Jean Royère – Polar Bear
Jean Royere
In 1947 Jean Royère designed a rotund sofa called the Boule, upholstered in a rich fluffy velvet which has now become known as the “polar bear.”
Everything Royère produced was made to order, quantities were limited. Clients commissioned an individual Polar Bear sofa or pair of armchairs, or they could get them as a set.
With a similar shape to those used in Louis XVI sofas they became an instant hit. Roughly 150 sets were produced, plus another 150 sofas and 150 Paris of chairs.
Highly sought after today by tastemakers and collectors around the globe, Polar Bear sofas and pairs of chairs can command more than half a million pounds at auctions or from a top dealer.
