Description
This FULL SUITE (the 2-seater sofa AND pair of matching chairs) SOLD to Gregory in 2019 after 13 days of being listed on this website- $1625 for the FULL 3-piece suite including LOCAL delivery. This suite had various condition issues as explained in the Condition & Dimensions report hence the lower price.
The listing price is for the PAIR of single-seater chairs ONLY- matching sofa priced SEPARATELY.
This suite SOLD under consignment from a regular iNVISeDGE seller in NORTH LAKES, Brisbane. We organised the full sale on behalf of our client.
Provenance and Background Info
A VERY-COOL Doube PAIR of vintage single-seater chairs. (PRICE IS FOR THE PAIR OF CHAIRS ONLY.) I’d have this in my own home in a second- if I had somewhere to put it. I can just picture it in front of a fireplace. Fireplace settings tend to be traditional and conservative- nestle this in front of your fireplace and you could take your space to whole new creative level- it’s so cool!
This suite was produced in the late 1950’s in Moorabbin, Melbourne by Isobel and Gerard Doube. Each piece still retains the original Doube makers label. There’s virtually no information online about Doube except that they won various design awards back in the 1950’s. I saw a couple pairs of these chairs in Google Images but when I clicked on the image it went nowhere and there’s also a couple of other Doube designs in Images in different designs that are definitely 1950’s. This suite is rare- after 18 years in this business it’s the first Doube suite I’ve had to sell (and I only got the opportunity to stock this because one of my consignment sellers found it). I’ve perhaps seen this design 3 times over 18 years (never in the flesh before now though)- that’s about as rare as you can get! Much rarer than Featherston and Snelling designs. And I think it’s as cool as anything done by Featherston.
The design pays homage to Pierre Paulin designs … I’ve just done a Google Search of Paulin’s designs- this design is similar to the Mushroom Chair but that was released in 1963. Doube did their most notable designs in the late 1950’s- perhaps they released this design in the mid-1960’s ? It’s got me stumped. If this design was released before Paulin’s mushroom chair it makes it all the more special as it’d be a landmark piece of design.
All I’m certain of is that it’s vintage- at the very latest, late-1960’s and extremely rare. I think it’s at least as good as the Mushroom Chair- the weird angular base is striking and provides a captivating contrast to the curvaceous seat section. It has a very Sputnik feel to it- like some sort of space-craft landing on the moon, reminiscent of the late-1950’s for obvious reasons. This is another piece of design I’m very happy to say is Australian. Even if it came out after the Mushroom Chair, Doube has done his own thing and not done an obvious copy.
NOTE- before I finish this off, the comfort overall is very good. I like the comfort but it’s more a sitting-room type suite- for sitting, the comfort is very pleasing but the chairs are quite small compared to what’s being sold today. You could comfortably sit in this for hours but it may not be right if you intend watching lots of movies in it and bingeing of Netflix on. Also as shown in the photos, the suite is obviously in vintage condition. Read the Condition and Dimensions section carefully. I like it as is but it won’t suit all buyers in its current condition. Some people will want to re-upholster it immediately- which would be a solid investment decision anyway- spending money on this would easily double its value (depending on the fabric you choose). Re-upholstery is not necessary but the suite shows various signs of being used- it has been much-loved. No abuse- just well-used. I personally like this- I don’t like much of the new mass-produced stuff around these days. This vintage suite has character and a story to tell.
This Doube suite has investment appeal that a new suite will never have. Mushroom chairs are still being made today and command a price of AU $3840 (US $2642) EACH. This authentic VINTAGE suite is MUCH harder to get than a Mushroom chair (try finding another of these) and is just as cool. I can’t see any reason why it won’t retain its value (at least) while you get to use it (but more likely it will increase in value in the future). After most modern furniture has ended up as landfill this 60-odd year-old suite will passed onto a new generation. There’s no better way to invest in your home and reduce your carbon footprint.
NOTE AGAIN- the listing price is for the PAIR of single-seater chairs only. The matching sofa is priced separately and will be put on hold until the sofa or full suite sells.
Ref- 1909