Early Pierre Chapo 'B17' Bibliothèque in Solid Elm

Pierre Chapo, 'bibliothèque' wall unit 2M26 version, model 'B17', elm, France, 1960s

This is a rare and large model 'B17' wall unit designed by Pierre Chapo. It is the largest version of this quintessential piece by Chapo. The shelving system was designed in 1967 where it was presented at the Salon des Arts Ménagers. This robust and solid bookcase consist of four elm shelves that rest under brackets. Normally, brackets are used underneath the shelves, yet Chapo decided to play with these rules and made sure that the supports fit perfectly into the uprights. For this reason, the supports work more as bookends than as supports. This bookcase frees up a lot of living space. The wall unit is in the Champagne style of which Chapo was an important exponent, together with Charlotte Perriand.

Pierre Chapo (1927-1987) was born in a family of craftsmen and trained as an architect at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Already from a young age, he felt the need to roam the world. He was only twenty-one when he left France in order to spend the next few years traveling through England and Scandinavia. In December of 1951, he was living back in Paris, where he met his future wife, Nicole. Their meeting was the beginning of a lifelong union. Together, the lovebirds travelled through South and North America being captivated by the architectural diversity. Back in France, he and his partner Nicole set up Société Chapo in 1957. Société Chapo was a design workshop and gallery in one where he showed his own creations. However, Nicole also presented her ceramics, and textiles here and they even exhibited other great designers of that period. In 1958, they opened their famous gallery at 14 Boulevard de l'Hopital. Chapo's work originated by means of special commissions that could later be adapted to universal needs. Throughout his career, Chapo combined his interest for contemporary design with his love for traditional craftsmanship. In his designs, he was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's balanced lines, Corbusier's research on proportions and the ideas of Bauhaus. The three principles that motivated Pierre Chapo were 'material, form, and function.' He measured his furniture by means of golden ratio and used elmwood as his preferred material. Unfortunately, Chapo fell ill, and he died in 1987, however, until his last day, he kept on designing and working.

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