Charlotte Perriand: How to Recognise Her Pieces

We know her name; we rarely recognise her pieces. Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999) designed some of the most copied forms of the twentieth century — often credited to Le Corbusier. Here is how to identify them, and how to tell a serious reissue from a piece made merely “in the style”.

The LC chairs — the co-signature

The LC2 grand confort armchair, the LC4 reclining chaise longue: designed in 1928 by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand. The genuine article is produced by Cassina, struck with an engraved stamp (number, signature) on the base. The chrome is deep, the leather thick. A copy gives itself away through a thinner tube and the absence of any mark.

The Maison du Mexique bookcase

Conceived with Jean Prouvé for a university hall of residence (1952): coloured folded-aluminium compartments on a metal frame. The originals reach dizzying prices at auction; the reissues (Cassina) restore the original colours. The folded structure and the assembly are what mark the piece.

The Ombre chair and wood

Less well known, the Ombre chair (1954) is a single sheet of moulded plywood, born of her Japanese period. Perriand is not only metal: wood, straw (the Méribel chairs), rattan are all part of her vocabulary — the warmth that Le Corbusier lacked.

Recognising the authentic piece

Three habits: look for the maker’s stamp (Cassina, or the period workshops), check the quality of the materials (chrome, leather, solid wood), and insist on provenance for vintage. An “LC4” at €200 with no mark is a copy — no tragedy, provided you know it.

A piece attributed to Perriand? Beyit helps you separate the original from the copy, and find the right edition.