Pair of Andre Sornay bridge chairs stained Oregon pine, ebonised wood
About the Item
- Creator:Andre Sornay (Artist)
- Dimensions:Height: 32.68 in (83 cm)Width: 20.48 in (52 cm)Depth: 21.26 in (54 cm)Seat Height: 16.93 in (43 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1930 c
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:grand Lancy, CH
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1045039054402
Andre Sornay
Although he is among the least known of the like-minded French Art Deco furniture designers of his era, André Sornay introduced innovative fabrication techniques and a unique decorative style to his modernist seating, case pieces and other creations.
Sornay was born in Lyon in 1902, and graduated from École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Lyon in 1918. His career as a furniture designer began in 1919 when he was appointed head of his family’s furniture company after his father’s death.
In the early 1920s — inspired by the Bauhaus and De Stijl as well as his friends and fellow French avant-garde designers Francis Jourdain and Pierre Chareau — Sornay shifted the company’s focus from manufacturing period reproductions to creating contemporary designs.
Sornay’s work fused tradition with modernism. He preferred to work with metals, exotic woods such as mahogany and rosewood, rubber and Duco lacquer for a range of cabinets, desks, chairs and mirrors. Sornay’s pieces featured sleek brass drawer pulls and sharply geometric lines, and the distinctive mode that he worked in was known throughout Lyon as “Le Style Sornay.”
Sornay was also recognized for his inventive design methods that were not only decorative but functional. In 1932, he patented the cloudage technique — studding the perimeter of veneered furniture panels with uniform brass nails. Sornay integrated this technique into his wardrobes, side tables and the armchairs he designed, which were frequently defined by clean lines and sharp angles. In the early 1950s, he also patented a technique called the “Tigette,” which allowed for quick and easy assembly or disassembly of modular furniture — a forerunner to IKEA’s flat-packed furniture.
While Sornay isn’t as well known as other European modernists like Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand, he attracted modest attention at exhibitions of the day, such as the 1923 Salon d’Automne and the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris, the design fair that brought the Art Deco style to the world. He was awarded the bronze medal at Paris’s Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne in 1937.
In the late 1950s, Sornay ceded control of his furniture design company to his children, remaining as an advisor until production ceased in 1999. He died the following year.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage André Sornay case pieces and storage cabinets, seating and tables.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: grand Lancy, Switzerland
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- Pair of Andre Sornay bridge chairs stained Oregon pine, ebonised woodBy Andre SornayLocated in grand Lancy, CHPair of bridge chairs stained Oregon pine on the back side , lacquer olive green color wood, brass nail-heads and fabric upholstery, each underside stamped 'BREVETE SORNAY/FRANCE ETR...Category
Vintage 1930s French Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Pair of Swiss Alps EscabelleLocated in grand Lancy, CHPair of Swiss Alps Escabelle.Category
Antique 1860s Swiss Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Pair of Swiss alp , folk art EscabelleLocated in grand Lancy, CHPair of Swiss alp , folk art escabelle.Category
Antique 1880s Swiss Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Rare Set of Six Swiss Alp, folk art , ChairsLocated in grand Lancy, CHRare set of six Swiss Alp, folk art , chairs.Category
Antique Early 1900s Swiss Chairs
MaterialsWood
- French alp chairLocated in grand Lancy, CHFrench alp chairCategory
Antique 19th Century French Chairs
MaterialsWood
- French Alp ChairLocated in grand Lancy, CHFrench alp chair.Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Beech chairs by André SornayBy Andre SornayLocated in Sammu-shi, ChibaVintage dining chair by French designer André Sornay. It is manufactured with a design that is assembled by tightening bolts from one side. Manufacturer is his own workshop, Sornay M...Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsBeech
- Set of 2 Chairs by Andre Sornay, 1960By Andre SornayLocated in JASSANS-RIOTTIER, FRSet of 2 chairs designed by Andre Sornay in France in the 1950s Structure with 4 feet in mahogany, seat and back in wood covered with a off white lacq...Category
Mid-20th Century French Chairs
MaterialsWood, Lacquer
- Set of 2 Chairs by Andre Sornay, 1960By Andre SornayLocated in JASSANS-RIOTTIER, FRSet of 2 chairs designed by Andre Sornay in France in the 1950s Structure with 4 feet in mahogany, seat and back in wood covered with a black lacquer ...Category
Mid-20th Century French Chairs
MaterialsWood, Lacquer
- Pair of Andre Sornay Seats, circa 1950By Andre SornayLocated in Saint-Ouen, FRPair of Andre Sornay seats, circa 1950 (original fabric in perfct condition).Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Slipper Chair in the Style of André SornayBy Andre SornayLocated in Glendale, CASlipper chair in the style of André Sornay. Handcrafted in Los Angeles in the workshop of noted French designer and antiques dealer Denis de le Mesiere, who pays homage to the work o...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Slipper Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Andre Sornay Set of 2 Chairs in Solid Wood and Grey Lacquer, 1960By Andre SornayLocated in JASSANS-RIOTTIER, FRSet of 2 chairs designed by the famous French cabinetmaker Andre Sornay in 1960. Composed of a 4 legs base, completed by a lacquered seat and backrest, structure in wood All assem...Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsBrass