Item Description
Rare and deeply poetic, the Bauche Chair No. 19 embodies Charlotte Perriand’s genius for uniting rustic simplicity with radical modernism. This is the design that marked her definitive departure from the Machine Age chrome of her early Le Corbusier years—a turning toward wood, warmth, and organic purity that would define the second half of her legendary career. The chair’s silhouette is instantly recognizable: gently curved legs and a dowel-joined frame in richly patinated wood, paired with a woven rush seat that speaks directly to Perriand’s deep study of vernacular craft traditions. During her wartime exile in Japan and Vietnam, she immersed herself in indigenous woodwork and weaving techniques, returning to France determined to bring natural materials into the language of modern design. The Bauche chair is the beautiful result—an elevated archetype that feels at once entirely French and quietly Japanese. Produced in the 1950s by Steph Simon, the celebrated Parisian gallerist who championed Perriand, Prouvé, and Royère, the Bauche No. 19 has become one of the most sought-after dining chairs among serious collectors. It has been featured prominently in the resurgence of Perriand’s work, with prominent London tastemakers and private collectors vying for early editions at auction and design galleries alike. A set of Bauche chairs was recently acquired by a major design collector for a Grade II-listed modern house, reflecting their appeal to those who value authentic, storied pieces over fleeting trends. This is a single chair of exceptional merit. The frame shows a deep, honeyed patina—the kind of surface that can only be earned through decades of careful use—and the rush seat remains intact with no visible breaks or losses. Finding a single authentic Bauche in this condition is increasingly rare; the chair is as functional as it is sculptural, working beautifully as a desk chair, an occasional seat, or a stand-alone object of contemplation. A true icon by a trailblazing woman who reshaped 20th-century design. This is a piece for the collector who understands that Perriand’s later work, in its warmth and humanity, is every bit as radical as the chrome that came before.
