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Early 20th-century Club armchair upholstered in its original dark brown leather, raised on wooden legs with a warm mahogany-toned patina. Never restored. 72 × 75 × 75 h cm.
The appeal of this armchair lies not in its design, but in its material. The original leather tells the story of more than a century of use through creases, subtle tonal shifts, light surface cracking and natural colour variations that have developed over time. This is not leather made to look old; it is leather that has genuinely aged. That is precisely what makes it so difficult to reproduce convincingly today.
Every part of the armchair has aged differently. The touch of hands on the arms, the weight of the body on the seat, exposure to light and decades of daily use have each left their own traces, creating a richness of colour and texture that makes every original leather chair unique and instantly recognisable. It is precisely this uneven ageing that gives original leather its depth and individuality.
It belongs to the Club Chair family, a type widely associated with private clubs, reading rooms and smoking lounges from the late nineteenth century through the early decades of the twentieth. Unlike the earlier French bergère, comfort takes centre stage. The generous seat, broad arms and embracing back reflect a different philosophy: furniture designed not for display, but for the pleasure of sitting well.
The proportions follow the same principle. The wooden legs, with their elegant mahogany-toned patina, visually lighten the generous upholstery and complete the composition with understated elegance.
The armchair still retains its original leather upholstery and has never been restored. Whenever the condition of the leather allows, our preferred approach is always one of conservation, preserving the original material and its naturally developed patina. For those seeking a different result, a complete reupholstery in leather or fabric can naturally be carried out to suit the client's taste and the intended interior.
Today it sits just as comfortably in a study, beside a bookcase, in front of a fireplace or within a contemporary living room, where its lived-in leather becomes the detail that gives warmth, authenticity and character to the entire space.
Leather like this cannot be recreated. It can only be preserved.
- Material: Wood structure with horsehair padding upholstered in leather
- Size: cm 72 x 75 x 75 (H)
- Condition: Restored
- Period: Early 20th century
- Style: Anni '50
- State: Good conditions
