Collection: Jacques Adnet

Jacques Adnet (1900-1984) is a major figure of 20th-century French design. Trained at the École des arts décoratifs, he joined La Maîtrise, the Galeries Lafayette design studio headed by Maurice Dufrêne, in 1922, working alongside his twin brother Jean. In 1928, at the age of 28, he became artistic director of the Compagnie des Arts Français, founded by Louis Süe and André Mare, which he led until its closure in 1959. He then headed the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs until 1970.

An interior designer and architect, he completed major commissions: the private apartments of President Vincent Auriol at the Élysée Palace, the ocean liners France and Ferdinand de Lesseps (1952), the Saint-Gobain pavilion at the 1937 World's Fair, awarded a grand prix, and UNESCO (1958).

His work spans several styles, from the modernism of the 1930s to the creations of the 1960s. He is best known for furniture covered in saddle-stitched leather, often combined with gilded brass: bar carts, desks, tables and other iconic pieces with sober, geometric lines.

Saddle-stitched leather, Jacques Adnet's signature

In the 1950s, Jacques Adnet developed an instantly recognizable vocabulary: metal frames entirely covered in leather or skai, hand-stitched by craftsmen using a saddle stitch. The bamboo style, in leather or in gilded brass, is one of his most characteristic motifs, with gilded brass bands, rings and spheres accentuating the lines. Adnet worked mainly in black leather, but also in green, red and havana. He also designed pieces combining wood with leather or skai.

Above all, his furniture unites function and beauty: practical, functional pieces designed for everyday use, yet highly refined and made to the highest quality.

Jacques Adnet at the gallery

Specialists in the work of Jacques Adnet, we have been dealing in his furniture for twenty-five years. We present his furniture and lighting, from iconic models such as the armchairs with belts to daybeds, desks, bar carts, sideboards, chests of drawers, stools, floor lamps and valet stands. Available pieces are shown below; pieces already sold remain online and reflect the diversity of his work.

Looking for a piece by Jacques Adnet

Looking for a specific model? We can help you find it and provide information on its condition, provenance and bibliography. Each available piece comes with a description sheet in French and English. The gallery is located at the Marché Paul Bert Serpette in Saint-Ouen, Paris flea market (Allée 2, Stand 2).