I love following and authoring mid-mod blogs but lately I've been so tied up actually working on projects I've left both kind of by the wayside to catch up a bit.
The good thing about falling behind on blogs I follow is I can always go back and catch up later!
When I fail to post anything for a long period of time, followers probably think I've died or fallen off the flat edge of the earth. I'm here to say, I'm still around and asking for a little help identifying some Italian chairs I recently acquired.
Although the construction is similar to many of the Yugoslavian manufactured danish inspired surfboard arm chairs that seen pretty common, these are actually Italian made. They came to me with all the original seat bands in good condition. The same can't be said for the frames which are in need of a total refinish. They also came sans any cushions that obviously brought the purchase price down a bit.
Still, they are simply gorgeous and I couldn't pass them up!
Obviously, someone has tried to do a bit of repair work and flipped one of the back support and this will need to be broken apart and addressed along with some other issues but I think these will turn out absolutely drop dead gorgeous when finished.
Any readers out there have any idea who designed these sculptured pieces of furniture of art posing as furniture?
I'll try and be better about following up in this and other projects in the future!
A Modern Line
Those are going to be knock-outs when they're refinished. I don't know what they are, but I'll ask Joe if he knows.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dana, I'd think someone out there has some info. They have kind of a Pearsall feel to them but as they're of Italian manufacture the designer may be as well. Can't wait to get some other projects cleaned up and get into these!
DeleteThese are going to be fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI am so looking forward to the redo on these. I too think they will really pop especially if I can get the right fabric. I'll have to farm out the upholstery work to my pros and they always do a great job! It may be awhile, but I'll post up the "afters" when done!
DeleteWhat's your plan for the finish?
ReplyDeleteHey Nate, After removing all the old finish I'll probably see how the Minwax early american oil based stain looks. If I's too light I may mix with some walnut and then shoot with satin lacqquer.
DeleteDid you ever find more information on these? I have a chair just like this with the same mark! Lucky me, I found it at the flea market for $10, adorned with some hideous plaid cushions. I recovered the cushions, but the finish is still a bit of a mess. Any recommendations for sandpaper grit and stain color/finish?
ReplyDeleteHey Ashleigh, I broke the frames completely apart for the most part as someone had had apart previously and one of the slats in the back was upside down. Sanded with 80 grit (I have no patience for finish removal although you need to be careful with the 80) and then finished out with 220 and stained with a mix of early american and some jacobean stain I think and shot with 2 coats of satin and 2 coats of semi-gloss rattle can lacquer. BTW, I paid a lot more than the $10 you dished for your chair. Waht a deal! Still looking for some attribution...
DeleteIt looks like I beat both you and Ashleigh D. I recently bought one of these at a garage sale for $8. It looks in the same condition that yours did.
DeleteA restored pair just sold on eBay for $455.
Did you ever identify it? Thanks.
Hey GSC, No, never found any designer attribution but sold the pair for closer to $700+ in the store quite awhile ago which I thought was more than fair for an end user that loved them! They will still be around 50 years from now with a little TLC and all the crap they sell at furniture retail stores today will long be in landfills! Hopefully there will still be someone in the future that can love and refinish and recover them again 50 years down the road and give them another 50 years of life! That's the beauty of lasting quality. These pieces stand the test of time and are an investment, not some throw away junk...
Delete.