Wrapped: a n i n T rodu CT ion
The Bauhaus school’s innovations in tubular metal furniture were a significant influence on French a rt d eco designers (including Louis Sognot, r ené Herbst, Le Corbusier and Charlotte perriand) who rejected the neoclassical ideals of their predecessors in favor of more streamlined modern designs. However, it wasn’t until the post-war period of the 1950s that tubular furniture would again resurface and gain recognition in France with the works of designers such as Jacques a dnet, Jules Leleu, Jacques Quinet and Jean r oyère.
i n post-war France, the Marshall plan brought about economic and social changes that fundamentally altered the way of life. i ndustry set about rebuilding itself, exploring new technologies and materials, including synthetics and alloys produced during wartime experiments. i n reaction to the intensifying urban and industrial concentration, people sought relief in the great outdoors and developed a passion for country living. d espite the traditionally conservative and refined French sensibility, the post-war mood resisted ostentation and second homes called for more carefree and easier to maintain furnishings. a happy medium was furniture made of tubular metal and wrapped in natural materials such as rattan, malacca (rattan found on the coast of Sumatra) and leather, as well as newer man-made materials such as leatherette, laminate and plastic wiring.
a lthough ideals of luxury and elegance continued to prevail in France, an avantgarde visionary such as Jacques a dnet (head of the Compagnie des Arts Français) was continually looking to incorporate new materials and techniques. a t the 1949 Salon des Artistes Décorateurs (S ad), he presented the Salle Commune Champêtre ( pastoral Communal r oom), his modern take on the traditional great room in a country house, appointed with solid oak furniture wrapped in leather. Le Décor d’Aujourd’hui hailed it as “the most beautiful manifestation of decorative arts we’ve seen since the war.” Met with such success, a dnet
continued to design with this rustic elegance, moving away from precious woods to create an even lighter series made of tubular metal wrapped in leather. (The saddle stitching on leather was done by hand at the workshop of r obert p inchon, d irector of Artistes Artisans Associés .) The emphasis on ease and away from ornamentation, and the use of natural leather—and, later, leatherette and rattan—significantly transformed the status quo, giving rise to a new aesthetic.
e ven Jules Leleu wrapped his furniture in leather, including tables and chairs for projects such as the ocean liner S.S. France.
a t the time, Jacques Quinet was another proponent of simple lines, exquisite details and functional design. The economic climate of the post-war period compelled the designer to create his own tubular furniture wrapped in leather and leatherette. While working with the lighter and less costly tubular metal, he never neglected form, playing instead with the possibilities offered by bending the tubes. Like a dnet before him, Quinet also collaborated with r obert p inchon, his neighbor from n ormandy who quickly became a friend. i n 1957, they created a line of furniture in saddle-stitched leatherette, a new form of artificial leather.
o ne of its primary advantages, especially in seating, is that it requires much less maintenance than leather and does not crack or fade easily. These designs, from sofas to beds, furnished the interiors of ocean liners, private residences and offices, including Ciments français , a cement factory in northern France. Many of the bedrooms in Quinet’s own country home, La Renardière , were furnished with his line of brown and blue leatherette furniture.
This quintessentially modern balance of informality and refinement was also embraced by Jean r oyère. a favored designer of Middle e astern royalty— including Saudi, e gyptian and Jordanian kings and the Shah of i ran—r oyère was no stranger to sumptuous luxury. Most of his time and energy were devoted to making commissioned pieces for his wealthy clients in e urope and the Middle e ast, and unlike the functionalists, he rejected the mass production of contemporary design, refusing to make series furniture. e arly commissions in
his career, however, featured the use of tubular metal furnishings and rattan, and these materials resurfaced time and time again in his later work. d espite a strong element of classicism in r oyère’s design, there is also a progressive modernist feeling to his furniture and interiors. The collection he created for his personal quarters at Loch-Bihan , his family’s estate, is a fine example of the wit and curiosity that infuse r oyère’s uniquely avant-garde style.
FINE AND RARE ROUND COFFEE TABLE
Original bordeaux leather, bronze ornaments & partially mirrored glass top.
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
HEIGHT: 15” DIAMETER: 35 ½”
saddle-stitched leather with brass sabots.
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
HEIGHT: 28” WIDTH: 27” DEPTH: 28”
S EAT HEIGHT: 15½” ARM HEIGHT: 22½”
PAIR OF LOUNGE CHAIRS
Saddle-stitched leather with back and partial seats upholstered in black pony hide. With “X” stretchers, legs ending in brass sabots.
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
HEIGHT: 28¾” WIDTH: 29” DEPTH: 27”
SEAT HEIGHT: 14½” ARM HEIGHT: 23¼”
PAIR OF ARMCHAIRS
Original saddle-stitched leather & bamboo.
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
HEIGHT: 32¼” WIDTH: 29½” DEPTH: 28”
SEAT HEIGHT: 25” ARM HEIGHT: 16½”
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
HEIGHT: 33½” WIDTH: 34¾” DEPTH: 30¾”
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
HEIGHT: 30½” WIDTH: 27” DEPTH: 31½”
SEAT HEIGHT: 15“ ARM HEIGHT: 26½”
DESIGNER:
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
HEIGHT: 32¾” WIDTH: 20” DEPTH: 21¾”
SEAT HEIGHT: 17½” ARM HEIGHT: 25”
Original saddle-stitched leather on faux bamboo brass stem ending on tripod base.
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
HEIGHT: 70” BASE DIAMETER: 16½”
SHADE DIAMETER: 20¼”
TRIPOD BASE FLOOR LAMP
Brass stem and tripod base with the lower portion of stem covered in its original saddle-stitched leather.
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
HEIGHT: 68½” BASE DIAMETER: 16”
SHADE DIAMETER: 11¼”
TWO-DOOR ARMOIRE
Oak with original burgundy saddlestitched leather wrapped metal legs and strap details.
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
HEIGHT: 69¼” WIDTH: 49¼” DEPTH: 27¾”
S EAT HEIGHT: 25”
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
P RO v ENANCE: Mrs. Barrière’s Master Bedroom decorated by Carlhian, Hotel Majestic, Cannes.
HEIGHT: 22½” WIDTH: 24” DEPTH: 12¾”
Original brown saddle-stitched leather.
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
HEIGHT: 17¼” WIDTH: 17½” DEPTH: 14”
Oak cabinet on black wrought iron frame with rope details.
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984) ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
HEIGHT: 42” WIDTH: 56½“ DEPTH: 21”
WALL-MOUNTED SHELv ES
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
dimensions vary
Original saddle-stitched leather on faux bamboo brass stem ending on tripod base.
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
HEIGHT: 23” BASE DIAMETER: 6½”
SHADE DIAMETER: 14”
Original saddle-stitched leather and bronze with wicker shades.
DESIGNER: Jacques Adnet (1901-1984)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1950
HEIGHT: 40” WIDTH: 20½“ DIAMETER: 17½”
Covered in original saddle-stitched green leather and leatherette with legs ending in gilt-bronze sabots.
DESIGNER: Jules Leleu (1883-1961)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1957
HEIGHT: 33½” WIDTH: 23½” DEPTH: 22”
S EAT HEIGHT: 18½” ARM HEIGHT: 26”
SINGLE SIDE CHAIR
Covered in original saddle-stitched green leather and leatherette with legs ending in gilt-bronze sabots
DESIGNER: Jules Leleu (1883-1961)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1957
HEIGHT: 33¼” WIDTH: 20½” DEPTH: 22”
SEAT HEIGHT: 18½”
Original saddle-stitched leatherette and nickeled metal.
DESIGNER: Jacques Quinet (1918-1992)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
HEIGHT: 66” BASE DIAMETER: 15”
SHADE DIAMETER: 20”
RECTANGULAR TWO-TIER SIDE TABLE
Laminated top and lower shelf with legs covered in original saddle-stitched leatherette ending in brass sabots.
DESIGNER: Jacques Quinet (1918-1992)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
HEIGHT: 16” WIDTH: 24¼” DIAMETER: 16¼”
THREE-SEATER SOFA
Original saddle-stitched leatherette with chrome sabots.
DESIGNER: Jacques Quinet (1918-1992)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
PRO v ENANCE: This sofa was commissioned for the offices of Ciments Français , a cement factory in the North of France.
HEIGHT: 28¼” WIDTH: 73¼” DEPTH: 32½”
TWO OF A SET OF FOUR SLIPPER CHAIRS
Original saddle-stitched plum leatherette with chrome sabots.
DESIGNER: Jacques Quinet (1918-1992)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
PROv ENANCE: These chairs were commissioned for the offices of Ciments Français , a cement factory in the North of France.
HEIGHT: 28½” WIDTH: 23” DEPTH: 27¾”
SEAT HEIGHT: 13½”
RECTANGULAR TWO-TIER SIDE TABLE
Laminated top and lower shelf with legs covered in original saddle-stitched leatherette ending in brass sabots.
DESIGNER: Jacques Quinet (1918-1992)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
HEIGHT: 24¼” WIDTH: 19¾” DEPTH: 14”
RECTANGULAR SIDE TABLE
Laminated top with stretcher and legs covered in original saddle-stitched leatherette ending in brass sabots.
DESIGNER: Jacques Quinet (1918-1992)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
HEIGHT: 18” WIDTH: 17¼” DEPTH: 13¾”
TWO-DRAWER COMMODE
Original saddle-stitched leatherette with laminate top and patinated metal legs.
