Description

SOLD within 3 weeks of being listed for AU $12,000 (ALL 10 chairs) from a private seller in Paddington, SYDNEY- (2023).

Set of 10! It’s VERY HARD to get these as a set of 10 (or even 8)- and most buyers want 8 or 10. If you have interest in all 10 come forward quickly because we will entertain the idea of selling this set in smaller quantities. We often get enquiries from people who have purchased a second-hand set and want to increase their set (many people want 2 chairs). No need with that hassle here. Full set of 10 available (and every chair is in a very similar condition too).

LOCATION- sold under consignment by a private vendor in Paddington, SYDNEY and all 10 chairs were delivered to Melbourne for approx. $300. I personally worked with and carefully inspected this set. I cleaned every chair so am very familiar with the condition.

PRICED at $1,200 PER chair.

Cassina 412 Cab chairs in black saddle leather. These sit at the top as far as luxury is concerned. Breath-taking craftsmanship- meticulously made, much of it by hand. The saddle-leather is beautiful- thick, durable and supple. This set is ABOUT 15 years old (purchased from SPACE Furniture in Sydney). This set has been been well looked-after and present very well overall (particularly as a set). There’s NO abuse or damage. The vendors recently sold their property as they are downsizing (their adult children have all moved out of home). The real estate photos included in this listing are of the actual chairs on offer in this listing. The new dining room of the vendors is not big enough to accommodate 10 chairs so these are reluctantly being offered for sale. Much-loved chairs! Prices for Cassina Cab chairs continue to increase- recently (in 2022), I saw NEW Cab chairs online priced at AU $2,800 EACH.

The 10 Cassina Cab chairs on offer here have been photographed in the outdoor area. The others (staged on the white background) are display photos of Cassina Cab chairs previously sold through iNVISeDGE.

Call or SMS us on the phone number in our CONTACT section to purchase this suite or garner further information.

Provenance and Background Info

Most of this description was written in 2020 and then updated in 2023. Any values given in these descriptions will be time-sensitive.

A set of 10 Cassina 412 Cab chairs designed by architect, Mario Bellini in 1977. The Italian Cab chair remains one of Cassina’s best-sellers and is part of the collection at the MoMA (museum) in New York. In Australia, Cassina Cab chairs are stocked by SPACE Furniture and retails in excess of AU $25,000 for a SET OF 10.

I have to admit it has taken me some time to comprehend the value of the Cassina Cab chair. I remember being in a Sydney auction centre back in 2005 (when I’d still only really experienced life in the outer suburbs of Brisbane) watching in amazement as a well-known dealer kept bidding until a set of 6 of Cab chairs in black sold for $6,000 (back in 2005). I couldn’t fathom how he could be on-selling them for more. These days I don’t doubt he had a client lined up for them but it was an eye-opener at the time.

I now completely understand the appeal these days and confidently know the chairs on offer here are a very astute investment. I’ve seen second-hand Cassina Cab chairs CONSISTENTLY sell for around AU $17,000 for a set of ten (NOTE- in AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS.) After experiencing the Cab design close-up I now understand why it is so valued. The skeleton of the chair is steel (virtually indestructible)- the covering is hand-stitched SADDLE leather- beautiful QUALITY and extremely resilient. I cleaned the set of Cab chairs on offer here and am happy to admit here that it was a pleasure. I know that sounds ridiculous but it allowed me to become very intimate with the chairs and yes I know that sounds even more ridiculous! I am always astounded by how easy Cassina Cab chairs polish up. They may be expensive chairs but the beauty of owning them is not having to pander to them. They hold up extremely well to regular use- you don’t need to be precious with them.

