Marcel Coard

The present desk is an emblematic example of the singular work of French pioneering decorator and furniture designer Marcel Coard. With its petite structure, elegant parchment exterior and subtle metal accents, this desk embodies the style that distinguished Marcel Coard from his contemporaries. An encounter with couturier Jacques Doucet was pivotal in the debut of Coard’s career, as the famed patron of the arts had recently devoted himself to investing in the emerging generation of avant-garde painters, decorators, bookbinders, and artists of all kinds. When Doucet placed an order of Coard’s furniture in 1914 and was pleased with the results, he instilled confidence in the young designer to go on producing designs in the same aesthetic vein that would define his career.

A proponent of fabricating individualized furnishings for his clients, Coard refrained from producing pieces on a large scale. He could therefore source the most precious materials - galuchat, mother-of-pearl, eggshell and python skin - to adorn his designs. This particular desk, cloaked in animal hide, also boasts a contemporary flair with its chromed rings, glass tube and mirror tabletop. Coard’s brilliance lies in knowing how to intuitively pair colder textures with the warmth of the animal parchment. He perfectly executed the mirrored glass tabletop, a technique he had previously explored, creating the optical illusion that one could actually see through the piece into its inner structure. In reality, it reflected the ceiling itself and upon use, the sitter. With its impeccable craftsmanship and harmony of materials, the desk presents as incredibly modern and ahead of its time, and remains extraordinarily contemporary today.