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Chair

1951 (designed), 1951 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This chair was designed for the Festival of Britain in 1951. It was Heal's principal contribution to the event and was used as terrace seating at the South Bank site, alongside Ernest Race's 'Antelope' and 'Springbok' chairs. Only nine hundred examples were produced in typical early 1950s pastel shades of pink, blue, yellow and white.

Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
painted, perforated sheet steel and bent steel rod
Brief description
White stacking terrace chair, perforated sheet steel and steel rod, designed by A.J. Milne for the Festival of Britain, manufactured by Heal & Son Ltd., UK, 1951.
Physical description
Stacking terrace chair with perforated sheet steel seat and back on a steel rod frame. The legs and arms are made of one bent steel rod on each sides. The whole chair is white painted.
Dimensions
  • Height: 80cm
  • Width: 56.8cm
  • Depth: 70.8cm
  • Seat height: 40.3cm
JS (17.12.2010)
Production typeLimited edition
Object history
The chair was designed for the Festival of Britain in 1951. It was Heal's principal contribution to the event. It was used as a terrace seating in the South Bank site, alongside Ernest Race's 'Antelope' and 'Springbok' chairs. Only nine hundred examples were produced in typical early 1950s pastel shades of pink, blue, yellow and white. This rare design represents a modern form typical of the period, and the distinctive palette of the Festival.

Historical significance: The chair is rare on the market. The surviving examples have been often repainted. No other examples in good original condition are known in public or private collections.
Production
Attribution note: 900 examples of the chair were produced for the Festival of Britain. Only nine hundred examples were manufactured in different colours.
Association
Summary
This chair was designed for the Festival of Britain in 1951. It was Heal's principal contribution to the event and was used as terrace seating at the South Bank site, alongside Ernest Race's 'Antelope' and 'Springbok' chairs. Only nine hundred examples were produced in typical early 1950s pastel shades of pink, blue, yellow and white.
Bibliographic reference
At the sign of the four Poster a History of Heals, Susanna Goodden, Heal and Son Ltd, London 1984, pp. 104/5.
Collection
Accession number
W.33-2010

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Record createdDecember 20, 2010
Record URL
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