Maria Pergay

Born in Moldova in 1930 and raised in Paris, Maria Pergay (died 2023) turned to stainless steel in 1968, first shown at the Galerie Maison et Jardin. Her Flying Carpet daybed, Ring chair and Wave pieces showed that an industrial metal could be sensual and precious. She later worked with wood, shagreen and parchment. Collectors prize her early steel works of the late 1960s and 1970s.