pieces designed by Jeanneret and Perriand — including such as the now-classic LC4 chaise longue and the Grand Confort lounge chair — have a sensuous, relaxed and welcoming look. Conversely, while Jeanneret uses essentially geometric forms for his wooden seating pieces, they exude warmth by nature of the material.
One of Jeanneret’s first manufactured designs in wood is the Model 92 Scissors chair, licensed by Hans and Florence Knoll when they were touring postwar France. But Jeanneret’s finest work in furniture was done in Chandigarh, and these are the pieces that have earned him recent renown.
Crafted of teak, the Chandigarh designs range from low-slung lounge chairs and armchairs with cane seats to desks and tables, most with Jeanneret’s signature drafting compass-shaped legs. Many such pieces on the market today are refurbished, having been found by dealers languishing in scrapyards in India in the late 1990s. Chandigarh is now taking better care of its modernist heritage, making available Jeanneret works all the rarer.
Find authentic vintage Pierre Jeanneret chairs, case pieces, tables and other furniture today on 1stDibs.
Pierre Jeanneret Vanity, 1950s Chandigarh
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Discover a rare piece of design history with this Pierre Jeanneret vanity, originally crafted for the visionary modernist city of Chandigarh in the 1950s. A seamless blend of functio...
Teak, Glass, Mirror
Dressing table by Pierre Jeanneret, India, 1960s
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Tokyo, Tokyo
A dressing table designed by Pierre Jeanneret for the Chandigarh project. This piece features Jeanneret’s signature V-shaped legs in solid teak, a vertical mirror supported by a bol...
Glass, Wood
$1,900 / set
H 33.5 in W 43 in D 14 in
1950s Italian Hollywood Regency Gold Gilded Vanity by S. Salvadori
By S. Salvadori
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Wonderful vintage dressing table set, including a mirror, vanity table, and chair. The set has a gold-gild finish with ornate details, and the chair features a paisley patterned cush...
Metal, Gold Leaf
1960s Fully Restored Danish Teak Dressing, Vanity Table
Located in Knebel, DK
Danish teak dressing - vanity table from the 1960s. The vanity table features a large adjustable mirror, an original black glass table top and 5 spacious drawers with room for wha...
Teak
Writing Desk by Pierre Jeanneret, Chandigarh, India, 1960s
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Tokyo, Tokyo
A rare and authentic example from the Chandigarh project in India, this teak writing desk by Pierre Jeanneret reflects the architect’s rational yet sculptural design language. Charac...
Teak
$2,056Sale Price|20% Off
H 44.49 in W 31.5 in D 17.72 in
Olof Ottelin, 1950s Vanity Desk Elisabeth for Stockmann Oy, Finland
By Keravan Puuteollisuus Oy, Oy Stockmann AB, Olof Ottelin
Located in Turku, Varsinais-Suomi
Stylish Mid-Century Modern vanity desk with two drawers made in mahogany. Two sliding mirrors covering two glass shelves for storing make-up and oth...
Mirror, Mahogany
$1,485
H 47.25 in W 35.44 in D 14.97 in
Mid-Century Modern Glass and Steel Dressing Table with Oval Mirror, 1960s
Located in Milano, IT
Mid-Century Modern Glass and Steel Dressing Table, 1960s, with Oval Mirror Elegant dressing table from the 1960s, featuring a sleek metal structure with a refined black opal glass t...
Metal
$971
H 25.6 in W 40.95 in D 15.75 in
Vanity dressing table by Raymond Loewy by Doubinsky Frères in the 1960s
By Raymond Loewy
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Dressing table - Raymond Loewy - model "DF2000" - Doubinsky Frères - 1960s Wear Consistent with age And Use : See Photos Compagnie de L’Esthétique Industrielle (CEI) was a design co...
Mirror, Plastic, Acrylic, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Vanity, Exotic Wood, Italy, 1950s
By Non-Standard Furniture and Lighting
Located in Milano, IT
Toelette pensile vintage con specchio rettangolare, mensola e cassetto con impiallacciatura in legno esotico.
Mirror, Wood
Vintage Dressing Table by Loughborough
Located in London, GB
A stylish and very well made vintage dressing table by Loughborough. This was made in England, it dates from the 1950’s. The quality is outstanding, it is beautifully designed and i...
Mirror, Wood
$2,795
H 28 in W 52.25 in D 22.25 in
Paul McCobb Vanity Table for Calvin, Irwin Collection, Circa 1950s
By Paul McCobb, Calvin Furniture
Located in Peabody, MA
A mid-century modern vanity table in Honduran mahogany by Paul McCobb, for Calvin Furniture, Irwin Collection, circa late 1950s.
Mirror, Mahogany
$22,800 / set
H 30.75 in W 50.5 in D 21.75 in
Paolo Buffa for Ducrot Vanity Table & Stool, Mahogany and Maple, Italy, 1950s
By Paolo Buffa, Vittorio Ducrot
Located in New York, NY
Attributed to Paolo Buffa for Ducrot, rare and exquisite vanity table with matching stool, Italy, 1950s. Designed to be admired from every angle, the sculptural case features a softl...
Brass, Bronze
$6,000
H 30.71 in W 44.49 in D 12.21 in L 30.71 in
Midcentury Modern Wall-Mounted Oak Dressing Table from Luxus, Sweden, 1960s
By Uno & Östen Kristiansson, Luxus Vittsjö
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Cool wall dressing table by Uno and Östen Kristiansson, made from oak. Elegant decorative details in the joinery and the sculpted handles on the drawers. Several drawers in different...
Mirror, Oak
$1,920Sale Price|20% Off
H 34.26 in W 33.86 in D 24.02 in
Dutch Mid-Century Modern Solid Birch Vanity Desk by Everest Furniture, 1950s
By Everest
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Unusual and rare modernist vanity desk produced in the Netherlands by Everest Furniture early 1950s. Solid birch frame and, veneered plywood and exotic wood (Wenge) details in the...
Birch, Teak, Wenge, Plywood
$2,284Sale Price|20% Off
H 71.26 in W 35.44 in D 13.39 in
Ico Parisi Vanity Table, Glass & Hand-Carved Beech Wood, Italy, 1950s
By Ico Parisi
Located in Florence, Tuscany
An extraordinarily elegant dressing table or vanity by Italian designer Ico Parisi. This wonderful piece of furniture has a glass dressing / console table at a height of 90cm below w...
Brass
Kai Kristiansen Rosewood 1960s Danish Dressing Table
By Aksel Kjersgaard, Kai Kristiansen
Located in London, England
Kai Kristiansen Model 40 Rosewood Dressing table with folding 3-piece mirror. This dressing table was made from highly figured exotic rosewood by Aksel Kjersgaard in Denmark in the 1...
Rosewood
Pierre Jeanneret Library Table, Teak Wood, Modern Design, India, 1960
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Philadelphia, PA
We are very pleased to present this exceptional and rare Pierre Jeanneret illuminated reading table with provenance from DAV (Dayanand Anglo-Vedic) College Chandigarh which was built...
Teak