The Chaleyssin company was founded by his Father. In 1896 his two sons carry on the family business with Francisque being the creator.
He begins producing copies of ancient furniture. In 1912, the company takes the name of Mercier & Chaleyssin. In 1920's the first pieces are English in style or with some Louis XVI elements, along with Paul Follot's influencial style.
Joseph, Francisque's brother, dies in 1923. Francisque is now alone at the head of the company and hires his son-in-law André Ducaroy. Ducaroy becomes the senior designer of the modern furniture until around 1930. At this time, the production is focused on Art Deco. In 1934, Chaleyssin leaves Mercier, primarily due to complications with the son-in-law André Ducaroy, with whom he had fallen out with. In the lead up to and during the war Chaleyssin returns to a classically-driven vision. When Chaleyssin gives a lecture in 1941 as regards Decorative Arts he advocates modernism and insists on Art Nouveau as erring aesthetically and morally.
After the war Chaleyssin's modernist-enthused style becomes unfashionable and the company, until his death in 1951, has to rely on reproducing existing models and finally closes its doors in 1960.
