Learn more about the History of Design! 5 chairs that revolutionised Modern Design.
Chair is probably one of the most popular pieces of furniture our Furniture Experts get to value at ValueMyStuff. We get chairs from across all possible centuries and styles. Chair is one of the most basic but simultaneously one of the most important furniture pieces, from a royal throne to a simple wooden stool. Learn with us about 5 iconic chairs that pushed forward the History of Design
"A chair is a very difficult object. A skyscraper is almost easier." - Mies van der Rohe
Thonet Chairs, late 19th century, source: Auktionskammare
1. Thonet Chairs
Michael Thonet(1796 – 1871) was a German-Austrian furniture maker and the inventor of bentwood furniture. He used steam to relax wooden fibers in planks which were then shaped with iron rails to achieve the rounded and organic designs. Wood cured with that technology was stronger and and fast to produce, which made Thonet furniture hugely popular during the late 19th and early 20th century. Thonet's technology marks an important leap in furniture making on an industrial scale.
Mies van der Rohe, MR 20, 1927, source: Quittenbaum
2. Mies van der Rohe, MR 20
Although Mies van der Rohe was trained architect he also often designed bespoke furniture for the spaces he created. He was one of the pioneers to use industrial materials in furniture, and above all metal and chrome pipes. He started working on MR- series in 1920's perfecting his design with each generations of those chair. The use of just two materials- leather and chrome pipe give the chair the sleek and timeless look. It stood in quite a juxtaposition of heavy wooden furniture from the previous century.
Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand, LC2. 1928: source: Rehaus
3. Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand, LC2, 1928
The LC2, also known as Grand Confort was originally designed for Cassina, an Italian design furniture manufacturer. This piece is the marriage between new modern materials and comfort which aligned with a completely new style language developed during 1920's and 1930's. Grand Confort sofas and armchairs are to this day one of the favourite furniture pieces to be places in modern interiors, despite the fact that they are almost 100 years old.
Arne Jacobsen, Egg Chair, 1958, source: Schuler Auktioner
4. Arne Jacobsen, Egg Chair, 1958
Arne Jacobsen (1902.1971) was a Danish architect and furniture designer. He was devoted to architectural functionalism, and is widely praised for the many successful chair designs, such as Egg, Swan, Ant or Tongue. Egg Chair is probably one of the most recognisable chairs in the world. It was first designed in 1959 for Radisson SAS Hotel in Copenhagen, as a part of its bespoke interior.
Charles and Ray Eames rosewood lounge chair (670) and ottaman (671), 1956, source: Liveauctioneers
5. Charles and Ray Eames rosewood lounge chair (670) and ottoman (671), 1956
Charles (1907–1978) and Ray (1912–1988) Eames were the iconic married couple of designers that made significant historical contributions to the history of industrial design. Apart from architecture and furniture they also transferred their innovative ideas into graphic design, fine art and film. Their lounge chair was actually the first chair that the Eameses designed for a high-end market. It was supposed to be luxurious, comfortable and was suposed to give the impression of used baseball mitt. One of the innovative materials used for the chair was innovative plywood, made of thin layers of rosewood glued and formed together into desired shape. Although comfortable, this chair speaks "business". No wonder they use it for the jury in Shark Tank!