Known to some as “the alchemist of high minerals,” Ado Chale uses semi-precious stones, metals and organic materials like fossilized sequoia and redwoods in his marvelous tables and decorative objects. Over the course of his long career, the prolific Belgian designer, sculptor and decorator turned a passion for mineralogy and love for the natural world into elegant, sculptural furniture.
Born Adolphe Pelsener in Brussels in 1928, the designer learned cabinetry from his woodworker father and trained in ironwork at a young age under local blacksmiths. During a trip to Germany in the late 1950s, he became enamored with minerals, and turned his attention to creating seating, tables and other furnishings with a range of unconventional materials.
At the beginning of the 1960s, Pelsener changed his name to Ado Chale and opened a gallery in Brussels with his wife, a gemologist named Huguette Schaal. He began to create sophisticated mosaic inlays for tabletops using pyrite fragments. He worked with malachite and turquoise and also worked in metal, producing decorative objects and furniture like his iconic aluminum goutte d’eau coffee tables. Chale used epoxy resin to lend his tables an opulent sheen. His incorporation of exquisite natural materials like agate and petrified wood rendered his furniture unlike anything else. Chale’s work was soon in high demand — his clientele included the Belgian royal family and notable architects and designers like Alberto Pinto, Peter Marino and Jacques Grange.
In 1967, Chale’s designs were included in the Universal Exhibition in Montreal. In the decades since, he has continued to exhibit his work, including at the Bozar Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels in 2017.
On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage Ado Chale tables, lighting and more.
H 13.78 in W 63 in D 23.63 in
Petra Coffee Table in Solid Bronze
Located in Paris, FR
Coffee table Petra with structure in solid bronze, all handcrafted, each piece is unique. With a raw strong slate top. Exceptional piece.
Slate, Bronze
H 16 in Dm 40 in
Bronze Amani Coffee Table by Croft House
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Bronze Amani Coffee Table is an addition to our marble coffee table series. The Bronze Amani marble top boasts earthy tones and lighter, varied veining that pops against backdrop...
Bronze
H 29.14 in Dm 47.25 in
Table SOUCHE- Cast Bronze, bespoke Table top, Cinabre Gallery
Located in PARIS, FR
Table SOUCHE- designed by Christine D. Rouvière The SOUCHE table reads as a sculptural dining table grounded in a single, monumental gesture or can be placed as a center table telli...
Marble, Brass, Bronze
H 12.5 in Dm 38 in
Ado Chale Low Coffee Table with Aluminum Top and Steel Legs, Belgium
By Ado Chale
Located in Astoria, NY
Ado Chale (Belgian, b. 1928) Low Coffee Table, cast aluminum circular top above black patinated steel legs, signed to the side. 12.5" H x 38" Diameter. Provenance: From a SoHo, New...
Aluminum, Steel
H 17.33 in Dm 13.78 in
Handcrafted Coffee Table by Emmemobili, Bronze, Modern Design, Italy
By Emmemobili
Located in Munich, Bavaria
From the idea of patterns and textures emerges an atmosphere of emotion – a subtle interplay of touch, elegance, and artistic vision. This is embodied in a unique table, where handcr...
Bronze
H 20.5 in W 27 in D 28 in
Brass Coffee Table, Leh Bronze with Semi Precious Inserts, Viya by Vikram Goyal
Located in Noida, DL
Brass Coffee Table, Leh Bronze with Semi Precious Inserts, Viya by Vikram Goyal Coffee table in brass with semi-precious inserts. Handmade in India. Crafted from cast brass and ado...
Brass
H 13.69 in W 44.1 in D 44.1 in
Coffee Table, Lacquered Wood in Handmade Textured Finish, Amorphous
Located in Maçka-İstanbul, 34
Taş is inspired by different patterns found in nature. The top, as it gives its name to the product, is designed to resemble the texture of a stone. The amorphous form of Taş, allows...
Wood, Lacquer
H 16.54 in W 44.69 in D 39.57 in
Table basse d'un style africain de Christian Caulas
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Cette table basse d'artiste, conçue par Christian Caulas, est un chef-d'œuvre brut et poétique célébrant le dialogue des textures. Son plateau en frêne, teinté au brou de noix et dé...
Concrete
H 19.69 in W 35.44 in D 63 in
Maggy Monsef, Lotus Collection, Coffee table, Bronze, Handcrafted, Contemporary
By Maggy Monsef
Located in Beirut, LB
Inspired by the quiet poetry of lotus leaves floating on still water, this sculptural coffee table transforms nature into collectible form. Layered botanical surfaces unfold across t...
Bronze
H 19.69 in Dm 19.69 in
Coffee Table with Legs and Frame in Bronze Finish Bronze Leaf Glass Top
Located in London, GB
Sicis is delighted to welcome you at ‘Home’. The classically inspired extent in contemporary plays an eclectic style, elegant and refined. Interiors express personality. A constant...
Metal
