Description

These chairs sold through iNVISeDGE for $895 THE PAIR in 2008. Today in 2019 I’d stock the exact same pair for around $995.

Provenance and Background Info

(Written in 2008)

An authentic PAIR of FLER “Fleroto” swivel chairs designed by Australian designer Fred Lowen (manufactured by FLER in the late 1960’s). Lowen’s illustrious design career spanned more than 40 years culminating in the birth of Tessa Furniture in Melbourne which still operates day (written in 2008). The “Fleroto” demonstrates Lowen’s design versatility- the space-age styling in the Fleroto is unlike everything he created before. Lowen’s design capacity has long been celebrated- he is a member of the Order of Australia, an inductee in the Design Institute of Australia Hall of Fame and more recently his early designs have been purchased by the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. Lowen died in 2005 leaving behind a legacy of designs that will be forever imprinted into the Australian psyche.

The FLER chairs on offer here are one such example and unlike the majority of chairs in a similar style, the Fleroto seat shell has been moulded from plywood. The shape is visually pleasing and more importantly the construction quality is brilliant. Additionally, the Fleroto is a really comfortable chair. Recently, similar looking chairs have been produced using inferior construction and cheap plastics. The cheap imitations look nothing like the Fleroto and the comfort is not the same either. These FLER chairs are investment pieces and the inclusion of Lowen’s work in museums only strengthens the appeal of investing in his work. The construction quality means that if you ever wanted these reupholstered it would certainly be worth the effort and expense. But in this throw-away society, it’s the natural patina that has developed through using these chairs that makes this 50-year-old pair all the more special in my eyes. Investing in items that have been built to last is not only smart from a financial standpoint but one of the most environmentally-friendly purchases you can make.

Ref- 1907