1930s Modernist Wardrobe by André Sornay, Stamped and Documented

This masterful and exceptionally proportioned Modernist wardrobe by André Sornay shows why his stature as one of the most important designers of the Art Deco period has only grown over time. Restless and confident in his search for elegance and function, Sornay’s taste for exclusive creations meant that he was constantly evolving new forms and models of furniture, made possible by his now-recognised innovations in fabrication.

The wardrobe form reveals perfectly the challenges which appealed to Sornay in its construction, as he overcomes the prospect of an unwieldy obligation for storage through the carefully balanced asymmetry of volumes. The handle and key he has chosen to highlight rather than minimise, with beautiful engineered hardware; but most recognisable among his signature techniques is the truly remarkable and intricate use of fine metal nails, ‘cloutage’, which stud the veneered doors of the wardrobe, affixing decoratively grained wood to its expertly constructed frame. First devising the technique in 1929, Sornay would patent it in 1932 with the signature stamp seen on the inside of this wardrobe at the base, experimenting with and perfecting the technique during this decade to produce his most exquisite, desirable and thoughtfully-designed furniture, of which this is a wonderful example. Sornay’s desires are fulfilled, a magnificently-made wardrobe which is flawlessly adapted to its functions and in harmony with its environment.

Stamped with Andre Sornay’s signature on the inside of the wardrobe at the base.

Dimensions: H 186.5cm x W 148.5cm x D 46cm Literature: Andrè Sornay by Thierry Roche, published by Beau Fixe, 2002. Illustrated, p.90.