Description
This sofa SOLD in the first week it was listed on our website in 2020 for $3330.
SOLD from our North Brisbane depot in Morayfield. One of our friendly team can help arrange freight of this sofa to your location anywhere in Australia.
Background Info and Provenance
(Written in 2020)
EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY. EXCEPTIONALLY RARE VINTAGE DESIGN. BEAUTIFUL COMFORT. This NORWEGIAN Fredrik Kayser 3.5-seater sofa is in a league of it’s own- something of this callibre is rarely seen in Australia. It’s the quality of the leather that stands-out most for me. This leather is in exceptional condition after about 55 years of use because of the quality. It’s thick and has been processed very little. Leathers these days are NOTHING like this! You can see the different textures and grain-patterns in each leather piece reminding you that this is a fully-NATURAL product. Virtually all leathers these days are heavily processed with synthetics, plastics, glues and a thick-paint layer to hide it all- they are so processed most of them need to be embossed with a pattern (often done in a final plastic-coating)- it’s obvious the texture in modern leathers is fake- it looks and feels like vinyl. This is FULL-GRAIN LEATHER- the highest quality hides have been selected where little or no processing and paint was needed. Because this leather is so thick, it’s very hard-wearing as well and if properly maintained, it should last another 55 years or more- the steel frame will last forever. The proof of this comment is shown in the condition of this lounge after all these years … and it was used by children too. We “fished-out” various small kids toys under the attached cushions including a doll’s head- the boys in the family might have been having a bit a fun! The leather is luxurious and beautiful to touch and has obviously been properly maintained. Maintaining leather is easy and not tedious at all- this is when you get close-and-personal with this natural product. You need to clean leather like this after heavy use (PARTICULARLY in summer) and condition your leather furniture every few months especially if air-conditioning is used.
The HAND-woven detailing on every edge gives this piece a hand-created slant that’s missing in most lounges these days. This detailing took many hours and has been done meticulously. Whilst researching this piece I only saw a couple of Frederik Kayser’s designs with this detail. This design also boasts beautifully refined styling, synonymous with all Scandinavian furniture, but the shape also has subtle wow-factor. This mix of supposed contrasts gives the piece an intriguing look that draws you in.
Fredrik A. Kayser (1924 – 1968) was a Norwegian industrial designer, who was immersed in the world of design from a young age through his family’s furniture business. Apprenticed as a carpenter, Kayser’s first chair design was put into production by Viken Møbelfabrikk when he was just 15 years old. By the time he was in his 30’s, Fredrik Kayser was winning design awards usually reserved to designers double his age. Kayser passed away at the premature age of forty-four. Although his life was short, his accomplishments and designs have earned him a place among Europe’s most important mid-century designers. His work these days fetches hefty prices on a worldwide platform. Most of his sofas are valued at AU $10,000 or more, so the investment appeal on offer here is a no-brainer- you can barely buy a Chinese mass-produced leather sofa for this! Leather of exceptional quality usually retails for about AU $350 per square- this means our price here would barely cover the cost of the leather on this piece! The frame shows craftsmanship just as exceptional. This piece was built to last generations (and already has). With normal use there’s no reason why this sofa won’t keep on standing up to use for centuries to come.
Add COMFORT to the list of benefits. Notice that the seat and back are angled slightly back- this is to create perfect seating comfort so that all the pressure is taken off your back. There’s also a nice balance of support and springiness in the seat- no sagging! This sofa holds you in a perfect seating position. This one is also great to lie out on- I think it’s the perfect length. At almost 2.2m long it would be easy to place this sofa in any interior but it’s also long enough for 2 people to put their legs out on. The other thing I like about this one is the higher back (for even more seating comfort). I also like that the armrest is padded and at a brilliant height to rest your head on when lying down. I would suggest putting a thin pillow on the seat section as there are 3 individually moulded seats (of generous proportions) to create the best seating comfort possible. Lying down a flat cushion will eliminate the very slight curves in the seat section.
Investing in vintage design is a great way to go. The investment appeal of this piece is a no-brainer- no business could produce a sofa of this QUALITY for anywhere near this price these days. This piece has been tried and tested for about 55 years and has evaded landfill so you’re assured of the quality you’re getting before shelling out a cent. The re-sale value of this piece is also assured- bring it back to me years from now and I’d price it at more than this (if you look after it!). Plus when you buy from iNVISeDGE you’re investing in an Australian SMALL BUSINESS that keeps local people in meaningful jobs. It’s a win for you, a win for us, a win for the Australian economy and our environment! There is no better way to invest in your home and reduce your carbon footprint.
