Georges Tigien — Beech & “Fil Prénas” Cord Stool, Pradera, France, circa 1960

A characteristic mid-century French stool by Georges Tigien, produced by the Jura furniture maker Pradera (Pont-de-Poitte) and diffused through La Maison Européenne, France, circa 1960. The solid beech frame, with chamfered corner blocks and four splayed, turned legs, carries a seat laced in white “fil Prénas” — the patented plasticised cord (popularly known as “scoubidou”) developed by the Prénas family and advertised as indéformable, incassable et inaltérable.

Conceived as a genuinely multi-function object, it serves equally as a stool, footstool, sofa-end (bout de canapé) or small occasional table. The natural beech carries an honest, dry patina with light wear to the corner blocks; the original cord lacing is complete and the original glides are present. A clean, sculptural example of France’s Reconstruction-era experimentation with new synthetic materials over traditional timber frames.