Description

Provenance and Background Info

(NOTE- this listing was written in 2013. These sold as pairs- they sold for $995 (for each set of 2 chairs) in 2013 (so about $500 each). Today in 2018 I’d price the exact same chairs at around the same.)

This listing price is the PAIR of yellow Meadmore cord chairs from 1952. This chair is a design classic and at the pinnacle of Australian mid-century design. Meadmore’s work sits alongside Grant Featherston’s as far as collectability is concerned. This is because Meadmore later became a highly celebrated sculptor in America. Meadmore’s large sculptures are now worth around $100 000 and his furniture designs, which today are seen as a precursor of his successful art career, are highly valued. His furniture is held in museums around Australia including the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, the Queensland Museum and the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. His 1950’s furniture was only produced in Australia and because of the standing he developed as a sculptor, his early work as a furniture designer has achieved a status reserved for only a select few. The lean profile of these chairs coupled with the play of line, space and light was ground-breaking in its day and as a result earned Meadmore the Good Design Award back in 1953. These are highly functional chairs with a look that makes you look twice.

This is not a furniture purchase but an astute investment. Meadmore’s designs have steadily increased in value over the years and this trend is only set to continue. The best part of this investment is that you can use these chairs as they increase in value. They’re comfortable and incredibly durable- the steel construction is solid and sturdy and because these chairs have never been used outside the cords are in remarkable condition. I have not seen Meadmore furniture in better condition. These chairs have been extremely well looked after.

At the time of researching for this listing there was only one other Meadmore cord chair for sale in Australia but that chair had been completely restored- the cord was new and the frame had just been powder-coated. This ruined the vintage appeal of the chair (but I’d say it was necessary- if the chair had been used outside the cords would have been wrecked). A fully original chair is always going to appeal to collectors more than one that’s needed an overhaul. The fully restored chair I saw is $770- which is what it’s worth. Mine are worth more than $770 each but I’ve priced them to sell so I can buy the next inspiring design. The manufacture of most modern furniture has little or no regard for our environment and the people employed to produce it. (A large portion ends up as landfill within a decade.) This PAIR of VINTAGE chairs is not only a smart investment for your home but our environment and is bound to be continued to passed from one generation to the next. (THIS LISTING IS FOR 2 YELLOW CHAIRS ONLY but there’s also TWO red available at the time of writing.)

Note this description was written in 2013- some information (such as values) is time-sensitive.