Everyone who loves mid-century design has seen the 1961 photo below that ran with a
Playboy magazine article featuring the major designers of the day.
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| l to r: George Nelson, Edward Wormley, Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia, Charles Eames and Jens Risom |
What you may not have seen is a real, live C140 chair, now affectionately called the
Playboy Chair, with which Jens Risom is posing. And if you blinked, you may have missed the two fully restored C140s we had in the store. They were exquisitely restored with the exact fabric and same cane the chair in the photo had. Take a look at these beauties.
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| C140 "Playboy Chairs" by Jens Risom at the store |
These were, hands down, the most accurately restored pieces we've ever had in the store, and they flew out the door yesterday before I could even publish this post. Before the end of the day, the new owners had visited our Facebook page to share a picture of the chairs in their home.
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| Jens Risom C140s in their new home |
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| Jens Risom, whose 96th birthday is coming up May 8. |
I'm awaiting delivery on my Jens Risom rocker from Design Within Reach. I discovered something interesting. One day while walking around, I found some used children's books on the sidewalk. One caught my eye -- it was very stylish and mid-century looking -- and I brought it home. It's called "I Am A Bunny" and the author is Ole Risom. I looked him up, and sure enough he's Jens' brother!
ReplyDeleteSo interesting...I had no idea that Risom's brother was an author of children's books or was an executive at Golden Books. I feel another "Back in the day" post coming on.
DeleteThat is so strange. I, too, just picked up the same book a couple of weeks ago. I got it for 25 cents at a thrift store. It's not in great shape but the cover is still bright and cheery and some of the pages are still fully in tact. I thought the illustrations might be good for framing. I bought it because I collect Richard Scarry books and he is the illustrator. Cool to know about Ole Risom!
DeleteI so love that picture. Look at Charles Eames. Isn't he a dish?!
ReplyDeleteI also get a huge thrill when I read/hear how people buy a piece of furniture and then relish their purchase! How proud they must have been to display and show their new chairs! It's always nice to know these beautiful pieces are in safe hands.
Dish....YES!
DeleteI love that picture too. That has to go down in the Playboy annals as the best article they ever did on design.
DeleteI'm gonna be odd man out. Everyone always thinks Charles Eames is a dish, but Jens Risom is the one in that picture that I think looks like a dreamboat. He's almost 100 years old, and he's still a good looking man.
I'm with you Dana, Jens is definetely the pic of the bunch in my o-pin-ion.
DeleteHow thrilled you'd be to park your bottom in one of these. Although, if they were mine, I'd do it extremely gingerly.
Mr. Risom is so a dish, even today. I think it is the touch of gray hair in the original picture that attracts me to him. He looks fabulous at 96!
DeleteLovely chairs, lovely story, lucky people!
ReplyDeleteMy SIL said the couple came in to look around and spotted the chairs, and it was love at first sight. They left "to think about it" and were back in less than 5 minutes to make the purchase.
DeleteI'm really happy for them, because they will treasure those chairs for the rest of their lives. When you find something that significant and that beautiful, you should grab it, like they did!
Beautiful C140's....Thankfully to the fortunate couple who reconized true MCM style.
DeleteVery fortunate couple indeed! So many people would love to own these.
DeleteI did not know they called these the Playboy chairs. Learn something new all the time from your blog, Dana! Pinned it!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the post, Rachael. Aren't they scrumptious?
DeleteI'm so glad that the C140 chairs went to someone who will take care of them.
ReplyDeleteMe too. I hope someone is still enjoying them yet another 60 years later.
DeleteGorgeous. Don't these men look so glam (in a masculine way)! love the chairs. I'm glad the owners were so excited to post a pic. Love that!
ReplyDeleteTotally glam...and so gifted. The amount of talent in that picture amazes me.
DeleteI love that photo, and have it saved on my computer 'just because'! But wow, those chairs!!! Thanks for a little more info on them, and oh, the lucky new owners!!!
ReplyDeleteI've had that photo saved on my computer for ages too, even though I had never used it before we got these chairs. It finally seemed fitting. :)
Deletewhich type of color is the fabric? .love it. is Hallingdal ?
ReplyDeleteI'd have to ask the man who restored them. He's not our usual upholsterer. Instead, he restored them on his own and had them on consignment at our store.
DeleteHello there,
DeleteI too would love to know what the color and or fabric was. You said it was the "exact fabric". I've been trying to find that out. If you don't know, could you provide a contact for the upholsterer who did the job? Also, the color looks different in all pictures. Was it pure orange? or pure red? Or was it a combination? It looks orange in the Playboy photo. Anyhow, thanks for whatever information you can provide!
John
The chairs were upholstered in a red Hallingdal fabric by Kvadrat. It seems that red is one of the hardest colors to photograph, because lighting can make it look orange, but the photo nearest the actual color is the next-to-last one.
DeleteThank you!
DeleteJohn
thanks.!!I would love to know how much were the chairs..
ReplyDeletewould love to know how much were the chairs?
ReplyDeleteWe were selling them on consignment for a friend, and I don't remember how much they sold for. Sorry...
DeleteFor Sale!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ebay.com/itm/Jens-Risom-chair-C140-Playboy-Chair-Plus-Playboy-July1961-/261097084240?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cca995550