A rare and particularly good Pierre Jeanneret chest of drawers, dating from circa 1955 and originally made for the MLA Flats in Chandigarh, India.

Constructed predominantly from solid Burmese teak, the chest has two smaller drawers above three full-width drawers. Each drawer is opened by circular recessed finger pulls, cut at an angle into the timber with aluminium plates covering the backs. It is a small but beautifully considered detail that Jeanneret used on a number of pieces produced in Chandigarh during this period.

The sides are supported by distinctive angled timber legs, giving what is otherwise a substantial piece of storage furniture a surprisingly architectural quality. Viewed from the side, these supports become an important part of the design and are immediately recognisable as part of the structural language Jeanneret developed throughout the Chandigarh project.

The construction of the chest is particularly interesting. Large surfaces such as the top and sides are not formed from conventional wide boards, but from numerous narrower strips of Burmese teak carefully joined together. The strips vary considerably in width and are not always completely regular; in places the joints even run at a slight angle.

We particularly like this aspect of the piece. Our feeling is that it reflects the efficient use of what was an expensive imported timber. Rather than requiring large, wide boards for every surface, smaller pieces of Burmese teak could be carefully joined together to create the substantial panels needed for furniture of this scale. It is a remarkably labour-intensive way of conserving material, requiring numerous pieces of timber to be securely joined to form a single stable surface.

The result has a character that we find particularly beautiful. What initially appears to be a simple expanse of teak reveals, on closer inspection, numerous individual strips of different widths, grain and tone, carefully brought together. The irregularity is part of what makes the construction so interesting.

Importantly, the colour, wear and patination continue naturally across these individual strips. After decades of use they have aged together, creating a remarkably coherent surface. This consistency is something we look at closely when assessing Chandigarh furniture, particularly today when later copies and extensively reconstructed pieces are increasingly common.

The chest retains a partial original institutional marking to one side and was acquired together with other pieces carrying clear markings for the MLA Flats. We are therefore confident in its original MLA Flats provenance.

We have owned this chest for over fifteen years, and its condition when we originally found it was very poor. It had been stored for many years, apparently with several of the drawers left partially open. The original plywood drawer linings had perished, as had the plywood back, and these elements could no longer be retained.

During restoration, the plywood drawer linings and back were therefore replaced. The replacement plywood was carefully aged so that it sits naturally alongside the heavily patinated original teak rather than appearing conspicuously new. All of the teak components, including the drawer fronts, sides, top, frame and structural elements, remain original to the chest.

The years in storage had left another rather unusual part of the chest's history. Mice had chewed into several corners of the drawers and frame, and in places the individual tooth marks can still be seen in the timber. During restoration we had the option of cutting away these areas and splicing in new teak so that the damage would effectively disappear.

We deliberately chose not to do this.

Similar evidence of use, storage and even animal damage is something frequently encountered and accepted in much earlier antique furniture. We felt there was no reason to treat this piece differently simply because it was made in the 20th century. The damage forms part of the history of the chest, and replacing original teak merely to disguise it would, in our view, have removed something genuine in order to make the piece appear more perfect.

The chest has therefore been structurally conserved while retaining these areas wherever possible. Some of the drawer fronts had split and required attention, but the intention throughout the restoration was to preserve the original timber and, above all, the extraordinary surface of the piece.

And it is the surface that, for us, makes this chest so special. The Burmese teak has developed an exceptional depth of patina, with areas of rubbing, scratches, knocks, staining and variations in colour accumulated through decades of institutional use and subsequent storage. The top is particularly heavily patinated. None of this has been unnecessarily removed or refinished.

We have seen perhaps half a dozen examples of this model in India over the years, but this is the only example we have ever purchased. We have never seen another that we felt was as good as this one. The combination of the proportions, construction, MLA Flats provenance and, above all, the extraordinary depth of the original surface makes it a particularly special piece for us.

We originally held back from restoring the chest because we intended to keep it for our own collection. After it was eventually restored, a friend persuaded us to sell it to them. Within a few months we regretted the decision and bought it back.

That probably says more about how we feel about the chest than anything else we could write. It is a piece we have  not wanted to sell this piece for over fifteen years and one we would still happily keep in our private collection. When it eventually sells, it will be a reluctant sale and certainly a piece we will miss.

We have specialised in Pierre Jeanneret furniture for nearly nineteen years and have extensive experience 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 authenticity, provenance or restoration of our Jeanneret 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.