Why authenticity needs extra attention when buying Chandigarh items

Authenticity:
If it's about Chandigarh items, authenticity is essential. It’s not just about the shape, it’s about history and value. And here the questions begin: What must remain original? Which parts may be replaced? For example, P! Galerie exclusively sells authentic mid-century pieces, where all solid wooden parts are originally from that piece, never replacing any damaged components with new ones or cannibalising other damaged pieces. Defining red lines is essential. Many items are damaged, and many resellers define different limits. Always discuss the gallery’s policy upfront.

The topic of veneer is different and depends on each item. The thin veneer has been glued to plywood, so it is more fragile and has been more often replaced during the last seventy years. Auction houses and prestigious galleries accept the replacement of the veneer top, as it’s part of the Chandigarh reality. The type of replacement should be documented in the certificate, which many galleries or auction houses neglect to do. Insist on transparency here.

Replacing cushions, cane, upholstery, or foam is needed standard, not affecting value. But when it comes to repainting metal parts, opinions vary. P! Galerie rejects this practice entirely; many other galleries have a less strict approach. Pedja Hadži-Manović, an expert and gallery owner, states: “The richness, depth, and traces of use and time in the paint are essential to the item’s character, history and, value. I consider repainted objects worthless.” Since some buyers prefer their items in a more presentable condition, many galleries follow these wishes and repaint them.

Some furniture was repaired between 1960 and 1985, and these repairs now carry their own patina - part of the piece's history. Far from reducing value, these repairs are often beautifully executed and add richness to each object. It shows the respect for the items from that specific earlier epoch. Everything depends on the object, the scale of the intervention, and the type of restoration. Full documentation is non-negotiable. This again highlights: Transparency is essential when it comes to authenticity.

For additional stabilisation, the objects are sometimes the items get dismantled, and inner screws are added. These interventions are necessary for stability but must be done professionally so they remain invisible from the outside. Each item requires a tailored approach to balance usability and originality.

Pierre Jeanneret's furniture tells a story through its imperfections. Old cracks, layers of scratches, worn lacquer, and oxidation from decades of human touch, these are the fingerprints of authenticity. With an increasing number of fake items on the market, it is relevant to purchase items where the proof of authenticity has not vanished due to a poor restoration approach. It is best to accept the character of an item and to avoid manipulated items, which may appear more pleasant at first glance. At P! Galerie, deep scratches or holes are addressed subtly; they should not dominate the overall impression. An item should be experienced as the holistic vision of its creator, scars and all.

Always ask the gallery about interventions and work with one that has proven experience in this field.

Selection process :
Pedja Hadži-Manović, for example, selects personally every piece for P! Galerie, purchasing only unrestored furniture. In India, invoices from officials and provenance documents are easy to fake, and don’t meet the standard of a reliable provenance. Visual examination of each item is therefore crucial, it reveals the true condition and exposes manipulations. Restored pieces often lose vital indicators, so every object must be examined in its unrestored state.

P! Galerie focuses intently on the surface and its quality. As a result, the gallery avoids items with sanded surfaces—where critical information has been erased—as well as the popular black Chandigarh pieces, since dark paint can hide manipulations. Unlike auction houses, a gallery bears legal responsibility for the items it offers. Pedja emphasises that gallery owners must be “paranoid”—not just to protect their reputation and clients, but because selling a fake constitutes fraud and is a criminal offence. This distinction sets serious galleries apart from many vintage resellers.

Our restoration approach:
Restoration requires a delicate balance between preservation and usability. These collector pieces derive their value from authenticity, so restoration must be minimal and respectful. Never sanding them, as this would destroy their unique character and erase the very signs that prove their authenticity. You will see small holes, small cracks, old chips, irregularities, and insect damage—especially on undersides, which galleries like P! Galerie leave untouched to preserve authenticity.

Living with Jeanneret:
These are antique pieces made for daily use, with one caveat: cane seats require some attention. While cushions are recommended to prolong their lifespan, Pedja admits he doesn’t use them himself.

The richly patinated wood is remarkably resilient. New scratches? They simply become part of the story, blending seamlessly among countless others. A touch of polish or stain can render them almost invisible. Broken parts can be fixed nicely. In a world where damaged items are often discarded immediately, Chandigarh pieces carry a history of destruction and repair. It’s a wonderful facet of their story.

