Description
SORRY SOLD! LISTING PRICE ($1595) WAS FOR ONE CHAIR ONLY PRICED AS A PAIR ONLY! We SOLD these as singles ($1695 for EACH chair). Sorry SOLD in June 2020 (in the throes of COVID when no-one was buying anything!)
We also have a matching falcon coffee-table base that doesn’t have the glass top (still available- $480).
This item SOLD from a regular consignment seller in Adelaide but interstate freight was arranged by one of our friendly team. One went to Sydney and the other to Brisbane. Sorry SOLD!
Provenance and Background Info
(Description written in 2020)
A famous Falcon chair by Vatne Mobler, designed by Sigurd Resell in Norway in the 1970’s. This design was responsible for igniting my love of good design back in early 2004 (I’d been in this business for about 3 years at that stage). I first came across a pair of Falcon chairs in the “upstairs sale” at Gavan Hardy Auctions in Sydney. The room was packed with stuff and the Falcons were the only thing I really noticed. (Though I had no idea what they were back then.) The design thrilled me- an interesting choice of word, I know, but I can’t think of any other way to describe it. They were the most comfortable chairs I’d ever sat in (at the time) and the design was so eye-catching even to my unhoned eye back then … stunning but still elegant and refined with those sweeping lines. Some design can be brash and over-the-top, in my eyes Sigurd Resell struck the perfect balance with these.
Back in 2004, these chairs did not have the following in Australia they have today. Incredibly (with virtually no money and little experience in the trade) it was just me and a well-known dealer bidding for the last part of the auction. There was something in me that desperately wanted them. They ticked every box in my eyes. Beautiful comfort (I felt like I was sitting in a hammock) AND QUALITY REAL leather (beautifully supple and in incredible condition after about 30 years of use- back in 2004- this particular pair are now 45 years old!). As well as solid frames too.
Back then I didn’t research design, I just went with my gut. After battling it out for these chairs (driving the price up by hundreds) I had to pull out of the auction at $800 a chair. I remember another well-known dealer coming up to me after the auction and telling me I was crazy- the chairs were not worth that much. Within 2-3 years, Falcon chairs in Australian mid-century stores doubled in price and ever since then they have steadily increased in value (and I think they’ll continue to increase- at least along with inflation … forever). They’re the epitome of ingenious design and they’ve sparked many similar designs over the years (those designs have also recently doubled in value since I’ve been selling them and I have long lists of people waiting for those designs as well).
I’ve sold perhaps 12 Falcon chairs over the years but this is the first pair I’ve ever had. They’re very hard to get for a fair price anymore. These are VINTAGE originals (Vatne Mobler recently starting producing them again). These have VERY MINOR patina (vintage character) to verify this. This vintage leather is arguably the best quality leather you can buy.
Falcon chairs are now getting up to $2950 each in mid-century design shops in Melbourne (April 2020). The last time I researched Falcons properly was about 2018 and they were nudging $2400 each. Interior designers and architects are constantly on the trawl for them.
This 40+-year-old piece of design history symbolises that when something has been done well it will live on. Sigurd Resell died in 2010 with a legacy that will most likely live on forever. Falcon chairs are a solid investment- it’s very likely these chairs will continue to increase in value but unlike most investments they’re something you get to enjoy (and sit on) while they do! There’s no better way to invest in your home and reduce landfill.
In the same league as Artek, Anibou, Westnofa, B B Italia and exceeds Tessa, Parker, FLER and Danish Deluxe pieces.
200625 and 2009 (magazine ad)
This is an AUTHENTIC pair of vintage Falcon chairs from the 1970’s. They both present extremely well for a chair of this age. BOTH chairs retain the original leather from the 1970's. This leather is far superior to virtually all (all?) modern leathers. This leather is the real deal- 100% FULL-GRAIN leather that's less processed compared to the leathers of today. The leather is beautiful- thick, beautifully supple and presents in brilliant vintage condition. The chairs have very minor signs of use (this leather is about 45 years old!) BUT it has NO noticeable scuffs, NO cracks, NO holes, NO damage at all! Beware of cheaper leathers such as TOP-GRAIN leather. Top-grain leather is NOT Top-Grade leather- don’t be fooled! Top Grain leathers have had the underside split off (sometimes 2 or 3 underside-layers have been cut away). The leather split off is then used to make those cheap, nasty “reconstituted” leathers. Those “reconstituted- shitty Chinese leathers” can still be called leather but … (I’ll write a blog about it one day … ) The point is Top-Grain leather is thin and susceptible to early “trashing”. It cracks, rips and prises apart at the seams- save your money. The leather on these vintage Falcon chairs is the FULL LEATHER HIDE. These animals give their life for us- don’t allow “them” to keep selling that shit- don’t buy it and they’ll stop destroying the hides to make more money for themselves. It’s just as expensive to get leather chairs re-upholstered in Australia using top-quality FULL-GRAIN leather as it is to buy a full chair in Top-Grain leather. Please stop buying it … consider the real cost to both yourself and our environment!!! ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The timber-frames are both solid, sturdy with NO structural damage at all. NO cracks, NO splits, NO breaks. Both chairs have been very carefully checked and will last the long-haul if used with any sense. The canvas shows fading over the last 40+ years- one chair has faded more than the other but the colour of the canvas on each chair is consistent and presents very well overall. NO careless damage- just minor signs of use you’d expect of a chair that’s 40 years old. This vintage patina increases the value of these chairs. Vatne Mobler have put these back into production but these are VINTAGE ORIGINALS (they have more value than the newer productions). See the photos to clearly see what you’ll be getting. We’ve had 20 years-experience selling items like this EXCLUSIVELY online. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The timber-stain was done to mimic Pallisander Rosewood. In the 1970’s Pallisander Rosewood became endangered. Responsible manufacturers stopped using it. The market still loved Rosewood so staining techniques were developed to mimic Rosewood. The original finish of both chairs is in excellent condition with no damage to report. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We no longer have to deal with ebay’s shit (thank God!) but please take the time to read our ebay feedback spanning 18+ years. We sold VINTAGE items on ebay for 18+ years. Google, “invisedge ebay” to see that we’ve had NO negative feedback comments after selling for almost 2 DECADES. Ebay feedback can only be left by legitimate paying customers (unlike Google reviews). We’ve had people try and ruin our ebay feedback but it’s impossible to if you don’t have a legitimate case- we’ve had several feedback comments removed by ebay because they were false (like various Google reviews I’ve read online about other businesses). The only good thing ebay ever did was develop a proper review mechanism (feedback). Paypal was developed about a decade later after ebay realised how many billions of dollars they could make from it (and they have!) Please do not support ebay anymore!!! Consider the real cost to SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS, our environment and the social costs!!! Australian businesses can not and never will be able to compete with businesses selling directly to the Australian market from China. Most ebay businesses that claim to be selling in outer Sydney suburbs and Western Melbourne are actually posting their products directly from China.
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