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Garth Chester, A fine and original pair of Curvesse chairs,…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Auckland
Date:
18-Oct-2022
Lot No.
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Description:
Garth Chester, A fine and original pair of Curvesse chairs, Designed in 1944, the Curvesse chair is an icon of New Zealand design. Author Douglas Loyd-Jenkins, in his book At Home: A Century of New Zealand Design, notes that the Curvesse chair was the first cantilevered plywood chair to appear anywhere in the world a progressive high point in local design. Inspired by the Bauhaus and international designers such as Marcel Breuer and Alvar Aalto, the Curvesse chair marries international form to a unique Kiwi DIY, No. 8 wire philosophy. The chair is made from several thin sheets of water-glue softened plywood, with two lengthwise cuts forming the arms, laminated together in a mould and pressed until set, and with solid runners providing a stable base. The failure rate was said to be about one in five. There are no definitive numbers on how many were manufactured, but the chair was ultimately a commercial failure, and most estimates suggest less than 500 were produced. Unfortunately, a mysterious fire burnt down Chesters workshop and destroyed all the presses and production equipment in the process. This led to a change in direction for the designer who then moved on to designing steel-framed furniture.
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Unclassified