Illegal Market on Pierre Jeanneret Objects: Reeditions, Hommages, Fakes

Pierre Jeanneret's furniture from the Chandigarh project has become one of the most sought-after design collectibles in the world. This success has created a massive illegal market operating on multiple levels, each with its own logic and methods.
Some manufacturers ignore copyright entirely. Others exploit legal ambiguities and hypocrisy. And then there are the outright counterfeiters producing fakes. These are aspects to know before deciding which direction fits to you. Especially since all suppliers claim to offer originals.


1. Illegal Reeditions?
Indian suppliers like Sielte (Belgium), Phantom Hands Gallery (Ireland), Dino (Ireland), Klad (USA), and Objet Embassy (Holland) and many others are flooding the market with Chandigarh furniture, claiming to honour Pierre Jeanneret's legacy. But here's what they don't tell you: Jeanneret's copyrights are protected until 2037, and none of these sellers have licences. Their defence? The Chandigarh workshop was a collective effort where everyone owned everything together. It sounds democratic, almost noble. Except it's completely wrong. The copyrights belong to the actual authors - Pierre Jeanneret or Le Corbusier. Not automatically to project managers or architects working under their direction, for example Balkrishna Doshi. Take Eillie Chowdhary and the Library chair - since it's probably her design, the copyright goes to her. If she was executing Jeanneret's design, it would go to him.
But all these suppliers operate as if this question doesn't matter, as if they can bypass it entirely by claiming some shared, collective ownership. They work without permission, hiding behind a romantic story: that these pieces existed in some copyright-free limbo because intellectual property didn't matter back then, or because they're using "original techniques." It's a convenient fiction. Indian and Western copyright law exists precisely to protect the author's rights and prevent this. The chairs weren't abandoned. They weren't forgotten. Jeanneret's estate owner simply isn't protecting the rights. So nobody cares. And the illegal distribution continues worldwide - from Belgium to Ireland to the USA to Holland - unchecked.

2. Cassina names copies simply hommages
Cassina owns the Corbusier copyrights. They've spent decades advertising their "originals." They've built an empire on authenticity. So when they couldn't get the rights to Pierre Jeanneret's Chandigarh furniture, they did something remarkable: they simply copied it anyway and called it "hommage."
It's a masterclass in hypocrisy. They talk about tribute, about honouring Jeanneret's legacy, carefully avoiding mentioning that it's by Pierre Jeanneret. But compare their homages to the originals - same sizes, same proportions, same details. No essential differences. These aren't interpretations. They're reproductions. The same company that aggressively hunts down suppliers violating Le Corbusier's copyrights now pretends the rules don't apply when it's profitable. They've found a lucrative loophole: if you can't get the rights, just rebrand appropriation as respect.

3. Fraud: New chairs sold as Vintage Originals
While one market focuses on new items, there is another market of galleries and vintage sellers which offer old, authentic items by Pierre Jeanneret. Since they are valuable items, there are frauds, which try to offer brand-new furniture artificially aged and sold as 1950s–1960s originals, less as copyright infringement, but as criminal fraud. The market is quite innovative. Selling new objects as vintage is a criminal offence and punishable by prison in the EU/US under fraud statutes. But there are more subtle frauds, where damaged parts have been replaced but not appropriately documented. Acting like each part is original mid-century, and avoid that part. Galleries or vintage sellers act here as not knowing or pretending, but not knowing would not protect them against the accusation of fraud. All this is not unethical; it's criminal.

4. Vintage Originals
Vintage chairs from the Chandigarh period are the most authentic option available. Unlike reeditions or copies, they are genuine historical objects with inherent value. While reproductions lose value immediately after purchase, vintage pieces maintain or increase their worth over time.
Each vintage item from Chandigarh is unique. No two chairs look exactly alike, and this individuality gives them an aura that mass-produced items simply can't replicate. Most reeditions appear sterile - perfect shapes, flawless wood surfaces. Vintage pieces have patina, traces of use, and subtle distortions that tell their history. If you prioritize technical perfection, these authentic items with their imperfections won't suit you.
Price is another consideration. A vintage floating office cane chair (link to our PJ-SI-28-A) costs two to three times more than a reedition. For large-scale projects like hotels, the lower price of reproductions seems practical - but this ignores the fact that vintage pieces appreciate while copies depreciate.
However, even the vintage market has risks. You might pay premium prices for a fake or a heavily restored piece with replaced elements. Success requires either expertise to authenticate pieces yourself or finding a gallery with a proven reputation.

How to Decide?
Choosing isn't just about comparing options. There are deeper questions worth considering.

The ethical question:
Is it important to protect the rights of the author? Since Pierre Jeanneret is dead, copyright protection benefits the rights holder, not the creator himself. Ignoring copyrights isn't ethical, but the harm caused may appear negligible - it's often treated as a gentleman's delict, and a bit of Robin Hood mentality can make it easier to justify. Every supplier comes with a moral story: protecting the heritage, respecting Chandigarh's vision, honouring original techniques, supporting gifted carpenters. These marketing strategies cleverly sidestep the copyright issue. But the question remains: is copyright always something good we should respect, or is it a blocker creating a monopoly that prevents humble design from being appreciated by people with smaller budgets? That depends very much on your perspective.

The quality question:
Precision of shape doesn't define quality here. It's about the proportions, how closely they follow the original vision of the author, and the beauty of the result. Colour of wood, richness of texture, and thickness of the beams define the character of each piece.
The patina is the most relevant aspect - it makes these simple geometric shapes come alive and defines the uniqueness of each piece. This touches on what philosopher Walter Benjamin described as the "aura" of artworks when questioning the reproductions of art. The uniqueness and history of an authentic object make us see more in it, project more meaning into it, creating a different relationship than we have with what we recognise as a reedition or mass product. Aura and patina are the elements that make vintage items richer - and these are nearly impossible to replicate in reeditions.

The price question:
The price question: Some see these chairs as investments, some as collectibles, some care purely about authenticity. But if budget is your priority, then a reedition becomes a legitimate option - a way to afford an object you love without financial ruin.

In the end, it's all about priorities. What matters most to you: legal clarity, investment value, aesthetic soul, or simple affordability? There's no universal right answer. Just understand what you're buying, what you're supporting, and what trade-offs you're making.

Swiss Non-Conformists | A critical reexamination

The canon of Swiss design is often reduced to a singular narrative: one of technical precision, functional purity, and the moral imperative of “Good Form.”1 This dogma, codified Swiss design as an exercise in integrity, simplicity, and objective correctness2. Yet, as the 2023 exhibition CH-DSGN – The Swiss Non-Conformists2 revealed, this narrative is not exhaustive. Beneath the surface lies a radical, archaic, and defiantly unembellished tradition—one that challenges the very foundations of its own legacy.

Curated by P! Galerie, the exhibition posited a provocative thesis: that the most compelling Swiss design is not defined by its adherence to moral or aesthetic conventions, but by its willingness to subvert them. In the gallery’s owner and curator’s words:

“Bad Swiss design is decent and moral. Good Swiss design, however, is archaic and radical.”

A hidden genealogyn:
The exhibition exposed a parallel history—not one of refinement, but of defiant directness, where the humble, the coarse, and the seemingly naive reveal a deeper, archaic tradition. This tradition does not seek validation through dogma, style, or intellectualism, but through a specific radicalisation: a relentless reduction to the essential.

Swiss Design as Non-Design:
The most radical Swiss works exist without categorisation. Technology, pragmatism or functionalism are relevant, but just as frameworks. Swiss design embodies a puritanical modernity: rejecting the striving for effect, rejecting conceptual overdetermination. Here, design is pure reduction. Meaning comes not from visual decisions, but from what must be. Here, the archaic and the primitive overcome questions of style and fashion. They do not negotiate with trends and attitudes; they exist beyond them. Here Swiss design gets relevant and is more radical than the French, Italian, Nordish or Bazil Design tradition, which focus primarily on style and aesthetics, and intent to please.

Today, design is often just decoration:
It shines, it pleases, it sells - but it says nothing. Driven by market logic or nostalgia, the industry churns out stylistic quotes instead of substance, effects instead of experiments. Even rebellion has become a marketing strategy. Design has become a well-dressed, pricey prostitute, a product of an aggressive industry.
This is why P! Galerie has chosen to present a limited selection of radical Swiss Design: works that refuse to conform, that challenge rather than please, and that reclaim design’s power to provoke and question.

Have a look on our selection (pdf) .

