An exceptionally rare prototype Paris Chair by André Dubreuil, dating from 1988 and one of the first two examples made by the designer before the subsequent edition of twenty.

This chair has an unusually direct connection to Dubreuil himself. It was one of two Paris Chairs that remained in his personal collection at his château in France. The pair was subsequently offered together as a single lot at Millon in Paris in 2023 as part of the sale of his collection. The two chairs were not identified as prototypes in the auction catalogue.

We knew the significance of the chairs before the auction through our friend Nick Wright, author of Cut & Shut: The History of Creative Salvage (2012), which includes a chapter on André Dubreuil. While researching the book, Nick interviewed Dubreuil at his château in France. During their conversations, Dubreuil explained that the two Paris Chairs in his home were the first two he had made, created as prototypes before the subsequent edition of twenty.

Nick acquired both chairs together from the Millon sale. He retained one for his own collection and subsequently sold the other to us, which is the chair offered here. The companion prototype has since entered a private collection.

The chair itself is an extraordinary piece of metalwork. Constructed from sheet steel, almost every visible surface has been worked with a repeated pattern of circular acetylene-torch marks. The heat has left hundreds of dark blue, grey and black discs across the metal, each surrounded by subtle variations in colour created by the reaction of the steel to the flame. Rather than being applied decoration, the pattern is created directly through the working of the metal.

The construction is equally distinctive. The broad, shield-like back is formed and curved around the sitter before narrowing into a single central support. Below, the sheet-steel seat is folded at its edges and carried on four slender, sharply tapered legs. A curved section of steel beneath the seat gives additional depth to the otherwise remarkably thin construction. From the rear, the central spine continues visibly up the back, leaving the fabrication and assembly of the chair clearly expressed.

There is an almost armour-like quality to the finished piece. The curved back, pointed legs and folded metal surfaces give the chair a strong sculptural presence, while the repeated torch marks soften what might otherwise have been a severe steel structure. As light moves across the surface, the polished metal and heat-treated marks change considerably in tone, making the chair look quite different from one angle to another.

Examined closely, the chair retains the irregularities and evidence of hand fabrication associated with Dubreuil’s experimental approach to metalwork. Welds, folds, edges and variations in the torch-work remain visible rather than being disguised. These details are especially interesting in an example made during the development of the design, before the production edition was undertaken.

Condition is very good and the chair remains structurally strong. The steel has developed natural oxidation, marks, scratches and variations in colour over time. We have deliberately retained these surfaces, which sit comfortably alongside the original torch-work and hand-finished construction. Nothing has been done to make the chair appear newer than it is.

For us, what makes this chair especially compelling is the combination of the object itself and its unusually direct history. It remained with André Dubreuil at his château, was personally identified by him as one of the first two Paris Chairs he made, and was subsequently sold with its companion prototype from his personal collection at Millon. The other prototype has since entered a private collection, leaving this as the only one of the two original prototypes currently available.

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.