Set of 6 ‘Tonneau’ dining chairs by Pierre Guariche
Set of 6 dining chairs ‘model Tonneau’ designed by Pierre Guariche and produced Steiner in France during the 1950’s. The frame features molded plywood shells that have been stained before in a darker tone. The beech legs are also in good condition. A splendid example of postwar modernism: functional, sculptural and light as a feather. Guariche also made this chair with black steel legs, but here we have the more rare version. Exceptional set in good condition and they are all labeled by Steiner on the back (one on the bottom). Highly collectible set.
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Dimensions:
W: 49 cm
D: 42 cm
H: 75 cm
Seating H: 46 cm
Weight: approx. 6 kilo/ chair
Material: Beech wood, plywood
Pierre Guariche (1926–1995) was a major figure of post-war French design, best known for his furniture and lighting that combined rigourous modernism with practical designs made for everyday use. Trained at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, he emerged in the early 1950s as part of a new generation of designers who wanted to make good design accessible, affordable, and well adapted to contemporary life. Early in his career he worked with designer Marcel Gascoin, where he absorbed ideas about modularity, efficiency, and social responsibility in design.
Guariche became closely associated with the publisher and manufacturer Steiner, for whom he designed many of his most iconic pieces, like the Tonneau chairs. His furniture is characterized by clean lines, light structures, and innovative use of materials such as tubular steel, plywood, aluminum, and plastics. Rather than treating furniture as luxury objects, he approached them as rational solutions to modern living, often focusing on compact apartments and multifunctional needs. Chairs, desks, and storage systems were designed to be comfortable, robust, and easy to produce on an industrial scale.
In addition to furniture, Guariche played a key role in the development of modern French lighting design. His lamps, often created in collaboration with manufacturers such as Disderot, are notable for their technical intelligence: adjustable arms, perforated metal shades, and indirect lighting solutions that balanced function with visual elegance.
Beyond his work as a designer, Guariche was also an influential thinker and organizer within the design world. He served as artistic director for several companies and later worked in public institutions, including roles that shaped French industrial design policy. Throughout his career, he consistently defended the idea that design should serve society, improve daily life, and respond intelligently to technological progress. Today, Pierre Guariche is widely regarded as one of the key contributors to mid-century modern design in France, with his work still highly sought after and frequently reissued.
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