Pair of Palissandre Dining Chairs by Jean Royere, French, 1950s
View Similar Items
Pair of Palissandre Dining Chairs by Jean Royere, French, 1950s
About the Item
- Creator:Jean Royère (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 39.5 in (100.33 cm)Width: 20 in (50.8 cm)Depth: 21 in (53.34 cm)Seat Height: 19 in (48.26 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Hoboken, NJ
- Reference Number:Seller: 31541stDibs: LU78062582912
Jean Royère
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.
- Set of 6 Fun French 1950s' Dining ChairsLocated in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse6 dining chairs upholstered in their original "toile cirée" fabric (a sort of oilcloth, very popular in France in the 50s'). Turned, tapering front legs. Wide seats.Category
Vintage 1950s French Side Chairs
- Set of Six French 1950s Dining ChairsLocated in Isle Sur La Sorgue, VaucluseSix lovely dining chairs, upholstered in original red vinyl with white piping. Bow-like motif on the front apron, tapering legs. Possibly cherry-wood.Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
$3,954 / set - Set of 4 French 1950s Dining Chairs, BrownLocated in Stamford, CTMid-Century Modern French dining chairs, in original brown vinyl. Solid frames, classic modern style.Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsWood
$1,900 / set - 8 French 1950s Dining / Side Beech ChairsLocated in Long Island City, NY12 French 1950s beechwood and vinyl upholstered side chairs. Price is per chair.Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBeech
$480 / item - Set of 4 Fine 1950s Dining ChairsBy Ateliers Saint SabinLocated in Long Island City, NYA set of four fine French mid-century "compass / gondola" solid beech side chairs.Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsFaux Leather, Beech
$9,200 / set - Set of 4 French 1950s Dining Chairs by Roger Landault Edited by Robert SentouBy Robert Sentou, Roger LandaultLocated in Long Island City, NYSet of four French Mid-Century beech dining chairs designed by Roger Landault and edited by Robert Sentou.Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBeech