André SORNAY (1902-2000)

One of the great furniture designers of the 20th century, André Sornay, was perhaps lesser known than his contemporaries such as Le Corbusier, Ruhlmann and Jean Prouvé; this was due most likely to the fact that he lived and worked in Lyon and not in Paris. Born and raised in Lyon and very attached to his native city, he studied art at the Ecole des Beaux Arts de Lyon. He was a talented illustrator and had hoped to begin a career illustrating books, when he precipitately found himself at the helm of his family’s furniture business after his father’s death in 1919. He was 17 years old.

He completely revolutionized his family’s business, moving away from mere copies of classical furniture to conceptualizing and creating a whole new line of modern furniture using techniques of his own. Influenced by the Bauhaus and De Stijl movements, where the synthesis of art and architecture was a permanent quest, he belonged to a group of architects, artists and decorators that wanted to design new forms, perfectly suited to modern life. This Union des Artistes Modernes included such renowned designers as Pierre Chareau, Francis Jourdain, Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand - all avant-gardist designers eager to democratize art.

Sornay armchairs, c. 1930s.

Sornay Buffet, c. 1935.

André Sornay’s creations were characterized by pure, geometric lines, harmonious proportions, and functionality. He developed signature techniques such as an assembling technique called “le cloutage”. This process of applying veneered woods with rows of nail heads that simulated rivets typically seen on industrial parts such airplane wings. Not only was it practical in terms of production, but beautiful as well (and trademarked in 1932).

Sornay Cabinet in mahogany, c. 1930-1940.

Sornay Bookshelf, c. 1930-1940.

He also developed the “meuble à système” (system furniture) giving multiple functionality to his furniture. For example, a console table could fold out to form a dining table for four, with stools that tuck away underneath the console when not in use. Another mark of Sornay’s clever mind was the integration of lighting into his furniture. He created night stands with built in lamps and floor lamps that served as end tables.

Sornay walnut night stands with integrated lamps, c. 1935.

Sornay floorlamp, c. 1935.

Always ahead of the times, Sornay used a combination of traditional and contemporary materials in his designs and developed his own ways of treating them. Oregon pine, an orange colored wood imported from the US and Canada, was steel brushed, sanded, ebonized and sanded again to allow the original colors to show through the black finish. He polished his pieces with Duco laquer (an automobile laquer) and created furniture pulls and other hardware from aluminum.

Sornay side table in ebonized Oregon pine, c. 1935.

Sornay didn’t stop at furniture design either. He was a gifted interior designer and his services as such were greatly in demand by the bourgeoisie Lyonnaise. He made beautiful illustrations of his clients’ interiors and the furniture he created to adorn them.

Sornay dining set, c. 1940.

Sornay "smoking tables", c. 1940.

Sornay gueridon, c. 1940.

Timeless, visionary and practical to boot, Sornay’s designs from the Art Deco period continue to make their mark in contemporary interior design as coveted objects of beauty…

The French Club Chair - Legendary and Luxurious

In 1925, the Paris Exposition des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes was a defining moment in the history of furniture design and art and the birthplace of what would later become the Art Deco style and period which extended through the 1940s.  The pure lines, geometric forms and right angles were an inspiration for sleek, modern furniture design and the créateurs of the time jumped on it.

Luxury, perfection, comfort
One particularly popular chair was born around 1929; simply called the “fauteuil confortable” or “comfortable armchair”, it was a French armchair introduced to the market by way of the French and English gentlemen’s clubs that were trendy at the time – a place where men could meet and get away from their homes (and wives) for awhile. Once there, a gentleman would sink into a well-upholstered, comfortable leather chair and relax with a drink and perhaps a cigar.  Over time, people started referring to this coveted chair simply as a “Club Chair”.

French Art Deco Club Chair with original leather, c. 1930

Roundish forms and “basané” lambskin leather were typical for club chairs fabricated in France and would prove to become a sort of trademark for French club chairs (as opposed to English club chairs).  A product of both the French and English by its history, this chair was timeless in its style – a classic that would be appreciated by all for generations.

French Art Deco Club Chair, c. 1940.

English Chesterfield Club Chair, c. 1930.

A time for relaxation…
The Club Chair was an essential part of 20th century luxury furniture, and its longevity, modernism and refinement are still very much admired today. Its round form was legendary but evolved with time into new forms such as the “moustache” form with lip like curves across the back or the “chapeau de gendarme” with its elegant arch-like curve.  The leather, the supple lines, the low seat and snug fit were seductive and indicative of absolute comfort. Men (and women) could sit in them for hours and never want to get up!

"Moustache" back French club chair, c. 1930.

French Club Chair with "Chapeau de Gendarme" back, c. 1930.

Today these chairs continue to work their magic, adding that touch of class and luxury to any living or sitting area. An authentic French club chair, with striking lines, perfect proportions and beautiful patina on original, full panels of leather can’t be matched by modern knock-offs and reproductions which are often over-sized and pieced together with smaller pieces of lower quality leather.

Beautiful round curves accent the armrest of a French Art Deco club chair.

Full panel leather on the back of a French Art Deco club chair.

Original tacks line the back of a French Art Deco club chair.

Club chairs simply exude character and luxury, they offer an instant sense of history to any room they inhabit. So go ahead, indulge, kick off your heels and take a load off…

Absolute luxury...

French Art Deco: The Genesis of Modern Furniture

By Cynthia and Jean-Marc Fray

French Art Deco chest of drawers in the style of Ruhlmann, c. 1930.

The term “Art Deco” was coined after the name of the prestigious French Decorative Arts Expo held in Paris in 1925: “L’Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratif et Industriels Modernes”. This post-war exposition, intent on showing the world that France would once again lead the way in creating new standards of taste in fine and decorative art, served as a showcase for the most talented designers and craftsmen of the time, and officially launched the period of an emerging style that would become known as the Art Deco Period (1925-1940).

Inspired by cubist artists of the time (Picasso, Braques, Gris…), Egyptian art and French colonial art, the designs of the Art Deco period are characterized by clean lines, exotic woods, bold colors and unusual materials such as glass and steel. The graceful curves of the early 20th century Art Nouveau period were suddenly replaced with a new kind of angularity. Geometrical shapes, symmetry and streamlined designs offered a stark contrast to the sinuous, organic feel of the Art Nouveau period. Craftsmen preferred imported materials such as macassar, rosewood and ebonized wood; ivory and bone became materials of choice for intricate marquetry designs. Leather, chrome and glass were also being used in unusual ways. French Art Deco design introduced an exciting new sense of exoticism to the decorative arts, serving as an international display of France’s tolerance for and acceptance of other cultures. This bold new style, a quintessential symbol of fine taste, would endure for over 20 years, and prove to be the ultimate reference in the history of modern furniture design.

Notable designers of the period such as Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann not only defined the furniture trends of the time but set the highest of standards in craftsmanship, just as their forebears did in the 18th century. In fact, Ruhlmann himself, along with several other French Art Deco designers of the time, was often compared to the cabinetmakers that earned France’s reputation as the indisputable world leader for fine furniture design during the reign of Louis XIV. For instance, Ruhlmann’s pieces were handmade by only the most skilled cabinetmakers in France. Their work was one of meticulous perfection, both technically and aesthetically speaking, and very labor intensive thus driving the prices to all time highs.

Yet despite the prices these works fetched from France’s social elite, Ruhlmann claimed he lost money on every piece due to the expensive materials he used and the time and effort needed to build each design. In fact, he has said that he earned his living with a second business.

Jean-Michel Frank was another influential designer and decorator of Parisian high society of the 1930s and 40s. Frank’s progressive style, inspired by Neoclassicism and the abstract quality of primitive arts, was understated and stark, yet undeniably elegant. The genius behind Frank’s designs lay in a powerful combination of minimalist forms and the subtle use of unexpected materials and luxurious finishes. His blocky, rectangular club chairs and sofas have been endlessly copied and reproduced, and the decorative principles he created – “le style Frank” as the French call it - continue to influence contemporary designers and decorators all over the world.

Today, leading designers and collectors increasingly seem to favor the streamlines of the 30s over the opulence of French or continental 18th century furniture. Sales at high-end auction houses from London to New York to Paris are driving the trend to collect Art Deco pieces. “Art deco was a rich and wonderful moment in the history of the decorative arts”, says Philippe Garner, International Specialist Head in Christie's 20th-century Decorative Art and Design Department. “Collectors are seduced by the opportunity to furnish homes with pieces that are historic, but that also transcend their time”. This renewed interest in Art Deco and mid-century modern furniture coincides with a growing taste for a more purist modern home decor and sleek interior design.

As the signed pieces of the Art Deco period become more difficult to find, collectors are looking elsewhere for comparable quality and originality. Pieces made “in the style of” the leading designers of the period can be found for a fraction of the price of the originals. Numerous craftsmen in this period executed wonderful and well proportioned works without ever being brought to fame; such works need to be distinguished from French mass produced furnishings from the same era and a skillfully trained and reputable antiques dealer can help recognize the differences in the materials used, the construction, and the overall feel and style of a piece.

Pair of Italian Art Deco Leather Club Chairs, c. 1940, in the style of Gio Ponti.