Chromed steel mesh armchair with moulded cushion, designed by Harry Bertoia.
Identifier
FPF468
Title
Chromed steel mesh armchair with moulded cushion, designed by Harry Bertoia.
Date
Designed in 1952, manufactured c. 1970
Description
A chromed steel mesh armchair with moulded cushion known as the Diamond Chair, designed by Harry Bertoia and manufactured by Knoll.
Full Description
This upholstered armchair in the form of a diamond-shaped shell is made of a welded steel mesh and underframe, with chromed finish, and a moulded latex foam cushion covered in woollen fabric. It was designed by Harry Bertoia in 1952 for Knoll Associates, Chicago and was innovative in its use of steel and foam to create a dynamic form of chair, very different from most chairs at that time. It was called the Diamond Chair. Bertoia said of his wire chairs, "They are mainly made of air, like sculpture. Space passes right through them.".
These chairs were initially handmade, since a suitable mass-production process could not be found. The original design included two thin wires welded on either side of the mesh seat. However, this design had been patented by Charles & Ray Eames for their own wire chair design, produced by Herman Miller. So Bertoia and Knoll redesigned the seat edge, using a thicker single wire with the edges ground at a smooth angle by hand, a method still used in their production today.
Harry Bertoia (1915-1978) was born in Italy and moved to America in the mid-1930s. He studied art and jewellery design at Cranbrook Academy of Art, where he became close friends with other pioneering designers including Charles and Ray Eames. From 1950 Bertoia worked in Pennsylvania with fellow Cranbrook graduate, Florence Knoll. During this period he designed five wire pieces of furniture which became known as the Bertoia Collection for Knoll. Among them was the Diamond Chair.
Bertoia’s legacy lives on and his Diamond chairs are still in production.
Bertoia’s Bird Ottoman is also in the Collection, FPF469.
These chairs were initially handmade, since a suitable mass-production process could not be found. The original design included two thin wires welded on either side of the mesh seat. However, this design had been patented by Charles & Ray Eames for their own wire chair design, produced by Herman Miller. So Bertoia and Knoll redesigned the seat edge, using a thicker single wire with the edges ground at a smooth angle by hand, a method still used in their production today.
Harry Bertoia (1915-1978) was born in Italy and moved to America in the mid-1930s. He studied art and jewellery design at Cranbrook Academy of Art, where he became close friends with other pioneering designers including Charles and Ray Eames. From 1950 Bertoia worked in Pennsylvania with fellow Cranbrook graduate, Florence Knoll. During this period he designed five wire pieces of furniture which became known as the Bertoia Collection for Knoll. Among them was the Diamond Chair.
Bertoia’s legacy lives on and his Diamond chairs are still in production.
Bertoia’s Bird Ottoman is also in the Collection, FPF469.
Condition
The chrome frame is showing uniformly distributed spots of rust.
There is extensive degradation of the latex foam filling.
Conservation repairs were carried out on the fabric cover in December 2019.
There is extensive degradation of the latex foam filling.
Conservation repairs were carried out on the fabric cover in December 2019.
Materials
Chromed steel.
Latex foam.
Wool.
Latex foam.
Wool.
Physical Dimensions
H. 67
W. 112
D. 84
W. 112
D. 84
Provenance
Purchased by the Frederick Parker Foundation at auction, February 2010.
Notes
Sources for this piece:
Harry Bertoia | Wikipedia
The Bertoia Collection | Knoll
swiveluk.com
harrybertoia.org
See also: Mateo Kries, Vitra Atlas of Furniture Design, 2019, pp. 422-3.
Harry Bertoia | Wikipedia
The Bertoia Collection | Knoll
swiveluk.com
harrybertoia.org
See also: Mateo Kries, Vitra Atlas of Furniture Design, 2019, pp. 422-3.
