$3,895.00

SOLD!!!

This suite sold UNDER CONSIGNMENT from my vendor’s home in Eltham, Melbourne. Interstate delivery through one of our preferred carriers is also easy. This listing has also been uploaded for those wishing to express interest in buying OR SELLING a similar item through iNVISeDGE and for research purposes. Use the links below.

 

Out of stock

Description

SOLD!!!

The listing price is for the pair of LOW-BACK CHAIRS ONLY. The pictured sofa is available SEPARATELY. This vintage suite is virtually irreplaceable as a FULL suite so we’d like to see the suite stay together, HOWEVER we understand that homes and living areas have changed significantly since the 1960’s so different configurations will suit various buyers. We are open to the idea of selling the sofa on its own, the pair of chairs on their own and less so (but we’d still entertain the idea) of selling the sofa and one chair (if the offer was very strong). If you have interest in the full suite let us know quickly because we are open to the idea of splitting the suite up.

This suite is being sold UNDER CONSIGNMENT from my vendor’s home in Eltham, Melbourne. Interstate delivery through one of our preferred carriers would be ABOUT $300 for the full suite to Sydney (to give you an idea of delivery prices). Approx $400 to Brisbane for the FULL 3-piece suite.

Background Info and Provenance

(Written in 2020)

An AUTHENTIC 1960’s PAIR of LEATHER armchair with a Brazilian Jacaranda timber-frame by Probel for Jean Gillon. This suite has various LABELS on the suite (2 different labels- as shown in the photos). Gillon’s work is incredibly rare on a worldwide platform and is held in very-high esteem. There are a few Jean Gillon chairs for sale on 1st Dibs at the moment- a chair that’s in the same design as these is AU $7896 FOR ONE (see the screenshot provided). At $3895 for the matching PAIR, our buyer will be nabbing a very strong investment- it’s a no-brainer really. These chairs are constructed from solid BRAZILIAN HARDWOOD, FULL-GRAIN leather, REAL suede for the sling-back and seat, metal springs are sewn within the suede for extra (springy) comfort- the very best cushioning money can buy has also been used. Look at these chairs after about 55 years of use- the superior QUALITY is irrefutable.

The aspect I like most about the quality is the way the timber-frame has been constructed. NO glue, NO dowels have been used- NO screws either. The frame slots together ingeniously and is held (strongly) in place using beautifully sculpted timber toggles. I’ve never seen anything like it- this obviously makes the suite much more time-intensive (and costly) to produce. It also means I could dismantle these chairs very easily and post it to America but we WON’T consider selling it to an international customer for a few months (at least). This listing is currently FOR AUSTRALIAN BUYERS only (no international buyers will be considered until AFTER 30th March 2021). I could get more money for this suite by sending it to America but it’s not about the money- I’d rather it stay here in Australia. The construction technique also means the structural frame is virtually impossible to break (I can’t see how it could ever break really) making this suite a lifetime investment and one to be passed onto future generations.

If you’re not already sold, the COMFORT is also brilliant. Perfect angles and proportions and the padding is super-nice too- soft but also a nice, supportive seating-position.

This leaves us with looks. This suite is stunning! It’s certainly noticed but not over-the-top. I like how the timber is dark and shiny, contrasting with the lighter cushioning and allowing the architectural frame to really be noticed. In an area with the feel of expansive space, these chairs (or the suite) would help anchor your space and encourage your eye to stay in the space before moving beyond, out the windows into the world outside. These chairs would look incredible on polished concrete or stone floors in front of floor-to-ceiling glass flowing onto green rolling hills or expansive country. I can also picture them in an architecturally-designed home with high cathedral-like ceilings- in a warehouse conversion they’d also look so cool!

There’s one last thing I need to add before you get totally bored reading this. This suite is upholstered in REAL FULL-GRAIN leather (from the 1960’s)- the 1960’s and 1970’s were the last times in history we could be assured of what we were getting when it came to leather in furniture. These animals give their life for us- the least we could do is make the best possible use of their leather (not split it up into 2 or 3 separate layers making virtually all of it end up as landfill in about a decade- it’s just an example of the insane corporate greed occurring at the moment.) I would not put anything but FULL-GRAIN leather furniture in my home (I also like wool and linen). Leather is a very smart choice if you have children or pets. (Many newer leathers have more plastics and chemicals in them than some polyester fabrics- this is NOT the case with quality vintage (full-grain) leather.)

