PAIR OF JEAN PROUVE & JULES LELEU “MARTEL DE JANVILLE” ADJUSTABLE ARMCHAIRS

This pair of adjustable armchairs was designed for the Martel de Janville sanatorium on the Plateau d’Assy in Haute-Savoie. The sanatorium was built in the 1930s for tuberculosis patients, who spent long hours resting in the mountain air. Each chair has a frame of lacquered tubular steel, with arms that loop up from the front legs and back to the frame, capped with solid wood armrests. The tall back pivots on a notched steel bracket beneath the seat and locks into several reclining positions. The ivory lacquer shows chips, scuffs and rust spots from decades of institutional use, and the wooden arm caps have darkened with handling. The seat and back cushions are newly upholstered in natural linen.

JEAN PROUVE
FRANCE, 1930'S
25" x 35½" x 17" 

WEAR CONSISTENT WITH AGE