Items Similar to Guillerme et Chambron, Limed Oak Two-Door Armoire, France, Mid-20th Century

Pair of Mid Century Oak Cabinets by Guillerme et Chambron

Guillerme et Chambron, Oak Drop Front Secretary, France, Mid-20th Century

Guillerme et Chambron, Light Oak Five Drawer Dresser, France, Mid-20th Century

Guillerme et Chambron Oak Mid-Century French Armoire Cabinet

Guillerme et Chambron Oak Mid-Century French Cabinet

Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 8

Guillerme et Chambron, Limed Oak Two-Door Armoire, France, Mid-20th Century

$16,000

About the Item

This midcentury, limed oak two-door armoire by the celebrated French designer Robert Guillerme, was created as part of a line of design he produced for the company Votre Maison. Handles executed by Boleslaw Danikowski. Guillerme placed equal emphasis on function and aesthetics, creating an aesthetic as staid as it was arresting. While his work was in many ways distinctively conservative and recognizable from project to project, both in form as well as in medium, his wood of choice, waxed oak, was often either lightened or darkened to the same few tones, Guillerme’s pieces also possessed an unusual flare.

Creator:
Guillerme et Chambron (Designer),Votre Maison (Manufacturer)
Dimensions:
Height: 67 in (170.18 cm)Width: 51 in (129.54 cm)Depth: 18.75 in (47.63 cm)
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Ceramic,Oak,Limed
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
Mid-20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
Unknown
Condition:
Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use. Light refinishing.
Seller Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
Seller: GC 411stDibs: LU781326183352
View Invoice

Shop All Guillerme et Chambron

Guillerme et Chambron

Robert Guillerme and Jacques Chambron, the French creative duo behind Votre Maison, met under unusual circumstances: They discussed design while imprisoned in a forced labor camp. The pair’s combined talents later resulted in modern, sculptural furniture — today, vintage Guillerme et Chambron desks, dining tables, chairs and other pieces still look conceptually playful and vibrant but could fit harmoniously into any home.

Guillerme had graduated from the École Boulle in 1934 with a degree in design and architecture, and Chambron had studied at the School of Applied Arts in Reims. They were captured by the Germans in East Prussia during the Second World War and struck up a friendship over their mutual love for all things design. After the war ended, Guillerme moved to Lille in northern France; Chambron left his job as a painter and decorator in Paris and joined him in 1948. In 1949, the pair met Émile Dariosecq, a skilled cabinetmaker who enthusiastically agreed to manufacture the duo’s designs, leading to the start of Votre Maison.

Guillerme and Chambron were as prolific as they were detailed, producing more than 2,000 pieces in the second half of the 20th century out of a former gun factory. Their furniture, which was mostly made with different tones of waxed oak, adhered to the trends of design that emerged after the war: mid-century modernism.

European furniture in the postwar period largely prioritized function as much as it did form and lacked any unnecessary ornamentation. Guillerme and Chambron wanted people to actually use their furniture, not just look at it. That design philosophy was a pillar of their company, its name translating to “your house” in French. Their signature touches included ornate tiles, hidden drawers and vibrant textiles on pieces such as desks, tables, shelving, lighting, benches and other seating. One of Votre Maison’s most famous and popular pieces was the Grand Repos armchair, a stately, high-backed wide piece with a skeletal oak frame, six spindles and plush cushions.

While Guillerme and Chambron were a team, they handled different aspects of the business: Guillerme designed much of the furniture and Chambron concentrated on decor. Votre Maison was a full-service design business. In 1983, the dynamic duo passed on their company to Chambron’s son, Hervé, a designer and graduate of École Boulle.

Find a collection of vintage Guillerme et Chambron furniture on 1stDibs.