Iconic Chair Series: The Bentwood Chair
nicola butcher
Starting with the bentwood chair this is my celebration of history’s most iconic designs.
Sitting was not so enjoyable in the early 19th century. Chairs tended to be dark, heavy and uncomfortable. Thankfully a new generation of designers came forward as the industrial revolution got into swing. They experimented with techniques that could be used for mass production and created a more comfy seat.
In 1808 Boston chair maker Samuel Gragg led the charge, bending solid wood with hot steam to create his ‘elastic’ chair range. Beautiful yet simple curved chairs that predated the better known wood bender Michael Thonet’s by 40 yrs. However Thonet took the art of wood bending to the masses with his No 14 chair. Its lightness, simplicity and timeless aesthetic is just as relevant today as it was 160 yrs ago. By 1930 50 million examples had been sold worldwide.
This chair transports me to a Parisian café, watching the world go by. And that’s what an iconic chair does… makes connections beyond its physical purpose.
Samuel Gragg Elastic chair
Michael Thonet No14 chair