The saddle leather is FULL-GRAIN and the highest quality- super thick but soft- the leather itself would retail for about AU$400 a square metre (most likely more in this quality though). I estimate each chair would need about 2 sqm so that’s AU$800 just for the leather (and NO workmanship … but it’s the workmanship where the real value lies here). It becomes plainly obviously why second-hand Cassina Cab chairs constantly sell for around AU$1,400 each in Australia- that’s about how much it would cost Cassina to make them. And this is where the recent releases that try to copy the concept come unstuck- they use cheap leathers that crack on the backs after several years and end up in landfill (you have to ask yourself what the point of spending $500 each on these chairs is). Others use vinyl / plastic covering but really if you want plastic chairs buy the injected moulded ones. They’ll not only look more eye-catching but are MUCH cheaper than the chairs done in similar style to the Cassina Cab chair. What is the point of all this expert workmanship if you’re wasting it on cheap materials?

Cassina Cab chairs are top of the range and a joy to experience (and even get intimate with! lol). The comfort is incredible! Obviously great proportions- nice high back and the back in particular flexes to the shape of your body which is unusual in a dining chair (this helps create a dining suite that’s wonderful to enjoy long dinners in).

Cassina Cab chairs have an inherent value that can never be reduced. There are many hours of craftsmanship in EACH chair- all done by Master Crafts-people in Italy. With normal use, this hand-crafted value can never be lost or reduced.

The value of these chairs increases with inflation and has since the day they were made. I know for a fact (from old receipts) that SPACE Furniture were selling these chairs new in the 1990’s for $1,195 EACH. SPACE Furniture now sell Cassina Cab chairs for OVER AU $2,500 EACH! This is irrefutable evidence of the longevity of the design- both from a quality AND design standpoint. This chair has only become MORE ICONIC (and valued) over the years. Flashy, cheap designer furniture wears very thin, very quickly. Once the sizzle goes, the item carries little value. The design here is stunning, TIMELESS, ALL-CLASS AND the very best QUALITY money “Cab” buy!

If we ponder this further, it becomes plainly obvious why quality vintage furniture is such a smart INVESTMENT. Cassina Cab chairs purchased in the 1990’s- that have now had about 30 years of use, sell SECOND-HAND for the same price these days- but USUALLY MORE- than they were bought for new! Invest in QUALITY design and you’re not throwing money into landfill … you’re not throwing your money away- PERIOD! Quality design increases in value along with inflation and even beyond if the market stays there for it (which is exactly what’s happened with Cab chairs). Second-hand Cassina Cab chairs sell all over the world for AU $1,300 to AU $2,400 PER chair- and they have for many years. If the buyer looks after these (which is NOT hard because the quality is so exceptional) these chairs WILL continue to increase in value in the future (or at least hold their value). You just can’t (and never will) get that from buying mass-produced furniture. (Most of it is built to quickly end up as landfill for a start). Go to the dump for irrefutable evidence of that. Want to be completely dismayed with the state of this world?- Go to the dump!

Cassina Cab chairs consist of high-quality Italian saddle-leather stretched over a minimal tubular steel frame. The only additional reinforcement is provided by a rubber membrane plate that supports the seat and provides flex when someone sits down. (Cheap copies DON’T have this membrane.) Bellini’s innovation lays in using zips to fasten the leather cover to its frame- a zip runs up the inside of each leg, sealing the upholstery in place. The Cassina Cab (released in 1977) was the first-ever chair to feature a free-standing leather structure- inspired by how our skin fits over our skeleton.

When vintage chairs look like this after about 15 years of use you’ve got full assurance of the quality you’ll be getting before shelling out a cent. Plus when a 45-year-old design stills still packs a punch (and is still in production today) there’s no better assurance of it’s timelessness. There are very few better ways to invest in your home financially PLUS you’re also reducing your carbon footprint. (If you use these with some sense they should never end up as landfill). PLUS by buying through iNVISeDGE you’re supporting iNVISeDGE- a SMALL BUSINESS that’s been slogging their guts out building a “brand” for over 20 years! It’s win for you, a win for small LOCAL business and a win for the future of our earth!

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