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Armchair - Ax Chair

Ax Chair

  • Object:

    Armchair

  • Place of origin:

    Denmark (designed)

  • Date:

    1950 (designed)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Hvidt, Peter, born 1916 - died 1986 (designer)
    Nielsen, Orla Molgaard, born 1907 - died 1993 (designer)
    Fritz Hansen (manufacturer)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Laminated wood and replacement fabric upholstery

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Jonathan and Maria Pritchard

  • Museum number:

    W.11:1, 2-2005

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

  • Image in copyright

Although not immediately apparent, this chair is designed to be easily dismantled. The upholstery (which has been replaced) is fitted into channels in the wooden frame, and can be removed by pulling it forward from the front of the seat, and the stretchers unscrew. Each side of the chair is a single laminated wood unit comprising of the front and back legs, the side rail of the seat, the upright of the back, and the arm. The chair is more usually seen with a plywood seat and back that are not removable. This example belonged to Jack Pritchard, the founder of Isokon, the innovative modern furniture manufacturer in the 1930s. He used it in his weekend house in Blythburgh, Suffolk, which he built in 1962.

Physical description

[Armchair] Armchair with laminated wood frame and fabric seat. The front and back legs, arms, side rails and back uprights are continuous units. The left and right sides of the chair are held apart by four removable turned stretchers. The seat and back are a continuous padded fabric element with stitched squares and a central cutout at the back of the seat. The upholstery is fitted into a channel on the frame that runs from the front end of the seat to the top of the back on each side.
[Upholstery] Armchair upholstery, fabric and synthetic suede upholstered pad

Place of Origin

Denmark (designed)

Date

1950 (designed)

Artist/maker

Hvidt, Peter, born 1916 - died 1986 (designer)
Nielsen, Orla Molgaard, born 1907 - died 1993 (designer)
Fritz Hansen (manufacturer)

Materials and Techniques

Laminated wood and replacement fabric upholstery

Dimensions

[Armchair] Height: 79.5 cm, Width: 61 cm, Depth: 62 cm
[Upholstery] Width: 49 cm, Depth: 90 cm

Descriptive line

Laminated wood armchair with fabric seat and back and original upholstery sample, designed by Peter Hvidt and Orla Molgaard Nielsen, manufactured by Fritz Hansen, Denmark, 1950

Labels and date

AX CHAIR
Designed by Peter Hvidt and Orla Molgaard-Nielsen
Made by Fritz Hansen
Laminated wood and replacement fabric upholstery
Danish, 1950

Although not immediately apparent, this chair is designed to be easily dismantled. The upholstery is fitted into channels in the wooden frame, and can be removed by pulling it forward from the front of the seat, and the stretchers unscrew. This example belonged to Jack Pritchard, the founder of Isokon, the innovative modern furniture manufacturer in the 1930s, He used it in his weekend house in Blythburgh, Suffolk, which he built in 1962.

W.11-2005 [2005-2006]

Materials

Wood; Fabric

Categories

Furniture

Collection code

FWK

Qr_O114853
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