Jules Leleu furniture in Paris sale

Furniture from a villa entirely decorated by Jules Leleu, the French furniture designer and founder of Maison  Leleu, will be auctioned in Paris at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in the auction house’s Design sale on October 2.

The villa’s furniture, from the entrance to the bedrooms, where each element has been designed to create a specific atmosphere, is still remarkably harmonious more than 70 years after it was built.

Founded by Jules Leleu, Maison Leleu is the result of emblematic collaborations with architects, decorators, furniture and textile designers, the name of the Leleu family is synonymous with luxury, and the highest quality French craftmanship in exquisite materials.

The family saga began modestly in Boulogne-sur-Mer in 1882, but soon fame followed and they moved to the prestigious hotel at 65, avenue Franklin Roosevelt in Paris. Under the leadership of Jules, the Maison became a star of French interior decoration from 1920 to 1948, and later, assisted by his children and extended family, André Leleu lead the brand from 1948 to 1970.

The house carried out its activities in all areas of the profession, from interior decoration, furniture, woodwork, fabrics, carpets to lighting, and with the collaboration of many artists: carpets by Da Silva Bruhns; tapestry designs by Gernez and Kaskoff; wall tapestries by Hilaire, Lurçat and Picart-le-Doux, painted furniture by Brayer, Chapelain-Midy, Despierres, Souverbie, Tereshkovitch and Vertès; lacquers by Bobot, Dunand and Hamanaka; wrought iron by Brandt and Subes; and sculptures of Dejean and Revol.

Claire Gallois de Bagneux, specialist in the Design Department of Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr, commented: “As soon as we crossed the threshold of this villa, which was entirely decorated in the late 1940s by Maison Leleu, we were instantly immersed in the subtle and refined aesthetic universe characteristic of this prestigious house. The flamboyantly coloured carpets are in an incredible state of preservation. They echo the upholstery of the armchairs, almost all original in shades of mauve, yellow and beige and with resolutely modern patterns. The Leleu style, born at the dawn of the Art-Deco movement, continued to evolve until 1973.”

Highlights of the sale include:

• Six-leaf screen doors signed Pierre Dunand for Maison Leleu (1883-1961) between 1942 and 1946 in lacquer, wood and brass (estimate: €30,000-50,000)
• A dining room set, including a large extendable table, a suite of ten chairs and two armchairs between 1942 and 1946 by Jules Leleu (1883-1961) (estimate: €5,000-7,000)
• A sideboard between 1942 and 1946 in macassar ebony, mother-of-pearl, Gabonese ebony and brass, marquetry by Messager (estimate: €5,000-7,000)
• Woollen tapestry by Anatole Kasskoff (1904-1978) (estimate: €4,000-6,000)
• Bar furniture between 1942 and 1946 in wood and brass (estimate: €1,000-1,500)
• Suite of three high stools between 1942 and 1946 in brass and fabric (estimate: €1,500-2,000)

Also to be offered in the sale is a remarkable collection of 16 pieces by Jules Wabbes from Lucien Leborgne’s personal collection. The histories of the pair are intimately linked as together they contributed to the history of Belgian design. Born on 9 May 1931 in Lessines, Lucien Leborgne attended evening classes at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode for 6 years in the interior design and decorator department. He then spent 10 years working with various cabinetmakers until 1954 when he came foreman of the Ateliers de Jules Wabbes in the Furniture and Interior Decoration section, a role he held until 1957. From 1 April 1964 until 1968, he was technical director of the Mobilier Universel factory – responsible for the construction of the factory in Berg. During this period, he was also responsible for managing wood purchases, production scheduling, improving manufacturing methods and the cost of parts, intensifying production and finally promoting and designing new models under the direction of Jules Wabbes.

Justine Posalski, specialist in the Design Department of Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr, commented: “This collection, coming from the family of Lucien Leborgne, brings a fresh perspective on the talent of this forgotten yet pivotal collaborator who was largely involved in the creation of Jules Wabbes’ most emblematic creations. The sale will highlight lighting fixtures such as the Horizon coat rack, the famous Milano desk and the iconic Boomerang desk.”

Highlights include:

• Horizon wall coat rack with 17 solid wenge slats, 3 brass vertical bars, seven hooks and two brass hooks and two coat hooks by Jules Wabbes (1919-1974). Estimate: €9,000-11,000
• Pair of bookcases by Jules Wabbes (1919-1974), Solid Mutenyé base and slatted structure, brass elements, wooden and black melamine and glass shelf. Estimate: €5,000-7,000
• Milano desk by Jules Wabbes (1919-1974), Base and structure in beech plywood, laminate top 63.5 x 73.5 x 63 cm. History: The model was presented at the XII Triennale in Milan where it won the Gold Medal. Estimate: €3,500-4,500

Elsewhere in the sale, to illustrate the diversity of Belgian creation, some thirty selected pieces will also be offered for sale, including ceramics by Pierre Culot and works by Ado Chale and Christophe Gevers.

The collections will be exhibited from September 8 to 15 at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in Brussels and then in Paris from September 27 to October 1.