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Barcelona chair replica - Page 3

post #31 of 37
11/20/09 at 12:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lefty View Post
No.



Yes.

This is the most uncomfortable chair I've ever sat upon. 20 minutes tops and you'll be squirming and shifting your weight. My BIL has a vintage pair that he reconditioned and I love watching him crawl all over the thing trying to get comfortable. I believe that was deliberate design feature as they are meant to be a temporary seat.
lefty

Not sure if it was mentioned here before, but the chair was designed essentially as 'throne' seating for the king and queen of Spain, for when they visited the Barcelona Pavilion at the 1929 Worlds Fair in Germany. The throne chairs were the only items in white. All other furniture was black.

This from one review of the pavilion:

"The only function it had to accommodate was a reception for the King and Queen of Spain as they signed the "Golden Book" officially opening the exposition. According to Mies, the furniture designed and fabricated especially for the pavilion, the Barcelona chairs and stools, went unused during the opening ceremony. "To tell you the truth," he remarked, "nobody ever used them.""
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post #32 of 37
11/20/09 at 12:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by allreds View Post
+1

Look for a stainless frame. You won't get that from Knoll. Instead, you'll get chrome that will pit over time.

BTW, they're quite comfortable when you have the ottoman as well.

Can you back that up?
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post #33 of 37
11/20/09 at 1:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mlyngard View Post
Can you back that up?

If you're asking about price, I guess stainless is an option, but isn't what you'll get for your $4300.

4.3k for chrome, 6.6k for stainless
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post #34 of 37
11/20/09 at 2:14pm
mlyngard - any thoughts on pros/con of stainless vs. chrome? $2,300 is quite the amount of money for the upgrade.
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post #35 of 37
11/20/09 at 3:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by allreds View Post
If you're asking about price, I guess stainless is an option, but isn't what you'll get for your $4300.

4.3k for chrome, 6.6k for stainless

Thanks. Didn't know that Knoll was doing a chromed base now. Hm. I'm wondering if it's in response to all the knock-offs out there and the higher demand in contract vs. resi.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gomestar View Post
mlyngard - any thoughts on pros/con of stainless vs. chrome? $2,300 is quite the amount of money for the upgrade.

I can guess at them: Salt air, moisture, deferred cleaning etc. are tougher on chrome. Stainless is obviously solid barstock stainless = good, but polished stainless also needs special care and stainless polish to keep the shine. Chrome can chip, develop rust spots, get hazy. Stainless can get whorls if not polished with stainless polish. Otherwise, I'd trust anything stainless over any plating, especially in kick/rub areas like a chair base. Plus, any deep scratches can be literally polished/ground out with stainless, where you'd just be grinding off the very thin plating with chrome.

I also feel that stainless has a much more seductive lustre than bright chrome.

In the long run, I'd feel that for that piece, as a luxury item and design icon and one you can pass down, an additional 2k is totally worth it. Plus, 2k amortized over fifty years is inconsequential.

I'd have to do more research as to whether the originals were done in stainless, but I believe they were - so again - true to the design intent.
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post #36 of 37
11/20/09 at 6:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mlyngard View Post
Not sure if it was mentioned here before, but the chair was designed essentially as 'throne' seating for the king and queen of Spain, for when they visited the Barcelona Pavilion at the 1929 Worlds Fair in Germany. The throne chairs were the only items in white. All other furniture was black.

This from one review of the pavilion:

"The only function it had to accommodate was a reception for the King and Queen of Spain as they signed the "Golden Book" officially opening the exposition.

Did not know that but considering how uncomfortable they are it makes sense.

Quote:
According to Mies, the furniture designed and fabricated especially for the pavilion, the Barcelona chairs and stools, went unused during the opening ceremony. "To tell you the truth," he remarked, "nobody ever used them.""

I bet they make great boat anchors.

lefty
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post #37 of 37
11/20/09 at 7:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lefty View Post

I bet they make great boat anchors.

lefty

totally!
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