$995.00

This price ($995) is for ONE SINGLE CHAIR only. The 2nd chair, matching footstools and 3-seater sofa are priced SEPARATELY. This full suite SOLD from our North Brisbane depot in Morayfield in 2020. This listing has also been uploaded for people wishing to sell a similar item.

 

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Description

The FULL SUITE- 3-seater sofa, PAIR of armchairs and 2 footstools SOLD for a total of $3500. A SPECIAL price applied during lock-down- the suite SOLD in April 2020. The suite was delivered to our happy customer in Sydney.

This suite was professionally reupholstered in a TOP-QUALITY Warwick Fabric 4 years ago. Since then it has only been used by a mature-aged couple who has just downsized. The suite was not used by children or pets and has never come into contact with cigarette smokers. We’re prepared to sell a single chair and footstool on it’s own- if you’re interested in the full suite come forward quickly otherwise the suite may be broken-up- full suite has since SOLD.

The previous owners bought this suite new in the 1970’s from Robert Dunlop himself. It was a difficult thing for them to finally have to part with after enjoying the suite in several homes for over 40 years (in earlier days their full family enjoyed the suite as well). They came to iNVISeDGE with their suite (due to time constraints I couldn’t represent it under consignment in this case- I had to buy it outright). They’d bought a new apartment (much smaller than their family home) and needed it out in a matter of a week. Their main concern was finding the right buyer to entrust the suite with- someone who would respect, cherish it and pass it onto the next generation just as their family has. The previous owner found the receipt just before selling the suite to us- he put the figure he purchased it for into Google. In today’s value this suite was purchased for AU $25,000! You’re INVESTING in something that’s TOP of the line, built to last generations and the current condition of the suite substantiates this … more than 40 years later.

Another interesting bit of information the previous owner gave me was how long it took for them to get their suite after ordering it. After several visits to Robert Dunlop’s workshop to check on the progress they asked Robert when it would be ready and he replied, “it will be ready when I’ve finished building it and it’s delivered.” I love it! I’ll have to remember to use that one. The moral of the story is- good things can’t be rushed- they take time to come to life.

Provenance and Background Info

(Written in 2017 when we sold our last Dunlop lounge suite)

One squatter’s chair (OTHER PIECES ARE PRICED SEPARATELY) created by Robert Dunlop in Brisbane in the late-1970’s. This suite is part of his highly-celebrated Studio Line and still retains several original foil labels. It was produced in Dunlop’s workshop in Stafford, Brisbane- designed in collaboration with Danish-designer Tom Larsen in the mid-1970’s.

The design and craftsmanship is exceptional making it obvious why Dunlop’s furniture was so celebrated at the time. In the 1970’s Dunlop’s reputation was quickly cemented and as a result, he was commissioned to design furniture for Parliament House and the High Court of Australia in Canberra. By the early 1980’s Dunlop’s work was sold in 19 countries around the world. It’s almost impossible to believe that furniture made in Brisbane could become so celebrated but when you look at the design and craftsmanship it becomes plainly obvious. Dunlop seamlessly melded Australian bush furniture with modernist design aesthetics coming out of Europe. His use of exotic timbers such as Radiata Pine along with anodised aluminium tubing was a sensation at the time and compared to today’s offerings still stands out from the pack. The intriguing mix of timber and metal in furniture is something I’ve always loved. This suite is modernist and sleek, with an earthy slant … it also has a “realness” that eludes a lot of designer furniture these days.

Dunlop and Larsen has hit the nail on the head with this design and it’s not just me who thinks so. The Design Institute of Australia inducted Dunlop into the DIA Design Hall of Fame in October 2015. I don’t understand why they waited until Dunlop died before bestowing this accolade- Dunlop’s work is exceptional and has been celebrated through several eras- it should have been awarded long ago.

These days Dunlop’s work is virtually impossible to find (much harder than Featherston’s) and more popular than ever. Various Melbourne dealers (including several in interviews) have stated that the value of Dunlop’s work will be well worth watching in future years. I agree and was eager to acquire this suite.

Investment appeal aside, this suite ticks every other box. The look is timeless and stunning. Additionally, the durability box is ticked. Radiata Pine, TOP-QUALITY upholstery, aluminium, saddle leather-hide with steel buckles ensure durability as does the superior construction qualities. The quality is plainly obvious- look at this suite after 40 years of use! Finally, the comfort box gets a big tick too. With its generous proportions, the suite has a relaxed comfort and the angles can be adjusted using the belt buckles and cord lashing if needed.

Robert died in 2014 leaving us with a legacy of stunning designs and exceptional craftsmanship. Let’s hope his entry into the DIA Design Hall of Fame encourages a new generation of designers and furniture makers in Australia. Recycling and valuing items where pride in both craftsmanship and design is the norm is our only way out of this mess. There’s no better way to invest in your home and reduce landfill.

(ACKNOWLEDGEMENT- Facts in this description have been found in a “Design Online” blog posted by Anita Lewis. Thank you Anita for your well-written and informative article.)

1807 and 2003

These chairs are in excellent condition for the age. (PRICE IS PER CHAIR!). Both chairs present extremely well. The chairs are strong and sturdy and will last for generations to come. There are NO breaks, NO movement in any joint, NO cracks around any joint. The canvas slings are BOTH strong and solid 40 years on! The timber may have minor marks, bumps and signs of use you'd expect from something that's over 40 years old but nothing that's noticed. Radiata Pine is a very hardy timber. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The fabric is in incredible condition on BOTH chairs. The fabric has NO abuse, NO darkened patches, NO stains, NO holes, NO odours, NO noticeable wear, NO seams prizing apart, there’s NO damage worth noting. The fabric is 4 years old so will have minor signs of use- but the full suite is in amazing condition overall. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ All the leather straps including those underneath the sofa are in excellent condition with no damage at all. We conditioned all leather straps AFTER THE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN so the full suite is ready to be used and loved for another 40 years. The leather straps should be conditioned every 6 months or so (depending on how often you use air-conditioning). Once every year may be enough if you never use air-conditioning. Keep an eye on the straps- make sure they're not drying out and cracking. This is the only thing that could possibly go wrong with this design- you don't want the straps becoming dry and brittle. Robert Dunlop used saddle-leather which is TOP OF THE LINE (very expensive to buy these days)- it needs minor maintenance. We can sell you the leather conditioner we recommend- let us know at the point of sale. Regular Maintenance Conditioning Cream from iNVISeDGE- $18 for 500ml (in a sterilised 2nd-use plastic bottle) or for an intense condition $60 for 350ml if you've allowed leather to dry out. (The $60 product is a heavy-duty conditioner and doesn't need to be used as often.) All our leather products (and timber-clean) products are sold in 2nd-use sterilised plastic bottles. We don't believe in buying new plastic bottles when so many one-use plastic bottles end up as landfill and in our oceans. Drink bottles are used for about 5 minutes- they are perfectly fine to be used again if they're sterilized. If you want a new bottle let us know and we'll add $2 onto the cost of each product. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Measurements. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Read my 1100+ feedback comments (ALL for vintage furniture and decorative arts SALES) to be assured that all my items are described as accurately as I can.
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