Swedish classic from Normandy? June 10, 2015 08:18
Gail came across these chairs in a Depot Vent in the medieval town of Countance while on holiday in Normandy.
Vents are amazing warehouses crammed full of antiques, junk and the odd discarded gems. A depot vent is for unwanted household goods. The chairs were in a very sorry state and her upholsterer antenna was sparked into action!
‘I loved the shape and that they swivelled and that they were a pair! They were described as écossais, Scottish, chairs. But they were upholstered in tartan fabric, so........
Careful inspection revealed a Dux label on the bottom of the seat which confirmed their actual Swedish origin. Dux manufactured these chairs designed in 1961 by Alf Svensson.
They go by the name of Conturett Rotto.
Happy days !
And they fit in the car. I took them home to the workshop where they found a new life covered in Camera Blazer wool.
Classic design restored in style.
I really don' t know how the original upholsterer had managed to cover the chair with the tartan but it certainly was not going back on!
Upholstery on a mid-century modern design like this is more akin to making a Saville Row suit.
The shape of the chair is created by a mass produced shell or frame. The upholstery softens the frame but has to be thin so as not mask exciting curves.The felted wool has no pattern or grain which meant that the resulting upholstery suit fit like a glove!
Gail’s Conturett Rotto chairs were sold at our Dulwich Festival Open House.
See the blog in May 2015
We are all looking forward to seeing what Gail will find this summer !