Artifort.

Artifort

Artifort is a Dutch edition house that deeply marked the history of modern seating through its collaboration with Pierre Paulin. Founded in 1890 in Maastricht and still active in Schijndel, it is the original editor of Paulin's most iconic sculptural pieces: Mushroom, Ribbon, Tongue, ABCD. LAPIERRE sources, verifies and restores these pieces for the Paris and European market, riding the stable Paulin valuation on the international vintage market.

Brand history

The company was founded in 1890 in Maastricht by Jules Wagemans under the name Wagemans & Van Tuinen. Originally an upholstery and saddlery workshop serving domestic furniture and transport seating, it grew steadily through the first half of the 20th century. In 1928 the Artifort brand was adopted — a contraction of Art and Comfort — marking a specialisation in high-end upholstered seating.

The modern turning point arrived in the late 1950s, when Harry Wagemans, then leading the company, met Pierre Paulin. A French designer trained at École Camondo, Paulin had spent years collaborating with Thonet France and Meubles TV. The Artifort brief was open: explore a new approach to seating, sculptural, halfway between furniture and domestic sculpture. Paulin proposed a radical constructive principle: welded tubular steel, tensioned elastic webbing, high-density foam, stretch jersey sewn and tensioned without folds over the assembled shell. The result allowed open, curving forms without the rigidity of a traditional padded structure.

The first model in this series, the Mushroom F560, was released in 1960. Followed by the Big Tulip F545 (1965), the Ribbon F582 (1966), the Tongue F577 (1967), and the ABCD F780 collection (1968) — a modular system used among others for the Mobilier National under President Georges Pompidou. Paulin also signed for Artifort the Pacha F037 chair and several modular sofas in the 1970s. The house collaborated in parallel with Geoffrey Harcourt (Cleopatra sofa), Theo Ruth, Kho Liang Ie (416 lounger), René Holten and Patrick Norguet. The factory remains centralised in Schijndel.

Signature pieces we source

Tongue F577. Low-slung tongue-shaped foam shell, no legs, floor-resting. Paulin's signature 1967 piece, sought in orange, red, khaki green, beige or grey jersey.

Mushroom F560. High rounded foam shell on a small chromed base. The 1960 model, first of the Paulin series. Sought in jersey of all eras.

Ribbon F582. Sculpted ribbon-twisted seat on a black or white lacquered base, cantilevered. 1966 model, exceptional valuation piece.

ABCD F780. Modular combinable chairs and sofas, designed by Paulin for living-room or reception configurations. Sought in coherent sets.

Big Tulip F545. Swivel armchair with enveloping shell on four-branch polished aluminium base. 1965 model, rarer in arrivals.

Cleopatra (Geoffrey Harcourt). Two- or three-seat sofa with steel structure and generous cushioning, 1970s.

416 lounger (Kho Liang Ie). Soft steel shell with deep recline, 1960s. A minimalist piece appreciated by Dutch design collectors.

Authenticating an original

Four points support authentication of a vintage Artifort piece. Artifort label: sewn onto the upholstery, stapled under the shell or stamped on metal depending on the model. Labels from the 1960s-70s carry a specific graphic. Tubular structure: Paulin pieces rest on a clean welded steel cage with serial elastic webbing. Foam is moulded as one piece. Jersey: the original upholstery is a stretch jersey developed specifically for Artifort, with regular grain, sewn in spiral or T seam depending on the model, perfectly tensioned without folds. Copies use stiff or irregularly grained jerseys. Foam: original foam, even when tired, retains a specific elasticity and envelope. Foam too hard or too soft signals an undocumented intervention.

LAPIERRE process for this brand

The Artifort protocol at LAPIERRE first evaluates foam and jersey condition. Healthy foam allows preservation as-is or a clean recover in Kvadrat or Maharam jersey. Foam needing replacement is entrusted to a specialist workshop that reproduces the original density with identical spiral or T seams. Replacement jersey is selected in a palette consistent with 1960s-70s aesthetics. Steel structures are repolished and elastic webbing replaced if needed.

Request a search

Looking for a Tongue F577 in a specific colour, a Mushroom in original jersey, a complete ABCD set or a Harcourt Cleopatra? Write to LAPIERRE with your brief. Our team activates its sourcing network in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France and returns within a few days.