Coffee Table with Fossil Wood Inlay, France 1970

Ado Chale (France, circa 1970)
Coffee Table with Fossil Wood
Resin top, fossil wood inlay, patinated steel base, and ruby details 99.5 × 35.5 cm (H)
A remarkable coffee table by Ado Chale (b. 1928, Brussels), featuring a circular resin top inlaid with a striking fragment of fossilized wood. The tabletop rests on a sculptural double tripod base in patinated steel, combining organic materiality with refined industrial precision.
Chale’s distinctive artistry lies in his transformation of natural materials—stones, minerals, and fossils—into poetic, tactile compositions. Here, the contrast between the deep, lustrous resin and the ancient textures of the fossil wood embodies his fascination with geological time and alchemical processes.
Signed by the artist and embellished with a delicate set of rubies, this table exemplifies Chale’s mastery at the intersection of craftsmanship, sculpture, and design.