2007
For something that's getting close to 60 years old and has had use in the main lounge room of someone's home, this sofa is in incredible condition overall. This has FULL-GRAIN LEATHER over the FULL suite, even the back (which is virtually never seen in furniture anymore). The grade of the leather isn't as good on the back but it doesn't need to be! (The back is still full-grain leather and better than virtually all modern-day leathers.) All of the leather is in remarkable condition for a piece of this age. The cushioning, the support under the cushions and the structure of the sofa (which is steel) is all in brilliant condition with no damage because the craftsmanship here is top-notch. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The leather has NO cracks, NO noticeable scratches, NO noticeable scuffs, NO holes, NO noticeable damage AT ALL. There are minor signs of ageing to the leather (it is almost 60 years old) but there's nothing that warrants a mention. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The range of photos clearly show the condition of the lounge after about 55 years of use. Use the magnifying tool to get close and personal with the sofa. There's no reason why this sofa shouldn't look similar to this after another 55 years but this will depend on how you look after it. Leather is a natural product so it should be cleaned regularly- particularly in summer to prevent sweat and body oils "eating into" the leather over time. Full-grain leather also needs to be conditioned about 3 times a year. For this sofa it would take about 8 minutes to condition the leather. It's not a difficult job- I personally like conditioning full-grain leather because this is when it becomes plainly obvious this is a natural product (this is when you really see the different patterns and textures in the natural-grain of the hide). ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
As far as vintage leather furniture of this age goes, I don't think any "normal" person could expect a sofa to be in any better condition. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Measurements. 218cm across, 89cm deep with a total height of 82cm. Seat height- cm.
VIEWINGS, PICK-UP and Delivery Freight Info ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This item is located in SYDENHAM, 8km South of SYDNEY City. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VIEWINGS . . . of furniture items will usually be possible (all furniture is in storage though). Send me a question and your phone number and/or email address if the photos and description don’t meet your needs. I can arrange an agent to go to the storage site if needed. Read my 1150+ ebay feedback comments (ALL for vintage furniture/decor SALES-100 or so are from repeat customers). I have had no negative feedback in over 15 years selling on ebay and this has been my full-time occupation. This is your guarantee that I work hard to describe my stock as accurately as possible and will not stock items I can’t personally recommend. Some items I acquire don’t end up in iNVISeDGE because they don’t make the grade. (I sell these under a different user-name on ebay.) I have had furniture items go all over the world (sight unseen) and do everything that’s reasonably possible to make my customers happy with their choice to support my business.
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PICK-UP . . . is accepted- professional delivery is preferred. This item is heavy and will require 2 strong people for pick-up. PLEASE NOTE- I live in Brisbane and run this business from Brisbane. PICK-UPS and VIEWINGS will be facilitated by a sub-contractor (someone who is NOT an employee of iNVISeDGE). I recommend that customers use a specialist furniture carrier for larger furniture items- these people know what they’re doing and come with what’s needed to look after your investment. I’ve seen too many customers try to force things in the back of 4WDs or put something in a trailer not protected. (If you’re hiring a trailer it makes no sense- the cost of professional delivery is comparable to hiring the trailer!) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We help customers with freight arrangements in every way we can BUT booking in transit (and paying for freight) is the responsibility of THE BUYER. I made a conscious choice to get rid of my vehicle in 2009 (for environmental reasons) so I have a depth of experience in the area of furniture freight. I will inform all iNVISeDGE customers of the transport carriers best suited to their job, what each carrier charges and their strengths. CUSTOMERS WILL BOOK IN THEIR OWN FREIGHT so they’re in control of what’s happening and will know exactly what’s going on. At any time though customers have the option to consult with us. Our experience in the area will ensure you’re looked after and the freight process will be seamless and easy. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A ROUGH IDEA OF FREIGHT PRICES by specialist professional FURNITURE carriers. . . LOCAL DELIVERIES tend to be ABOUT $70 to $100 for a ONE-MAN delivery (for ONE standard sized item eg. 3.5-seater sofa or a set of 6 dining chairs). If you live over 25km away from the item, delivery will be AROUND $120 but it depends on various factors such as access issues and when you can receive the item. Sydney is a little more expensive compared to Brisbane (as another example) . . . . . . . “Normal” INTERSTATE DELIVERY (eg. Brisbane to Sydney OR Melbourne to Sydney) is generally about $250 for ONE standard-sized item (eg. a 3.5-seater sofa or a set of 6 dining chairs but it can depend on various factors. Sometimes it will be cheaper- $250 is about the average. Smaller items are less than $250. If you have a really big sofa (as an example) it will usually be around $280. These prices are given so you have a rough idea of whether interstate delivery might be an option for you. If you are unsure about it all please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
We accept DIRECT BANK DEPOSIT. We send photographic ID of the store owner (Michael Grealy) to all customers at the point of purchase, along with media articles about iNVISeDGE that have photos of Michael Grealy in them (most of these articles are about 10 years old). Your payment will be paid into an Australian ANZ bank account under the name Michael Grealy (or iNVISeDGE). Please read our ebay feedback spanning more than 15 years for irrefutable proof of our online trading history and reputation. Ebay feedback can be left by LEGITIMATE PAYING customers only! Additionally please be aware that in Australia ALL consumers are protected BY LAW if the goods or services they buy are not as described. (But this should be of no concern- in our first 15 years of trading we have over 1150 positive ebay feedback comments and ZERO negative feedback comments.) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On occasions a DIRECT BANK DEPOSIT can be made at the time of collection. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On the rare occasion CASH payment when you collect your item may also be available. Confirm PRIOR to purchase if you need this. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Other payment methods are available but problematic and may incur additional fees. Tell us prior to purchase if you are unable to feel 100% confident with our trading history and payment methods so we can negotiate something else with you.
Click on "About iNVISeDGE" at the top of this page to find out more about iNVISeDGE.
