Help Identifying Possible French Art Deco Club Chairs – Restoration Advice Welcome

Hi all,
I recently acquired a pair of beautiful old leather club chairs and would love help identifying them more precisely — and getting advice on whether and how to restore them.

1. Country of purchase:
   The chairs were bought secondhand in Norway, with no known provenance or paperwork.
   
   
2. Measurements (approximate):
   Height: 78 cm (to top of back)
   Width: 85 cm (outer arm to outer arm)
   Depth: 90 cm (front to back)
   
   
3. Pictures:
   I’ve included images of the front, back, sides, underside, and details of the leather and studs. There are no drawers (so no dovetail joints), and I haven’t found any marks or labels so far.
   

What I’ve been told so far:
These may be French Art Deco club chairs from the 1920s–1930s. They show many of the classic features: moustache-style backrest, rolled arms, bun feet, and large decorative studs. The leather appears original and is heavily patinated — very dry and cracked in places, especially on the arms and bottom cushion.

What I would appreciate help with:

1. Do they look like authentic 1920s–30s French club chairs?
   
   
2. Are they worth restoring, or should I try to preserve them as-is?
   
   
3. If restoring, would you recommend treating and saving the original leather (if possible), or reupholstering with new high-quality hide?
   

Any thoughts, comparisons, or restoration tips would be greatly appreciated. I’m happy to upload more photos or details if that would help. Thanks in advance!

 

Quite similar to this.

https://www.chezpluie.com/products/dark-french-leather-studded-club-chair-cloute

Debora

 

Thanks for the link – it's definitely in the same family! I can see why you made the connection. The shape and studwork are very similar. But after comparing closely, I notice a few differences and would love your take:

• Backrest shape: Mine have a scalloped “moustache” top with more of a relaxed, low-slung profile, while the Chez Pluie chair is taller and straighter.
  
  
• Seat construction: Mine have a loose cushion over a deep, padded seat base – the Chez Pluie model looks fixed and more compact.
  
  
• Side profile: The arms on mine sweep in a more exaggerated curve down to the front leg, whereas theirs looks a bit more rigid or upright.

I'm wondering if these might reflect a regional variation, a different maker, or just different production years within the same French tradition?

 

These chairs may be period but they don't particularly scream art deco to me. They could just as well be a couple decades later, into the 40s or so. Hard saying whether these are French. Nice chairs but they would not be worth new upholstery in my US Midwest market. I have no idea of their potential value in Norway but would suspect only worth reupholstery if you plan to keep for yourself, forever.

 

While these chairs may not scream Art Deco, we appreciate the perspective that they could also date from the 1940s. We're not fixed on them being French per se, though we've had some comments suggesting that certain details — like the moustache back and bun feet — might point to the 1920s or 30s. Either way, it's helpful to get input on how distinct (or not) they are in terms of market value.

We're planning to keep them long-term, so understanding what we have is mainly about guiding restoration and care, not resale.

I've attached a close-up of the underside showing red dust cover fabric and what appear to be individually nailed tacks. Does this reveal anything more about age or origin? Would it be helpful to also share images of the spring system or joinery details inside the frame?

 

I came across this listing and was curious how my chairs compare:
https://decoparis.com/products/1930s-vintage-art-deco-leather-club-chairs-a-pair

They’re described as 1930s French Art Deco, and at first glance there seem to be a lot of similarities to mine:

• The moustache-style backrest looks very close in shape — same kind of scalloped, slightly rolled top.
  
  
• The rolled arms taper down toward the seat in a similar way, and the front of the armrests curves outward like mine.

• The leather on both shows a similar degree of age and patina — dry, but intact, and visibly worn in high-contact areas.
  
  
• The decorative studs follow nearly the same lines around the arms and seat edges.
  

To me, they feel like they come from the same design lineage — but I’d love to know what differences stand out to someone more experienced. Do you think mine could be from the same era, or are there construction or proportion details that suggest otherwise?

Appreciate any thoughts

 

I do see a lot of similarities. I don't know what universe these chairs with mismatched upholstery are worth $15K but not in any I move in. Anyone can ask what they want and may get it, but who knows? I guess a better question is does this dealer have the expertise to have correctly identified these chairs? Possibly. It is an intriguing lead that bears more exploration. I would not take their attribution as definitive.

 

Absolutely agree — the resemblance is definitely intriguing, but I’m also skeptical of the pricing and how confidently the attribution is presented. It’s encouraging to see someone else sees the similarities though!

The search continues, and I’m hopeful that others here might have more insight or have come across similar examples. Appreciate your take — it helps to calibrate expectations while still keeping the curiosity alive.

 

I’ve started a careful restoration — no stripping, no sanding, just slow, deliberate revival. First, a deep clean using glycerine-based tack cleaner to lift decades of grime without disturbing the soul of the leather. Then, layer by layer, I’m feeding the hide with uncolored leather oil — and it’s drinking like it hasn’t seen moisture since Prohibition ended.

Once the oil is absorbed, I follow with a rich leather balm to seal in the suppleness and protect what’s left of the original surface. I’m not trying to erase the cracks and wear — they’re part of the history — but to preserve what’s there, so the chairs can keep telling their story, just a little more comfortably.

It’s a slow process. A conversation rather than a renovation. But they’re starting to respond.

Pictures after third layer of oil!

 

Thank you for documenting your process for us! I have a couple of older leather pieces I need to work on that I've been avoiding because of the unknown. Well also we use the chairs normally and I know I'd have to be careful about transfer for a long time until everything is absorbed properly. It's great to see in detail someone tackling it. It looks great so far!

 

You're very welcome – and thank you! I completely understand that hesitation; I felt the same before starting. But once you begin and get a feel for how the leather responds, it’s surprisingly intuitive – and oddly satisfying too.

 

Favorite Chairs | VISITvortex | MAGAZINE | ARTICLES


99% fit?

 

I think so. Now, do we have a good attribution or is everyone repeating what each other is saying about these?

Here are many auction listings for French deco leather chairs. There are a lot of similar ones to yours. It seems that this style club chair is an established French archetype. Being a Midwestern American, I can't say that this is anything that I have ever been exposed to. It is a, who knew?, moment for me..... LOL! Would think you are pretty safe in your attribution. Even if they are not French, I think there is enough general attribution out there to go with the flow, so to speak.

Search "french deco leather chair"

 

Thanks, that helps a lot. I’ve noticed the same — the attribution seems to be circling around with everyone referencing each other, but at this point, “French Deco leather club chair” feels like an accepted and established label. I’ve also contacted the auction house that published the article about a similar chair, just to see if they have more specific insight into origin or dating. For those of us not immersed in this style, it’s definitely one of those we’re not in Kansas anymore moments! Appreciate the reassurance — I’ll stick with the attribution unless something more definitive comes up.

 

Applied the first layer of leather balm to the backs of the chairs. Planning to do 1–2 more rounds of tanner’s oil on the rest of the leather before moving forward.

 

More pictures!

 

Any idea why my pair is so much darker than the lighter one from Vortex/Milne? Is it just aging, lighting, or could it be something like dye, oil treatment, or even leather type?

A neighbour saddlemaker said the Vortex/Milne example feels more “market-ready” for someone who wants a lived-in patina, while mine is closer to the look of museum-quality saddle leather.

 

age..use.... atmosphere.....who knows where it's been.... & not all leather is the same.

 

Yes, exactly—that’s part of what makes them so compelling. I keep thinking mine might’ve had more oiling or maybe even been re-dyed at some point, but you’re right: age, use, and atmosphere are all chapters in the story.