Roger Capron is best known for his geometrically complex, vibrantly colored tile-topped coffee tables. These mid-century furnishings, with their comely palettes and playful arrangements of abstract forms or natural-world motifs, are approachable yet sophisticated. They draw on Scandinavian modernism and exemplify the Parisian ceramist’s belief in ensuring that things of beauty are easily and widely accessible, a principle espoused by French decorative artist and designer René Gabriel.
Capron graduated in 1943 from the School of Applied Arts in Paris. In a small atelier he later founded with Robert Picault and Jean Derval in Vallauris, Capron made alluring sculptures, table lamps and other objects and found inspiration in the work of Pablo Picasso, who had also opened an atelier in the region. He parted ways with his fellow ceramists in 1952 in order to open his own manufactory, Atelier Capron.
Initially staffed by a handful of workers, Atelier Capron captured international attention. His pieces were sold in stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Gimbels. Later, Capron’s wife, Jacotte, studied art and became a valued collaborator. Owing in part to her expertise in mixing pigments and glazes, Capron’s best-known ceramics feature dazzling colors and whimsical characters. Like Picasso, he experimented with many artistic styles and never settled on one technique for too long. His coffee tables, side tables and decorative objects are among the most enduring and coveted designs of the mid-century modern era.
While Capron’s factory had grown tenfold by 1980, it shut down a few years later after a slew of competitors began mass-producing cheaper imitations.
Capron won an award at the Milan Triennial in 1954 and International Grand Prize for Ceramics in 1970. His works have been displayed in the Musée National de la Céramique and the Musée Magnelli.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Roger Capron ceramics, tables and other decorative objects and furniture.
Rare Roger Capron Ceramic Coffee Table
By Roger Capron
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Wonderful ceramic tile top coffee table designed by Roger Capron — France 1950's Unique Hand painted ceramic tile with illustrations of whimsical animals and objects ; Lion, Octopus...
Iron
Roger Capron Oval Coffee Table in Ceramic and Wood
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Roger Capron coffee table, ceramic, beech, France, 1960s A beautiful coffee table by Roger Capron, crafted in France during the 1960s. The design pairs a warm wooden frame with an o...
Ceramic, Beech
Charming Herbier Coffee Table by Roger Capron
By Roger Capron
Located in NICE, FR
Roger Capron's (1922-2006) herbarium coffee table is a mid-20th-century design piece, characterized by a ceramic tile top adorned with plant-inspired or abstract motifs. Hand made in...
Ceramic, Wood
$7,000
H 11.75 in W 36 in D 40.75 in
Roger Capron French Ceramic Coffee Table with Leaf Decorations Model Pamona
By Roger Capron
Located in Chicago, IL
Roger Capron ceramic coffee table with impressed leaf decorations. The leaves are from the surrounding woods and gardens of Vallauris where Capron had his studio. The table has a sl...
Ceramic, Wood
$7,647
H 11.82 in W 35.83 in D 40.56 in
"Pomona" coffee table, ceramic tiles tray, Roger Capron, Vallauris
By Roger Capron
Located in Paris, Ile-de-France
Oval coffee table Model: "Pomona" white glazed ceramic tiles and unglazed tiles stamped with leaves decoration Wood frame and feet. Roger Capron, Vallauris Signed on a white til...
Ceramic, Wood
$941Sale Price|42% Off
H 15.75 in Dm 28.15 in
French Round Coffee Table with Ceramics in the Capron style
By Roger Capron
Located in Labrit, Landes
Round coffee table with faience top signed Leduc and made in Vallauris. This table is made is the style of the "Garrigue" serie from Roger Capron. The tiles represent flowers like da...
Faience, Wood
Roger Capron Vintage Round Ceramic Tile "Les Herbiers" Coffee Table
By Roger Capron
Located in North Miami, FL
This “Garrigue” model round shape coffee table features ceramic tiles decorated with leaves, with a constructivist base in oak. The base is separate from the round top which sits ne...
Ceramic, Wood
$1,670
H 11.82 in W 36.42 in D 17.13 in
Roger Capron 1970 Coffee Table with Ceramic Top, French Design
By Roger Capron
Located in London, England
Discover the Roger Capron coffee table, a true masterpiece of French design of the 1970s, which evokes Picasso's contemporary spirit. Coming from the beautiful Côte d'Azur, this icon...
Metal
Roger Capron ceramic and wood coffee table
By Roger Capron
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Mid-Century Ceramic Coffee Table by Roger Capron, circa 1960 A stunning coffee table by the renowned French master ceramicist Roger Capron. This piece features a tabletop composed of...
Ceramic, Wood
Roger Capron French Mid-Century Ceramic and Oak Sunburst Coffee Table
By Roger Capron
Located in Queens, NY
French Mid-Century (1960s) round coffee table with a stained four leg oak frame and stretcher supporting a beige ceramic sunburst design tile top with leaf decoration. (signed: ROGER...
Ceramic, Oak
Pierre Chapo T21B 'Sfax' Dining Table, Elm, Brutalist, 1970s France
By Pierre Chapo
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The T21B "Sfax" dining table is a masterclass in French modernism, showcasing Pierre Chapo’s signature ability to blend architectural rigor with the organic warmth of solid elm. The ...
Elm
Hans J. Wegner Solid Oak Coffee Table, Andreas Tuck, 1960's
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Hans J. Wegner's AT-15 rectangular solid oak coffee table is elegant and understated in its design. Made of solid oak and in very good condition. Makers mark is stamped on underside ...
Oak
Pierre Chapo "T23" Oak Side Table, 1960s
By Pierre Chapo
Located in Brooklyn, NY
“T23” table by Pierre Chapo, designed in 1960, crafted in solid oak. The model features a thick triangular top with a chamfered edge set on three cylindrical legs, reflecting Chapo’s...
Oak
Angelo Mangiarotti Black Marble Console Table, 1970s
By Angelo Mangiarotti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Designed by Italian architect and designer Angelo Mangiarotti in the 1970's, this console table is carved from Marquinia black marble. Its sculpted construction emphasizes the natura...
Marble
Italian Art Deco Burl Walnut side table, 1930's
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Art Deco side table, circa 1930s, showcasing a striking book-matched burl walnut veneer with a dramatic, symmetrical grain pattern reminiscent of a kaleidoscope. The classic two-tier...
Walnut, Burl
Charlotte Perriand Les Arcs Pine Stools or Side Tables, 1960s, a Pair
By Charlotte Perriand
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Stools or side tables designed by Charlotte Perriand for Les Arcs Ski Resort in France. These solid pine wood stools embody the essence of minimalist design bringing both comfort and...
Pine
