Furniture attributed to the Atelier Martine, Paul Poiret, France, circa 1920.

Rare French storage furniture attributed to the Atelier Martine, a decorative arts house founded in Paris in 1911 by the designer Paul Poiret. A major figure in early 20th-century fashion, Poiret then extended his creative approach to decorative arts and interior design. Made of solid wood and plywood, the piece features particularly narrow and elongated proportions. It opens at the top with two doors revealing a compartment with a shelf, and at the bottom with three stacked drawers. Its silhouette combines a deliberately simple structure with details characteristic of the decorative vocabulary of the Atelier Martine: softened angles, a cut lower rail, "elephant" feet, and drop handles in metal with stylised floral decoration. This formal simplicity, almost vernacular, reflects the research conducted around modern and decorative furniture in the early 1920s. Under the impetus of Paul Poiret, the Atelier Martine developed a complete universe dedicated to decorative arts, ranging from textiles and wallpapers to furniture and interior objects. The piece has been restored and re-lacquered in a cream shade. The original fittings and handles have been preserved. Traces and irregularities remain, consistent with its age and artisanal manufacture. The top drawer must be aligned properly when closing. The upper doors require a slight pressure to engage their closing mechanism. Dimensions: H. 118 × W. 47 × D. 37 cm.