DESIGNER: Jacques Quinet (1918-1992)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
PRO v ENANCE: Officer’s cabin of the ocean liner Zambée
HEIGHT: 33½” WIDTH: 39¾” DEPTH: 18¼”
RECTANGULAR TWO-TIER SIDE TABLE
Laminated top with lower shelf covered in original saddle-stitched leatherette, patinated metal legs ending in nickeled bronze caps.
DESIGNER: Jacques Quinet (1918-1992)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
PRO v ENANCE: Officer’s cabin of the ocean liner Zambée
HEIGHT: 19¾” WIDTH: 16” DEPTH: 14”
SINGLE ARMCHAIR
Original saddle-stitched leatherette with patinated metal legs.
DESIGNER: Jacques Quinet (1918-1992)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
PRO v ENANCE: Officer’s cabin of the ocean liner Zambée
HEIGHT: 36” WIDTH: 28” DEPTH: 31”
SEAT HEIGHT: 17½” ARM HEIGHT: 11”
UNUSUAL O v AL TABLE
Original travertine top with bullnose edge on two sets of patinated wroughtiron legs wrapped with brass wire.
DESIGNER: Unknown
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
HEIGHT: 29” LENGTH: 81¼” WIDTH: 37½”
T H e r oyere C o LL e CT ion
i n 1957, Jean r oyère redecorated Loch-Bihan , his family’s 16th century Brittany farmhouse. a side from the dramatic fireplace in the shape of the traditional high Breton bonnet, the only pieces he added of his own design were in his personal bedroom suite: furniture and lighting fixtures made of tubular metal wrapped in bright blue plastic wires that playfully mimicked the look of rattan.
i n a typewritten letter to his sister (“ma chère petite Loulette”), dated January 15, 1981, r oyère provided a detailed account of the items she would soon inherit. “ i have forgotten to speak to you about my own bedroom on the first floor of Loch-Bihan. it does not have anything antique except the enormous wooden beam that divides the room in two. The furniture was designed by me and it is the first time that we tried to put faux rattan on a metal tubular structure instead of natural malacca.”
DESIGNER: Jean Royere (1902-1981)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
HEIGHT: 35¾” WIDTH: 25¼” DEPTH: 11½”
SEAT HEIGHT: 14¾” ARM HEIGHT: 22½”
PAIR OF SIDE CHAIRS
DESIGNER: Jean Royere (1902-1981)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
HEIGHT: 37¾” WIDTH: 16¾” DEPTH: 18½“
SEAT HEIGHT: 17”
TRIANGULAR SIDE TABLE
metal wrapped with original blue faux malacca, glass top. shown above with slipper chair
DESIGNER: Jean Royere (1902-1981)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
HEIGHT: 19½” WIDTH: 22” DEPTH: 20”
SEAT HEIGHT: 14¾” ARM HEIGHT: 22½”
SLIPPER CHAIR
Tubular metal wrapped with original blue faux malacca.
DESIGNER: Jean Royere (1902-1981)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
HEIGHT: 35” WIDTH: 19½” DEPTH: 11½”
SEAT HEIGHT: 11¼”
LARGE COFFEE TABLE
Persian copper tray top with raised scalloped edges on tubular metal legs and stretchers wrapped with original blue faux malacca. shown with side chair
DESIGNER: Jean Royere (1902-1981)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
HEIGHT: 17¾” DIAMETER: 44”
DESIGNER: Jean Royere (1902-1981)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
HEIGHT: 46” WIDTH: 20½” DEPTH: 20½”
DESIGNER: Jean Royere (1902-1981)
ORIGIN: France, circa 1960
HEIGHT: 17¾” WIDTH: 13¼” DEPTH: 8½”
ST ori C a L a ppendix
The House of Leleu by Françoise Siriex, New York, Hudson Hills Press, 2008, p. 427.
© House of Leleu Hudson Hill Press First published by Editions Monelle Hayot, Château de Saint-Remyen-l’Eau, France
La Romanelle Private residence, Deauville, France. Fond personnel Quinet courtesy Emmanuelle Quinet Tomat.
Gerardus Widdershoven and Benoist F. Drut would like to extend their sincere thanks to:
Agnès Callu, Carol Chabert, Guillemette Delaporte and Jean-Luc Olivié Le Musées des Arts décoratifs, Paris, France; Galerie Arcanes, Paris; Galerie Jacques Lacoste, Paris; Galerie Yves Gastou, Paris; Marie & Cyril Grizot; Monelle Hayot, Editions Monelle Hayot; Maité Hudry, Editions Norma; Jean-Francois Jaussaud and Nam Le Duc; Pierre-Emmanuel Martin-vivier; Aurélien Moline, Les Editions de l’Amateur; Emmanuelle Quinet Tomat; Nathalie Romond, Clara & David Hornez; Laura Silverman; Françoise Siriex; Laurent Sully-Jaulmes; Marie de villefranche; Diego Heredia; Christopher Knight; Margaret Kim; Heather Kristensen
Photography by Robert Levin Design by Mother