Maxime Old, born, in Maisons-Alfort, a Parisian suburb, came from a lineage of fine cabinet makers in the Faubourg St. Antoine, a hub of this craft. He joined the family business after being urged by his mother to modernize their traditional trade. Although his background emphasized tradition, his furniture designs were refreshingly non-traditional.
Maxime’s career took shape when he worked with Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann until 1934, which exposed him to luxury and fine design. However, Maxime’s aesthetic is characterized by sleek, modern, and sculptural furniture, often devoid of embellishments.
Functionalism and comfort were essential in Maxime’s work, along with the use of both rare and accessible woods, such as oak, cherry, ash, and walnut. His designs favored perfect proportions, clean lines, and subtle angles, occasionally enhanced with bronze accents or fittings. His work was featured in influential design periodicals, and he received commissions from prestigious entities (The Mobilier Nationale, resulting in projects for the City Hall in Paris and the French Ministries in The Hague and Helsinki).
