ARP pour Steiner, Pair of armchairs in chromed metal, 1950s

ARP, attributed to.
Steiner, edited by. 

Pair of armchairs standing on four straight legs linked by crosspieces. Wide Seat and back covered by a sheepskin-like fabric. Legs in chromed metal. 

Work realized in the 1950s.

Slight corrosion on the chrome. Seat and back reupholstered by our workshop.

Dimensions : H 90  x W 57 x D 83 cm

Reference : LS40071501

ARP (Atelier de Recheche Plastique) is an association of three designers: Pierre Guariche (1926-1955), Joseph-André Motte (1925-2013) and Michel Mortier (1925-2015). Their adventure began in 1954 and ended in 1957. During these years, they worked in collaboration with various publishers, including Steiner, for whom they created this model.

Steiner is a French furniture editor who installed his workshop in 1926 and created furniture inspied by Art Deco and English styles. He was an exception in the very academic furniture design (copies of old styles) by drawing on modernity sources of the beginning of the 20th century. Charles Steiner was an avant-garde designer that search comfort in his seatings. Following his father, Hugues Steiner wanted to develop French furniture by his great innovation in conception and fabrication. He created modern and low price furniture by using new techniques such as steamed curved wood.

The after-war period were marked by functionality, clarity and simplicity. Steiner boosted creation with the Plastich Research Workshop that welcomed famous designers such as Pierre Guariche, Joseph-André Motte or René-Jean Caillette, spearheads of elegant and modern creations, using innovative materials such as molded plywood.

The 1970’s saw the television arrival in French homes that changed life habits and design. The « sitting room » became a « living room » were everything was comfortable and practical with quilted seatings, curved shapes and stackabke seats. Traditional shapes disappeared thanks to designers such as Kwok Hoi Chan : furniture were modular, shapes were poetic and colors revived interiors.

Still today Steiner contines to innovate by developing a complete range of furniture with lightings, rugs, tables, etc.

Sources :

P. FAVARDIN, Les décorateurs des années 50, Editions Norma, 2012

P. KJELLBERG, Le Mobilier du XXe siècle. Dictionnaire des créateurs, Les Editions de l’Amateur, 2001, Tours, pp.285-286

Steiner website, “L’histoire de Steiner”, URL = http://www.steiner-paris.com/content/1-l-histoire-de-steiner