Italian Modern Solid Wood and Vienna Straw Pair of High Backed Chairs, 1980s

Italian mid-century modern wood and straw armchairs, 1940s. Pair of armchairs with rectangular woven straw seats and backrests framed in wood, featuring brass detailing. The armrests...

Italian mid-century modern Armchairs in woven straw and wood, 1940s Pair of armchairs with square woven straw seat. The backrest has 3 shaped wooden slats. Shaped wooden armrests. Th...

French mid-century modern dark wood and straw chairs by Georges Robert, 1950s Set of 4 chairs with square straw seat. The structure is in dark wood. The seat is made with three sligh...

Italian mid-century modern Tub chairs in straw and wood, 1970s Set of 4 tub chairs with round straw seats. The rounded backrest and armrests are made of wood. The wooden structure ha...

Beautiful pair of perfectly lacquered chairs, distinctive straw seat kept in perfect condition. The chairs with a very square design have an exclusive contrast between the polishing ...

A pair of beautiful, rare, original 1960s bamboo chairs. Beautiful design and very comfortable to sit on. Made in Italy. Made entirely of bamboo, with a great craftsmanship. The chai...

Mid-Century Modern wood and rattan French Rationalist chairs, by unknown designer. Manufactured in France, circa 1950. In original condition with minor wear consistent of age a...

Mid-century designers were eager to break free from the aesthetics of the past and experiment with new forms, and techniques. At the same time, especially in Europe, the modernist design movement was often based on traditional styles and techniques, such as turned chairs. Turned chairs — sometimes called thrown chairs or spindle chairs — represent a style of Elizabethan or Jacobean turned furniture that had a vogue in the late 16th and early 17th century. The technique was carried on to the 20th century and was widespread in Europe as well, where craftsmen created durable pieces for various interiors and purposes. In turned furniture, the individual wooden spindles of the piece were made by shaping them with chisels and gouges while they were being spun, or turned between the centre points of a lathe. The construction of this pair is evocative of the more robust Arts and Crafts Movement, featuring subtle decorative elements such as the finials atop the backs. The sphere-shaped finials aren’t the only ornamentations on the design; the shape of the two splats on the back, the carved stretchers and carving on the feet are all decorative features that make this pair visually arresting. In later turned chairs, like this pair, rush seats were common. Here, the seats are woven around the frames with a light colour that beautifully contrasts to the dark, patinated wood. The partnership of the two natural materials is very effective as well; the wood and rush pair...