1930s Modernist Wardrobe by André Sornay, Stamped and Documented
This exceptionally proportioned Modernist wardrobe by André Sornay demonstrates his importance as a leading designer of the Art Deco period. Restless and confident in his search for elegance and function, Sornay’s taste for exclusive creations meant that he was constantly evolving new forms and models of furniture, made possible by his now-recognised innovations in fabrication. The wardrobe’s design showcases Sornay’s approach to overcoming the challenges of storage with a balanced asymmetry.
The handle and key are highlighted, rather than minimised, with beautifully engineered hardware. The most recognisable of his signature techniques is the remarkable and intricate use of fine metal nails, ‘cloutage’, which stud the veneered doors of the wardrobe, affixing decoratively grained wood to its expertly constructed frame.
First devising the technique in 1929, Sornay patented it in 1932, with the signature stamp visible on the inside of the wardrobe at the base. He would go on to experiment with and perfect the technique during the following decade, producing his most exquisite, desirable and thoughtfully designed furniture.
Fire stamped twice, André Sornay, on the inside of the wardrobe at the base.
Literature: Andrè Sornay by Thierry Roche, published by Beau Fixe, 2002. Illustrated, p.90.
Dimensions:
Height: 73.43 in (186.5 cm)
Width: 58.47 in (148.5 cm)
Depth: 18.12 in (46 cm)
Location:
Rancho Sana Fe, California
This exceptionally proportioned Modernist wardrobe by André Sornay demonstrates his importance as a leading designer of the Art Deco period. Restless and confident in his search for elegance and function, Sornay’s taste for exclusive creations meant that he was constantly evolving new forms and models of furniture, made possible by his now-recognised innovations in fabrication. The wardrobe’s design showcases Sornay’s approach to overcoming the challenges of storage with a balanced asymmetry.
The handle and key are highlighted, rather than minimised, with beautifully engineered hardware. The most recognisable of his signature techniques is the remarkable and intricate use of fine metal nails, ‘cloutage’, which stud the veneered doors of the wardrobe, affixing decoratively grained wood to its expertly constructed frame.
First devising the technique in 1929, Sornay patented it in 1932, with the signature stamp visible on the inside of the wardrobe at the base. He would go on to experiment with and perfect the technique during the following decade, producing his most exquisite, desirable and thoughtfully designed furniture.
Fire stamped twice, André Sornay, on the inside of the wardrobe at the base.
Literature: Andrè Sornay by Thierry Roche, published by Beau Fixe, 2002. Illustrated, p.90.
Dimensions:
Height: 73.43 in (186.5 cm)
Width: 58.47 in (148.5 cm)
Depth: 18.12 in (46 cm)
Location:
Rancho Sana Fe, California
This exceptionally proportioned Modernist wardrobe by André Sornay demonstrates his importance as a leading designer of the Art Deco period. Restless and confident in his search for elegance and function, Sornay’s taste for exclusive creations meant that he was constantly evolving new forms and models of furniture, made possible by his now-recognised innovations in fabrication. The wardrobe’s design showcases Sornay’s approach to overcoming the challenges of storage with a balanced asymmetry.
The handle and key are highlighted, rather than minimised, with beautifully engineered hardware. The most recognisable of his signature techniques is the remarkable and intricate use of fine metal nails, ‘cloutage’, which stud the veneered doors of the wardrobe, affixing decoratively grained wood to its expertly constructed frame.
First devising the technique in 1929, Sornay patented it in 1932, with the signature stamp visible on the inside of the wardrobe at the base. He would go on to experiment with and perfect the technique during the following decade, producing his most exquisite, desirable and thoughtfully designed furniture.
Fire stamped twice, André Sornay, on the inside of the wardrobe at the base.
Literature: Andrè Sornay by Thierry Roche, published by Beau Fixe, 2002. Illustrated, p.90.
Dimensions:
Height: 73.43 in (186.5 cm)
Width: 58.47 in (148.5 cm)
Depth: 18.12 in (46 cm)
Location:
Rancho Sana Fe, California