This suite by renowned Brazilian architect, furniture designer, creator and artist, Jean Gillon, is one to be passed from this generation to the next. Instead of buying furniture that will end up as landfill in as little as a decade consider investing in QUALITY vintage-furniture. (Not all vintage furniture is quality but most is). There’s no better way to invest in the future of the earth and do something socially-conscious. Here you also have an opportunity to support an Australian small-business. You don’t need to support greed and selfishness in business anymore, there are local small businesses everywhere wanting to do the right thing by their customers and our planet. And to top it off, there’s no better way to INVEST in your home from a financial perspective as well. An item like this usually INCREASES in value along with inflation at the least.

2001 and 2012

This pair of chairs are BOTH in incredible condition for something of this age. They're solid and sturdy with NO structural damage at all- NO cracks around any joints, NO splits, NO breaks or repairs at all. Due to the ingenious structural design, it's basically impossible to damage. The timber is Brazilian HARDWOOD for the best-possible durability. This pair of chairs are about 55 years old so may have minor signs of use but nothing that's noticed. They BOTH present incredibly well for something of this age. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The leather is vintage FULL-GRAIN leather. The QUALITY of this leather is the best you'll find and despite being 55 years old, all of the leather is still in incredible condition overall. Both of these chairs have NO noticeable signs of use at all- NO noticeable wear, NO holes in the leather, NO notable damage. Both chairs have been cleaned and conditioned REGULARLY for 55 years (which is why they look so amazing). BOTH chairs are ready to be enjoyed by the next custodian / generation. If you look after the leather it should keep looking like this for a lifetime of use (or possibly more). Cleaning and conditioning QUALITY leather is not a chore- it's an opportunity to get closer to this natural covering and be in awe at how something that's so old still services you and still looks amazing after so many years. If you clean and condition this sofa after every few months of use (or after extensive use of the air-conditioner) it will continue to service you over the long-term. I will be selling the leather products I recommend in the future- keep an eye on iNVISeDGE.) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The other big advantage of this suite is that the cushions are INTERCHANGEABLE and each cushion is in about 10 smaller segments. This is EXTREMELY practical. If one segment of leather becomes too worn in the future you WON'T need to re-upholster the whole thing. With quality vintage leather upholstery like this, this suite should not need full re-upholstery for many more years. Because many smaller segments have been used you can replace one segment if ever needed and NOT re-upholster the whole thing. A leather professional can also get the colour a perfect match as well through using pigments (ALL leather like this has a pigment finish. (Upholstery like this is similar to a car. If the battery is flat, you don't replace the whole engine! ... just the defective part.) Whether Jean Gillon was forward-thinking enough in the 1960's to consciously do it like this for this reason I don't know but the way this has been upholstered is VERY intelligent and will ensure that re-upholstery is easier and the vintage character of this piece should be retained for several more lifetimes yet (before full re-upholstery will be needed. As already stated, the timber frame will last forever with normal use and to be completely honest I see this leather lasting for at least another 55 years! Try getting that from buying new "leather" furniture! ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The stitching is all in brilliant condition for chairs of this age. The real LEATHER-SUEDE used on the seating slings is the best quality material that could have been used for this application. Canvas slings in vintage chairs like this are the norm. These LEATHER slings WON'T fade, rip and tear like canvas slings. There is no noticeable damage after 55 years of use- I doubt there ever will be. There are also springs sewn into the slings for added durability and comfort. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This vintage cushioning is incredible. I don't exactly know how this cushioning is different to modern-day cushions but this original 55-year-old cushioning is in remarkable condition with little signs of use (even though it has been used). There is no degradation / compression that I can see- it's ALL holding it's shape extremely well. This suite has exactly the same comfort as it had when it left Jean Gillon's workshop and will continue to remain comfortable for many years to come (probably several lifetimes). ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Overall the condition of this sofa is a joy to comment on because every element used in its construction is the very best. This has ensured the continued durability of the suite and that it still looks brilliant for something that has been enjoyed for about 55 years. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Measurements. Approx (taken from the previous suite like this that we sold. Across- 80cm. Depth- 87cm. Seat height- 44cm. Total height- cm. For freight- cbm X2 = cbm.
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