
Never design anything that cannot be made.
Jean Prouvé
Never design anything that cannot be made.
Jean Prouvé
Jean Prouvé 1901–1984
Jean Prouvé was born in Nancy, France, in 1901. Prouvé‘s father Victor founded the École de Nancy, an Art Nouveau school that focused on hand-made objects. Apprenticing with an ironsmith as a teenager, he learned the value of simple forms and metalworking techniques. Prouvé founded his studio, Ateliers Jean Prouvé in 1923 and created restrained metal objects that rejected excess decoration. Within his workshop, he favored industrial materials like sheet steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. Engineers employed these materials in the emerging aircraft industry, and these materials inspired Prouvé to design a pre-fabricated houses with Le Corbusier in 1923 that was reminiscent of aircraft design. Working with Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand, Prouvé created breathtaking furniture that forged the process of prefabrication. Prouvé tirelessly focused on finding creative and useful solutions to design problems throughout his career, crafting everything from aluminum vacation homes to university bookcases, living by his words that one should “never design anything that cannot be made.”
Auction Results Jean Prouvé
rare and important Professor desk for the Université de Lille
estimate: $250,000–350,000
result: $293,000
refectory table from the Holiday Camp at Saint-Brevin
estimate: $150,000–200,000
result: $252,000
No. 4 chairs, set of ten
estimate: $80,000–100,000
result: $144,000
No. 4 chairs, set of eight
estimate: $50,000–70,000
result: $132,000
Flavigny table
estimate: $20,000–30,000
result: $131,000
rare table
estimate: $20,000–30,000
result: $131,000
Marcoule banquette from the Centre de Readaptation Fonctionnelle, Nancy
estimate: $30,000–50,000
result: $110,500
pair of lounge chairs
estimate: $70,000–90,000
result: $104,500
Tropique dining table, model 503
estimate: $70,000–90,000
result: $96,000
Demountable chairs, set of 6
estimate: $40,000–60,000
result: $82,600
'Semi-Metal' chairs no. 305, set of six
estimate: $50,000–70,000
result: $81,250
Comblanchien dining table
estimate: $40,000–50,000
result: $78,000
'Semi-Metal' chairs no. 305, set of eight
estimate: $60,000–80,000
result: $75,000
bed no. 102 from Lycée Fabert, Metz
estimate: $40,000–60,000
result: $75,000
Standard chairs, set of twelve
estimate: $40,000–50,000
result: $66,000
Important cabinet, no. 150
estimate: $60,000–80,000
result: $65,000
Standard chairs no. 305, set of six
estimate: $30,000–40,000
result: $64,900
coffee table
estimate: $30,000–40,000
result: $64,800
Important cabinet, no. 150
estimate: $60,000–80,000
result: $62,500
coffee table
estimate: $30,000–40,000
result: $61,200
Standard chairs no. 305, set of six
estimate: $50,000–70,000
result: $60,000
porthole panel
estimate: $40,000–60,000
result: $60,000
armoire, model AP11
estimate: $15,000–20,000
result: $60,000
Standard desk, no. 21
estimate: $40,000–50,000
result: $57,500