Saturday, June 9, 2012

1000 Chairs

If you like collecting books about design as much as I do, you'll want this one on your shelf. It's called 1000 Chairs. I purchased a copy recently and have spent hours poring over it already.

The  book was compiled by Charlotte and Peter Fiell and published by Taschen. It contains beautiful images of the most important chairs of the past 200 years, some that are very familiar to you and some you will undoubtedly be delighted to see for the first time. The introduction offers a thought-provoking look at chairs as they relate to the user physiologically and psychologically, as well as intellectually, emotionally, aesthetically, culturally and even spiritually. It also examines the connection of structural components of chairs, their relation to other objects, their connection to manufacturing and the economy and, finally, their place in society.

It was difficult to stop posting photos of examples from the book. After all, there are 1000 chairs! If you don't see your favorite designers in this post, I'm sure you'll find their work in the book.

1000 Chairs by Charlotte and Peter Fiell
René Herbst
Alvar Aalto
Charles and Ray Eames
Donald Knorr (left) and Ray Komai (right)
Harry Bertoia
Arne Jacobsen
Hans Wegner
Joe Colombo
Eero Saarinen
Poul Kjaerholm
Finn Juhl
Pierre Paulin
Tom Dixon
at

13 comments:

  1. PippaJune 9, 2012 at 2:20 AM

    Excellent bedtime reading! Will have to pop to the bookstore! Thanks Dana for the tip, love the Eames! I'm looking for a good bio or autobiography on the Eames pair, do you have any recommendations?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dana@Mid2ModJune 9, 2012 at 9:33 AM

      You might look for Pat Kirkham's Charles and Ray Eames: Designers of the Century.

      If you haven't watched the film Charles and Ray Eames: The Architect and the Painter, you can see it online at:

      http://goo.gl/Geky8

      Delete
    2. PippaJune 10, 2012 at 11:10 PM

      Thanks will look it up, seen the film, which has prompted the desire to learn more about the pair, especially Ray!

      Delete
    3. AnonymousDecember 16, 2013 at 4:17 PM

      Hello all. This is truly an outstanding book.

      Delete
  2. LaLaLandJune 9, 2012 at 5:55 AM

    ooooo...chair candy! Thanks for featuring this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dana@Mid2ModJune 9, 2012 at 9:27 AM

      Who can ever get enough chairs? I'm glad you enjoyed this post! :)

      Delete
  3. A Modern LineJune 9, 2012 at 9:07 AM

    We've had this book at the store now for quite awhile. It's definetely one of the most comprehensive and complete mid-mod and beyond references any collector or dealer should own. Must have if you love chairs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dana@Mid2ModJune 9, 2012 at 9:26 AM

      It's definitely a must-have if you are a dealer or a hardcore thrifter. My SIL has had a copy of it at the store for a while too. We usually don't duplicate, but this one is so good I decided I had to have one for myself.

      Delete
    2. A Modern LineJune 9, 2012 at 8:47 PM

      We have been known to definetely duplicate copies for home and stores. Even though close to our businesses, we don't like to have to run out during business hours. I have most of the Heywood Wakefield at both home and busines along with a few others! This is another that I'll be looking for to keep at home...

      Delete
  4. Vintage HunterJune 9, 2012 at 4:34 PM

    Looks good! I might have to pick this up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dana@Mid2ModJune 10, 2012 at 12:41 AM

      I don't think you'd be disappointed. I think it's worth every penny.

      Delete
  5. chairsmithJune 12, 2012 at 4:53 PM

    This is a fabulous book - the chronology of designs is fascinating, the pictures fabulous and the limited narrative informative. But why only 1000!

    ReplyDelete