There are other
measures of value besides "what will it bring in the market" -- hard as that may be to believe. Perhaps the world can live without yet another worn-out example of a production piece ?
Wood which parts at a glue-line or along the grain can easily and permanently be repaired, it is true. Wood missing random bits of fiber on its outer surface is another matter altogether. We get new tires for our cars, new shoes for our feet. Should furniture be regarded differently ?
RE: Lunchbox/ SDR
Sigh....I repeat...I had the original runners repaired and have them in my closet. My only reason for having replicas made was so I didn't have any more wear and tear on the original runners but could have the chair out for every day use and not have little heart palpitations every time it's used.
The original runners this baby came with saw heavy use, I didn't want to add more to it but still wanted the chair too look as good as it should - hence having custom runners made from the exact specs of the originals. As I said I also had the break on the org runner repaired.
Thanks for the moral support SDR. This is chair just for my personal use and if I have say in will be sold only when I'm dead. I have a small fantasy now that my RAR looks much like it would have fresh out of a store in 1953.
- Maria
It's vintage...
I don't understand the trend of wanting vintage design to look new. Just buy new?
It's just furniture in the end, of course. But SDR does touch on a telling truth. If you can't be comfortable with something in your home environment it may not be worth having. Is it serving you a purpose or vice versa?
And SDR, a break at the seam is exactly what she had if I'm not mistaken. But I find it odd that you're so keen on replacement here when you so often preach the "leave it as is and enjoy it" mantra.
Lunchbox
I don't think it's a matter of new vs vintage looks. Tell me people wouldn't fall over themselves if some RAR appeared that was bought brand new, never used and stored safely away for 60 years, and appeared mint on the market. The most sought after "vintage" items are those in the very best, near mint condition. Hence why rip off artists on eBay like Modernisia get big bucks refurbishing vintage pieces then just pawning them off as "Minty" vintage, museum quality. - gag
When Charles and Ray designed chairs the ideas were in there most realized form fresh off the production line - not after 60 years of wear and tear.
I always buy vintage, but I'm certainly happier the better the condition and as close to "new" as possible. I don't see anything wrong with that. I wont keep something in shabby shape just to be "authentic" - people have to get new upholstry on vintage stuff as a rule, otherwise it looks shabby or worse.
If you had a choice between a rope edge vintage RAR that was in near mint condition, even "new" looking, or one that had the look of being used for 60 years (with faded gel coat, little hairline cracks, deteriorating zinc, worn runners) which would you chose?
I think some go a little overboard romanticizing "vintage." I want an furniture with great design that looks good - not worn out. It's a fine line and I will always chose buying authentic vintage pieces, but I won't apologize for wanting them to look their best and trying to put some more years back into them.
If I wasn't a stickler for total authentic vintage pieces I would have just bought one of the countless shells people have stuck Modernica rocker bases on.
(funny this whole thing started over the runners when the fact is if I wasn't so anal and worried about protecting my RAR I would just use the org. runners, but because I want to preserve this chair as best I can I got custom replicas done. This is the only RAR and rope edge chair I own, so I will do whatever I can to preserve it.)
-Maria
Another Note
If I thought the current produced runners I've seen looked like the original RAR Runners - and were as well made as the originals, I would have just purchased them. But I do not think that.
I think they look poorly made compared to the originals, and their stock wood is poorer quality than what can be sourced - and THEY ARE NOT IN BIRCH - which is kind of important as our originals ARE BIRCH.
Like all their excuses for cutting corners these days, I am not interested in it - or anything of lesser quality.
Perhaps if they made them to definite standards, I might be interested. When I want plastic looking runners - I know where to shop and find them.
I am dazzled at some people getting "grunty" over our spending $60 with a local craftsman to produce high quality runners rather than pay modernica $120 for a base made in china, or 45 Euros on Runners produced goodness-knows where and still that do not look up to par.
I wanted the runners we use everyday to look like the runners that came with the RAR - which are being preserved by us, to spare them from more ware and tear.
Comments by lovers and collectors as opposed to shady dealers - you know the kind that like to say "Keep it original for gods sake!" and then when you walk into their shop to sell something they say "...Looks kind of beat up, don't know if I can give you much.. no one wants it in shabby condition?" Then if they buy it they do little touch-ups, call it professional restoration and sell it off for a mint.
I have a confession - I actually touched up a 1962 credenza from Florence Knoll with some spot stain on a 1/4 inch patch that was worn by the previous owner when he walked past it. Some may wonder how I can sleep at night.
Those that say "no repro's" I guess that means a 1962 Canvas Edition Wassily Chair made in Italy or a later Leather Knoll produced ones are worth nothing because actually the Wassily chair was made in the 20's and Thonet held the rights before Gavina or Knoll, and therefore, are knocks-offs - Am I reading you right?
Or is the reason why we praise Gavina is because of the QUALITY of work - unparalleled - ah, now we have the real reason why we like these pieces. Iconic and quality.
I want original, and if original means needs some love, then give it love. 50 years from now Tom and Jerry stand there and Jerry says "Looks terrible, why didn't you re-do a protective wax or varnish?" Tom says "Nope, had to be original, now it looks like IT IS 100 years old..."
Give it a coat. Or lock it up in an oxygen and UV free room.
Thank you to all the nice comments who appreciate the simplicity of what the thread began as, and thank you to the other points of view for making a tiny issue such a fascinating insight into the world of Design Addicts - whose crack cocaine is molded bent plywood, vintage nonetheless!
-AS
ok - 3 years later - stumbled across this whilst looking for RAR rocker replacements... and I just wanted to say your runners are gorgeous! And well done.
If anyone does know where to get birch replacement runners in the UK I need some to make my old RAR useable... (i'll bag the originals up before they completely fall arpart).
I think my RAR my have lived in a houe with a dog at some point?
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