Description
Provenance and Background Info
(Written in 2014. This sofa sold within days in 2014 for AU $595 and went into a real estate office in Melbourne (from Brisbane). I’ve written in the description that this suite should only increase in value as you get to use it. I would have priced this sofa at AROUND AU $795 in 2019. UPDATE Oct 2020- the popularity of this design has continued to grow, but the availability hasn’t! This exact same sofa would now be priced at about $895 in iNVISeDGE. That’s if we got another one like this again!)
Provenance and Background Info
A lounge sofa by Eero Aarnio for Framac in the late-1970’s. This particular lounge was probably produced in the early 1980’s. Aarnio’s designs were an important aspect of 1960s popular culture and are often seen in science-fiction films. Most of his designs have been copied to the death so are readily recognizable by almost anybody (such as the Ball chair and Pastilli chair). The exception however is this design. This belongs to the Silver Collection and the production rights were bought by Mobel Italia in the 70’s in Italy. Mobel Italia apparently went bust soon after releasing the design so these pieces are virtually impossible to find in Europe. How the Silver Collection designs came to land in Australia is anyone’s guess but they’re near impossible to find on a worldwide platform (and in Australia they are not easy to find too).
What I love best about this design is the superior quality of the construction. I’ve stocked a few of the armchairs over the last 12 years and all of them have been structurally perfect. For 30-40 year old chairs, often used in commercial waiting rooms, this is a the best recommendation for the design. They’re solid, heavy chairs- the metal is high quality and thick, as is the inner cushioning and the upholstery fabrics. The sofa on offer here has a new life waiting for it.
These Eero Aarnio pieces are a great investment- there’s a high demand for them and if they’re looked after these pieces shouldn’t lose any value in the future while you get to use them. You won’t get that buying from virtually anywhere else! The other advantage is that this is a rare vintage piece so it will add a creative original spark to your space. It could also be great in an artistic studio. I re-upholstered a pair of these in white leather back in 2006- they sold immediately and looked stunning!
This ensemble came out of a lawyer’s waiting room in Melbourne. It’s hard to believe these pieces are about 35 years old and in FULL ORIGINAL condition. The upholstery looks like 100% pure wool to me. Wool is easy to keep clean and looking good over the years. This fabric looks grey from a short distance away but it’s actually white (greyish) with blue bands. It’s a great minimalist choice that would nestle in well with any minimalist creative space from an office through to a modern apartment. It’s a very comfortable piece to sit in as well so it’s perfect for any use.
This sofa is about 35 years old and in stunning condition. It has been made to last- to tell stories for generations to come. After much of the cheap “designer” furniture of today has ended up as landfill, this sofa will be passed onto yet another owner. There are very few better ways to invest in your home or office and reduce landfill.
1901 ?
