Mid-Century Modern CP-BAHUT-4 Cabinet by Charlotte Perriand, 1958

The relationship between the partitions ensures a balanced composition. The careful alignment and proportions create an equilibrium, giving a sense of coherent design. It is a one-of-a-kind piece – unique and outstanding, it holds a museum exhibit quality. An artefact for collectors and connoisseurs. A piece without any compromises. Highly valuable, rarely even offered by auction houses. However, it comes with a price. Charlotte Perriand devoted the biggest part of her oeuvre to integrating storage pieces into living spaces. The idea was conceived in the quality of modularity, so the possibilities were numerous. At that time, the concept was absolutely innovative and radical. The piece consists of four uneven compartments with sliding doors. It was originally designed for Cité Cansado, a town in north-western Mauritania, built for the iron ore mining company MIFERMA and produced by Ateliers Jean Prouvé. She has also been commissioned for interior design and furnishing of residential and community spaces there. Although rigid in appearance, the item embodies Perriand’s vision of so-called light living. Due to her design philosophy which underlines the significance of simple things, she is considered the mother of the concept IKEA implements with their design concept. Transformable and modular in its geometry, together with clarity of form, this piece supports the idea. It is done in rich, mahogany wood, enameled steel and Masonite. All parts are authentic, so the piece is in its original condition, being softly restored. Sliding door panels still have their original finish, so the value of the sideboard is preserved. The corpus is carried on heavy, metal legs which conceive a bridge-like element, not including any screws. They embrace the concept of transformability, due to their mobility. Here the metal is rich in surface and reveals a wonderful patina. To keep the value of the item and its authenticity, the finish wasn’t overpainted, while the character of the surface was preserved in its original condition. There is a possibility to slightly cover the surfaces with a special restoration wax with a neutral pH. The formula is secure and protects the surfaces. As Perriand and Prouvé worked closely together, the piece also presents a wonderful exchange of ideas through use of special screws that hold the inside partitions and have originally been patented by Prouvé. They are visible on the top surface. As a sideboard, it stands proudly in any area of your space. I love its pure, geometrical shape and believe it enriches any setting. Different positions of the sliding doors allow multiple compositions in regards to their colour. By itself, this masterpiece is an eye-catcher. P! Galerie’s selection is mainly focused on rare French mid-century modern design artefacts by Pierre Jeanneret, Jean Prouvé, Le Corbusier, and Charlotte Perriand. Artefacts from our carefully curated collection are handpicked, and all traces and important indicators of authenticity are evaluated professionally. We try to preserve as much of patina as possible during the process of restoration, as it defines these historic pieces. Each object comes with a certificate of authenticity, offering you the opportunity to own a valuable artefact originating from a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site. Not only do we cooperate with museums and offer auction houses our services and expert opinion, we also look forward to welcoming you as a private collector and connoisseur. Literature: Jacques Barsac, ‘Un Art d’Habiter’ (Paris: Norma Editions, 2005), 440-442. François Laffanour, ‘Steph Simon Retrospective 1956-1974’ (Paris: Editions Steph Simon/Galerie Downtown, 2007), 66-67. Provenance: Cité Cansado, Mauritania.