bertoia – DesignApplause

important design auction. wright.

Dec 11, 2014

nuage bibliothèque | charlotte perriand | ateliers jean prouvé for galerie steph simon | c. 1956

this is a great offering. important design is among wright’s most exclusive auctions of the year. the most celebrated designers of the 20th century are represented in this auction, including paul evans, charlotte perriand, ron arad, harry bertoia, george nakashima, pierre jeanneret, max ingrand and gio ponti.

highlights of the sale include a selection of designs by frank lloyd wright, such as a pair of lounge chairs from the clarence sondern house in kansas city, and a desk from the impertial hotel, tokyo. also outstanding in important design is a mesa coffee table designed by t.h. robsjohn-gibbings, a pair of prefacto chairs by pierre guariche, an iconic wonderlamp by verner panton, and a studio-made general motors firebird iii model designed by the legendary harley j. earl.

big easy volume 2 for 2 | ron arad | ron arad associates | 1989

welded front cabinets, pair | paul evans | paul evans studio | 1969

chandelier, model 1441 | max ingrand | fontana arte | c. 1954

grande compass table from the electricité de france, marcoule | jean prouvé | ateliers jean prouvé | c. 1954

nocturne radio, model 1186 | walter dorwin teague | sparton corporation | 1936

[ important design design ] includes many works of exceptional design. each item will be featured in our award-winning, full-color auction catalog as well as presented in our online preview at [ view lots ] | 1440 west hubbard street chicago | 312 563 0020 [ auction / chicago ]

auction > 11 december 2014 | 12 noon cst

Kobi chair by patrick norguet.

Jul 19, 2012

click > enlarge

Without specifically naming Bertoia, French designer Patrick Norguet cites the “tradition of iron wire chairs” as the inspiration for his Kobi chair, designed for Italian furniture manufacturer Alias. Of course, if you want to make a woven metal chair, references to Bertoia are impossible to avoid. Still, Norguet expands on is predecessor’s basket-weave seat, bringing it up higher on the sides. The base is more prominent, too, with thicker legs and a wider support belt made from cast aluminum that wraps from the seat bottom all the way out to the sides.

Seat cushions are available in fabric and leather, and there are two options for the chair as well: support and legs in stove enamelled aluminum with a colored or chrome shell, or a stove enamelled support with aluminum legs in oak veneered aluminum and a shell lacquered in a variety of colors.

Even though my family’s hand-me-down Bertoia patio chairs are rusty and badly in need a paint job, I still prefer the shape of his seat over Norguet’s. What do you think? Is the Kobi an unnecessary remake, an overdue upgrade, or simply another option?

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