Jorge Jabour’s furniture rewards a closer look. Rounded legs, softened edges, and richly figured Brazilian rosewood give his pieces a recognizable character. Across chairs, tables, and storage furniture, his work brings together practical function and a careful attention to proportion.
Coffee Table in Solid Rosewood & Marble by Jorge Jabour for Móveis Cantu, Brazilian Modern, 1960s
Known professionally as Jorge Jabour Mauad, he was a Brazilian architect and furniture designer associated with Cantù Móveis e Interiores Ltda. Working alongside architect Osires Cunha Meale, he helped shape the company’s furniture during the 1960s. With stores in Copacabana and Niterói, Cantù formed part of the modern design community in the Rio de Janeiro region.
Surviving maker’s label from Cantu Móveis e Interiores Ltda.
Details of Jabour’s early life—including his birthplace, the exact beginning of his career, and his personal reasons for entering furniture design—remain less thoroughly documented than the furniture itself. His architectural background, however, provides a useful way to understand his approach. Cantù offered both furniture and interior design services, connecting individual pieces to the spaces they were intended to furnish.
Jabour’s furniture is documented from the 1960s, with some pieces attributed to him dated to the 1950s. Found Collectibles’ collection includes an extendable rosewood dining table dated to the earlier decade, alongside seating and tables from the 1960s. These dates offer a view of his production, although they do not establish precisely when he began designing.
Extendable Rosewood Dining Table by Jorge Jabour, Brazilian Modern, 1950s
What makes his work distinctive is the consistency of its details. Rounded, baton-shaped legs appear across several pieces in our collection, connecting a marble-top coffee table, dining tables, and upholstered seating through a shared visual language. Edges are softened, proportions are considered, and the grain of the wood becomes an essential part of the design.
Close-up of the legs on Jorge Jabour Extendable Rosewood Dining Table.
Close-up of the legs on Jabour Coffee Table In Rosewood and Marble
Brazilian rosewood plays a central role in these pieces. Its dramatic figuring brings movement to otherwise restrained forms, while combinations with marble and upholstery introduce contrasting textures. In the coffee tables, a substantial stone surface rests above rounded wooden supports. In the chairs, exposed rosewood frames define the structure around the upholstered seat and back.
Jorge Jabour Pair of Club Armchairs in Brazilian Rosewood and Sage Mohair, Brazil, 1960s
These qualities place Jabour’s work within the wider language of Brazilian modern furniture: geometric construction, natural materials, and forms designed for everyday use. His particular appeal lies in how these elements come together quietly, through repeated details and balanced proportions.
Jabour’s work echoes the robust, almost brutalist character of Sergio Rodrigues’s furniture, with substantial wooden frames and an emphasis on visible structure. His own interpretation feels more restrained, pairing that strength with softened edges, rounded legs, and carefully balanced proportions. These details give his pieces a distinct identity within the broader language of Brazilian modern design.
Dining tables, club chairs, and rosewood-and-marble coffee tables provide useful starting points for exploring his designs. His work with Meale also extended to storage furniture, including a documented jacaranda bookcase from the 1960s. Together, these examples show an approach that could move between seating, surfaces, and the organization of an interior.
Brazilian Modern Nesting Tray Tables in Rosewood by Jorge Jabour, 1960s
Brazilian Modern Dining Table in Rosewood by Jorge Jabour, 1960s
At Found Collectibles, our Jabour selection offers the opportunity to see this range firsthand. Our online collection currently includes: