An original pair of Pierre Jeanneret Club Chairs, dating from circa 1958–59 and originally made for the Chandigarh project in India.

Jeanneret referred to this design as the “Upholstered Easy Chair”, a straightforward name for one of his more substantial and comfortable upholstered designs. Their low proportions combine a broad upholstered seat and back with generously rounded arms, supported within an exposed solid teak structure.

The construction of the sides is particularly characteristic of Jeanneret’s Chandigarh furniture. The front and rear legs rise towards one another to form the distinctive V-shaped supports beneath the arms, while horizontal teak members connect the structure beneath the seat. Although the chairs are heavily upholstered, the exposed timber framework gives them a strong architectural quality and prevents the design from appearing overly substantial.

This is an original pair and both chairs retain institutional markings from their working life in Chandigarh. The solid teak frames have developed a rich, warm patina, with the scratches, marks and variations in colour accumulated through decades of use deliberately retained.

When we acquired the chairs they had previously been reupholstered. During restoration this later covering was removed and, underneath, sections of the original Skai leather upholstery were discovered. The chairs were subsequently completely reupholstered, with the webbing, springs and padding replaced, before being finished in white pony hide.

For us, the contrast between the white pony hide and the heavily patinated teak works particularly well. The upholstery gives the chairs a clean and restrained appearance, while the exposed timber retains the evidence of their age and institutional use. The natural variation of the pony hide also gives the upholstered surfaces a subtle texture without competing with the structure of the chairs.

All components of the teak frames are original to the chairs. The frames were carefully made structurally sound before being cleaned and lightly waxed, retaining the original surface, institutional markings and accumulated patina rather than refinishing the timber.

The result is a really nice original pair. They are generous and comfortable chairs, but what we like most is the balance between the upholstered volumes and Jeanneret's exposed structural framework. Viewed from the side, the V-shaped teak supports are an integral part of the appearance of the chair rather than simply a means of supporting the seat and arms.

We have specialised in Pierre Jeanneret furniture for nearly nineteen years and have extensive experience in identifying, sourcing, restoring and selling his work. Given the number of later reproductions and incorrectly attributed pieces now on the market, we understand the importance of provenance, construction, materials and restoration when assessing Chandigarh furniture. We are always happy to discuss these aspects in detail and answer any questions regarding the attribution, provenance or restoration of our Chandigarh pieces.

Viewing is warmly welcomed at our West London showroom.

High-resolution photographs, detailed condition reports and video inspections are available upon request.

We offer local, national and international shipping.

Please contact us for further information or to arrange a private viewing.