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Niels Møller Armchair  

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danishmods
(@danishmods)
Eminent Member
Joined: 10 years ago
Posts: 20
09/03/2016 12:48 pm  

I picked up this armchair recently along with two #78 Møller chairs from a private person last week. I assumed the armchair was also Møller but haven't been able to identify it. It has some of Møller's design attributes but looks different in other areas. Any suggestions?
<img class="wpforo-defaul


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leif ericson - Zephyr Renner
(@leif-ericson)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 5660
09/03/2016 1:01 pm  

We just saw this chair recently:
http://www.designaddict.com/forum/Identification/Moller-rosewood-carvers


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AlishaReed
(@factoryfurniture-infogmail-com)
New Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 1
01/04/2016 10:59 am  

I think it is Møller's design, look does not matter so much.


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leif ericson - Zephyr Renner
(@leif-ericson)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 5660
01/04/2016 5:11 pm  

It looks wrong for Møller in one area that matters very much, enough to be certain it is not a Møller: the side seat rail has a sort of hump back shape you will not find in Møller's chairs ever. Beyond this element being 100% wrong in looks, the side rails are most of the structural integrity of a Møller chair. And they are stronger than most and usually without the extra structure of any stretchers down below, which is impressive. My point is that it takes more proof than "look does not matter so much" to credibly assert this is Møller.
As a final point Møller's production is well documented compared to most Danish makers, so it is also that much harder attribute it to him.


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Spanky
(@spanky)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 4376
01/04/2016 6:34 pm  

I agree with Leif about that side rail---I think that Møller's side rails are all the same. They all have an oval profile and are all straight, at least in my memory (and I've seen them all stripped down many times, though now having said that someone will come along with an example of one that's different--but not as different as the rail in the chair above!)
The other thing that isn't Møller-ish about this chair is the way the front legs are closer together at the floor than at the seat. This reminds me of the Kai Christensen chairs that I used to own but got rid of, because the back legs angle rather sharply inward towards the floor. They got wobbly over time and I always thought it was a design flaw---seems like there is more stress on the joint with this angle than when they are perpendicular to the seat like on Møllers.


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leif ericson - Zephyr Renner
(@leif-ericson)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 5660
01/04/2016 7:05 pm  

Well pointed out about the angling of the legs on the chair in question.
The other half of the problem with those chairs and wobbly joints is that the backrest swivels, and a necessary consequence of this is that there is a bit of side to side play at the swivel. Thus, the joints at the seat have to remain rigid by themselves, with no help from the backrest.
By contrast this chair also by Kai Kristiansen, and with angled in legs does not suffer from the same problem:


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Spanky
(@spanky)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 4376
02/04/2016 2:19 am  

Yes, you're exactly right, the backrest doesn't stabilize the frame the way most do---but BOY is that chair comfortable! I was sad to let them go (but very, very relieved not to have any more wear and tear done to them under my watch. They were rosewood and quite beautiful.)


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