4 Leleu-style bridge armchairs

Set of four French bridge armchairs in fruitwood, with a horseshoe seat, straight frame, and saber-shaped front legs. Their small, slightly curved “moustache” backrests and curved armrests create a particularly elegant silhouette. The piping has been replaced.

They retain their original burgundy damask fabric, which has been deep cleaned. The woodwork has been carefully renovated in our workshop and the upholstery revised to restore support and comfort while preserving the antique elements.

French work from the late 1940s or early 1950s.

• H 81 CM x D 49 CM x W 57 CM.
• Seat height 43 CM.

4 fruitwood bridge armchairs with moustache-shaped backrests

Set of four fruitwood bridge armchairs, characterized by a straight-belted horseshoe seat resting on saber-shaped front legs. The small, slightly curved, so-called “moustache” backrests elegantly extend the design of the armrests, giving the ensemble a silhouette that is both light and highly structured.

These armchairs are emblematic of post-war French furniture, following in the footsteps of designers like Jules Leleu, Maxime Old, and René Prou. The design still combines the decorative elegance of the 1940s with the progressive simplification of forms characteristic of early 1950s furniture.

Original Damask and Traditional Restoration

The four armchairs retain their original damask fabric, in a burgundy shade with tone-on-tone floral motifs. The fabric has undergone deep cleaning to restore its color’s brilliance and reveal the richness of its pattern without replacing this antique covering, which has become inseparable from the identity of the seats.

The woodwork has been carefully renovated in our restoration workshop to revive the warmth of the fruitwood while preserving its patina. Our upholsterer replaced the piping and the matching upholstery tacks. The jute webbing was also renewed to ensure the support and comfort of the seat, while the traditional upholstery and original copper springs were retained.

This targeted intervention maximizes the preservation of antique materials while restoring the flexibility, support, and comfort necessary for daily use to the four armchairs. The new light piping subtly highlights the horseshoe shape of the seats and creates an elegant contrast with the burgundy damask.

A Restoration Respectful of the Original Upholstery

These four armchairs underwent a complete intervention in our restoration workshop, with the principle of preserving their antique materials as much as possible. The fruitwood frames were carefully renovated to regain their warm hue and highlight the particularly elegant design of the armrests and saber-shaped legs.

The upholstery work was deliberately limited to elements requiring intervention. The piping, too worn to be kept, was replaced by our upholsterer. The new light piping now highlights the horseshoe shape of the seat and creates a subtle contrast with the burgundy damask.

Cleaning of damask fabrics, before-after comparison

The jute webbing located under the seat was also replaced to restore the seat’s support and elasticity. The traditional upholstery and copper springs, however, were preserved. This combination of antique materials and targeted interventions allows for real comfort of use without transforming the original construction of the armchairs.

Piping replacement on each bridge armchair.

The photographs taken during the intervention show the different stages of the work: preservation of the damask, access to the wooden frame, re-tensioning of the suspension, and installation of the new piping. They also attest to the quality of construction of these bridge armchairs, designed according to traditional upholstery techniques on webbing and springs.

4 bridge armchairs from the 40s or 50s

Once restored, the four seats thus retain their character and period patina while regaining the stability and comfort necessary for daily use around a table, in an office, or in a reception area.