P! + GALERIE PAGE TOKYO | a cooperation

I’m proud to announce our new cooperation with GALERIE PAGE TOKYO, directed by gallery owner and collector Takeshi Ota, based in Tamagawa Denenchofu, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo. Together, we’ll be presenting selected Swiss Non-Conformist and international design projects to a Japanese audience. What unites us is a shared interest in non-conformist design – objects that resist the decorative and challenge norms. This collaboration includes curated presentations in both Tokyo and Europe, beginning with a focus on experimental furniture and proto-architectural forms.

We believe in intensity and radicality in design.

Non-Conformist Swiss Design in Muscat | CH-DSGN

On 1 February 2023, P! GALERIE presented the exhibition of Swiss design at the National Museum of Oman, following an invitation from H.E. Jamal al-Moosawi, the Secretary General. The museum, located directly opposite the Royal Palace in Muscat, hosted the show in its central exhibition hall. The exhibition was officially opened by Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said, the son of the Sultan. What followed was not a conventional design show, but a conceptual statement. No scenography. No event-like spectacle. Just objects on the floor.

Instead of repeating the usual narratives about “Swiss precision”, “rational intelligence” or “functionality as virtue”, the show focused on non-conformism, rawness and doubt in design. Important objects by Pierre Jeanneret and Le Corbusier from UNESCO World Heritage sites, or by Tom Strala, were placed directly on the museum floor – no plinths, no glass boxes. The exhibition ground itself became a conceptual element: a chalk-drawn layout of a virtual building – no more, no less – ephemeral and fragile. A method borrowed from Brecht’s epic theatre and later seen in Lars von Trier’s Dogville. Not projected emotions, thoughts or morality – rather a void that allows everyone to create their own perception. Because the objects stood directly on the ground, visitors were allowed to touch them. Chairs were not isolated as art objects – they remained physical, usable things. The show rejected both object fetishism and educational authority. Visitors could engage freely, without being reduced to passive observers or admirers. They were invited to question, reflect, connect.

This format avoided all decorative distraction. It was a gesture of reduction – but not minimalist in the marketable sense. It insisted on essential presence, on the sculptural truth of each object. Nothing was hidden, nothing polished. “Design is not polite,” said Pedja Hadži-Manović, who curated the exhibition. “It must be radical. It must resist the culture of compromise.”

In this spirit, the show embraced a set of works usually neglected in the Swiss canon: experimental, imperfect furniture – humble, primitive, almost childlike. A side of Swiss design that had long been ignored was made visible here. But it was precisely this aesthetic of the humble and playful that resonated with the Omani visitors, a culture where restraint and simplicity still carry meaning. Rather than preaching sustainability or morality, the exhibition created a space for reflection: on value, fragility, and the unexpected common ground between distant cultures. The layout – chalk lines slowly fading – became a silent metaphor for impermanence. What remained was clarity.

This was not a compromise.
It was a radical curatorial decision.
A non-conformist stage for objects that don’t obey.

Glasshouse II | Expanded to 480 m² (5200 sq ft)

We have extended our showroom. Glasshouse I and II are now open - 480 m² of space in a former greenhouse. Nothing manicured. More a storage gallery than a boutique. The raw structure remains visible, in resonance with the uncompromising artefacts we exhibit.

The glasshouses are both storage and exhibition site. The objects respond to this condition: direct, unembellished, precise. Champagne, Cognac, Gin, Japanese Whisky, and Swiss chocolate are waiting. By appointment only.

Interview with Pedja: Design as clone of the soul

This discussion between Martha Kern and Pedja Hadzimanovic explores the metaphysical character of Chandigarh's design rather than its historical context or facts. We are accustomed to employing our minds - our faculties of reason and intellect - so we easily understand the meaning and value of a work of art; but art is also metaphysical and emotional in nature and requires us to use our unconscious as well, especially when a work is complex and profound. Art and design is about more than just decoration, it also acts as a mirror of our own being.

What do you like about Chandigarh‘s design?
I love Le Corbusier and his cousin Pierre Jeanneret, both of whom left us fantastic buildings. There must be a reason why we consider them to be among the most important architects of the 20th century (laughs). Most architectural theorists respect their work because it promoted the concept of modernity, but what makes their opus so rich are the existential questions it raises, which give their designs a spiritual dimension.
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Glasshouse | New showroom

We have closed our small downtown gallery and opened a new space in the industrial area. The glasshouse from 1956 has character — perfectly aligned with the raw objects we show. With 240 m² of open space, we can now present a broader range of artefacts and host larger exhibitions.

We are looking forward to welcome you here.