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Early Knoll Webbed Chair  

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Hipster001
(@kmckeon001hotmail-com)
Active Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 8
16/10/2010 1:39 am  

Hello,

I recently found one of these chairs at a yardsale and purchased it for the reasonalble price of $5!!!

As the story goes, these chairs were originally designed during the war so springs and hardware were difficult to incorporate. Early Knoll designers used surplus parachute webbing that had failed government standards.

The webbing is not original on my piece and I'm curious if anyone knows of a resource for the original webbing?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Keep It Modern!




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(@jazzbosympatico-ca)
Famed Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 319
16/10/2010 1:47 am  

Abel Sorenson
Designed by Abel Sorenson. I have 3 of these chairs, 2 with arms.
I sourced some webbing to redo the chairs several years ago, unfortunately I don't remember from where. I'll let you know if I can dig up the info.


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fastfwd
(@fastfwd)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 1721
16/10/2010 1:50 am  

Knoll sells webbing for the Risom chairs...
so maybe they also sell it for that Sorenson chair. 800 343-5665.


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Hipster001
(@kmckeon001hotmail-com)
Active Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 8
16/10/2010 2:22 am  

RE: Podboy
What color webbing do your chairs have? I'm also curious of the construction of your chairs. My chair back is mortised to the seat portion and there are no triangular supports underneath the seat. Are yours like this?


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NULL NULL
(@teapotd0meyahoo-com)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 4318
16/10/2010 2:41 am  

Hi
I would just buy the cheapest nylon or canvas webbing available.
Great find, btw.


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Hipster001
(@kmckeon001hotmail-com)
Active Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 8
17/10/2010 5:54 am  

1940's Parachute Webbing
I'm sure leather was an option but I really like the idea of keeping it period. The fact that these were originally designed using discarded parachute straps really speaks to the ingenuity and frugal sensibility in with which these were designed.
"The 600 line was designed around the few available materials,such as parachute Webbing ~" rejected by the military for failing stress tests " for chair seats and backs. Looking back today, Risom says that the limitations helped him figure out how to eliminate traditional furniture elements such as "springs, which you couldn't get, filling, which you couldn?t get, and upholstery and so on... it was simple, basic furniture and hopefully comfortable to sit on." In a 1943 issue or Architecture Forum, the 600 Line chairs were described as "solutions both ingenious and inexpensive. And indeed, they were economical: a simple side chair cost $10 20. But during Risoms tour in the army from 1943 to 1945, he says, the royalties "kept my Wife and child alive."
-www.modernismmagazine.com
Although the chair originally had olive straps I prefer the chair in black. I intend to use this to replace the straps.


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tick
 tick
(@tick)
Noble Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 243
17/10/2010 6:54 pm  

Douglas Snelling webbed chair
Australian architect Douglas Snelling also did a range of webbed furniture using parachute strapping and later synthetic strapping. He got the idea after a trip to the U.S. And there are no prizes for guessing his inspiration.


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