A really nice set of ten original Pierre Jeanneret Box Chairs, dating from circa 1958 and originally made for a government building in Chandigarh, India.

The ten chairs were purchased together and have remained as a group. They are closely related in their proportions, construction and colour, while retaining the individual variations in surface that come from decades of institutional use.

Constructed from solid Burmese teak, all of the wooden components are original. The chairs have developed excellent patina, with considerable variation across the group. Some are darker than others, while areas that have been repeatedly handled have worn to reveal the warmer colour of the teak beneath. Several chairs also retain institutional markings, together with the names of the people to whom individual chairs were assigned.

For us, this variation is an important part of the set. We would not want ten chairs of this age to look artificially identical. Although they clearly belong together, each has developed its own surface through use, with differences in colour, rubbing, marks and wear giving every chair its own identity while still working extremely well as a group.

All ten chairs have been carefully conserved by our trusted conservator and are structurally solid. As is often the case with Jeanneret's Chandigarh furniture after decades of intensive institutional use, a number of the chairs required significant structural work.

When selecting chairs for restoration, one of the things we look for is that all of the original wooden components are still present. Where an internal joint has failed, our conservator will reconstruct the joint itself rather than replace the surrounding original timber. This allows the chair to be made structurally sound while preserving the original components, surfaces and patina. The best conservation work should be visually unobtrusive, and the repairs should never distract from the chair itself.

The teak has been carefully cleaned and waxed rather than refinished, retaining the accumulated patina, marks and wear. The cane seats have been replaced and then sympathetically toned down so that the new cane sits naturally alongside the aged teak rather than appearing overly bright against frames that have been in use for more than sixty years.

Finding individual Jeanneret Box Chairs is not unusual, but finding ten examples that were purchased together and remain so closely related in proportion, colour and overall condition is considerably more difficult. The differences in patina and surviving institutional markings make the group particularly appealing to us and provide a visible record of their previous working lives in Chandigarh.

As a set of ten they would work extremely well around a large dining or conference table. Their relatively compact proportions also make them particularly practical chairs, while the open backs and cane seats keep a group of this size visually light.

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.