A Second Life for the Mobilier National’s Pieces
BY SOPHIE DE SANTIS
Isabelle de Ponfilly and her daughter, founders of Source Édition, unearth furniture from the 1950s to the 1970s, which they reissue and sell to an informed clientele but also — and above all — to newcomers.
To be able to own a reissue of an iconic piece, to draw from the collections of the Mobilier National without breaking the bank? It’s a dream for many postwar design enthusiasts. This extremely fertile period, from the 1950s to the 1970s, was embodied by numerous talents — among the most famous, Jean Prouvé and Pierre Paulin. While some pieces can be found at dealers, flea markets or antique fairs, their provenance and authenticity are not always guaranteed, and their prices have often become inaccessible as the market has skyrocketed in recent years. With Source Édition, Isabelle de Ponfilly and her daughter Joséphine Bursacchi have taken on the challenge of bringing back to light pieces long dormant in the archives of the venerable Garde-Meuble, which for over three centuries has preserved, restored and maintained around 100,000 furniture and textile objects destined for the furnishing of presidential residences and official palaces. In their brand-new showroom on Rue d’Aboukir, near Place des Victoires in Paris, the mother-daughter duo targets an informed clientele but also — and especially — newcomers wishing to acquire a high-quality reissue of a retro piece they won’t find anywhere else. Among their discoveries is a prototype of the armchair from the Dialogue collection, originally designed for the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. It notably furnished the office of Simone Veil. This sleek, versatile lounge chair (priced at €2,950), designed by André Monpoix in 1967 and never before produced, can be combined in several ways to form a bench. The structure is made of wood, the sides are lacquered white, and the fabric is a water-repellent velvet made in Italy.
Tight Margins to Stay Affordable
“Before each reissue, we always seek the authorization of the rights holders,” emphasizes Isabelle de Ponfilly, who is very meticulous about such details. Another unearthed piece: TU-TU, a small coffee table (€1,500) that can also serve as an ottoman when a cushion is added. This 1968 creation, made of wood and signed by Turenne Chevallereau (known for designing the Longchamp logo, was one of the first flat-pack furniture pieces of its time, assembled without tools.“Artisanal and industrial quality, durability, and the transmission of heritage” are the values defended by this seasoned design professional, who spent twenty-six years at Vitra.
Her career is almost flawless. Isabelle de Ponfilly is the youngest of five siblings. Her father, a Polytechnique graduate, was an engineer specializing in explosives, and her mother managed the top clients at Schiaparelli.“I grew up surrounded by beautiful spaces. My parents mixed classical furniture, marquetry, and contemporary pieces,” she recalls. “I had, for a very long time in my bedroom, an orange chair by Joe Colombo from 1968. It was incredibly modern!”After business school, she joined an industrial group where she supervised the workshops — she admits she has always had “a passion for technique” — and later joined Knoll. Seven years later, as a young mother of two daughters, the talented manager was recruited by the Swiss company Vitra. Joining in 1994, she became, in barely four years, Managing Director of Vitra France. She was already distributing reissues of iconic pieces such as the Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray Eames, the molded chair by Verner Panton, or the Standard chair by Jean Prouvé — all commercial successes. Over the years, thanks to her visionary approach and generosity, she built a powerful network within major institutions (MAD, CNAP, etc.), where she remains an active volunteer member.But in 2020, during the pandemic, she decided to leave Vitra to embark on a new adventure: Source Édition. Today, at 62, with a slender figure and undiminished motivation, she supports and advises her daughter Joséphine, 31, a specialist in postwar design. Two generations, two journeys, and a shared passion for heritage and craftsmanship. “We wanted a showcase and a space to welcome everyone,” they explain. In addition to their partnership with the Mobilier National, the two women also present their favorites, such as the reissue of the Jumelles lamp (1970) by Ben Swildens, composed of mouth-blown glass globes and brushed aluminum (€990).“We keep our margins as tight as possible to remain affordable, while maintaining the quality and high standards of European manufacturing,” they emphasize.
Source Édition, 23 Rue d’Aboukir, Paris 2nd, and at Le Bon Marché.
