Description
This full suite SOLD in 2019 for $2200 (for the 3-seater sofa AND the pair of chairs).
Background Info and Provenance
A 3-seater leather sofa made by FLER in the late-1960’s. (The matching PAIR of chairs are available separately.) This suite is fully original- it’s incredible to think it’s 50 years old! The quality is irrefutable. This leather is stunning- only the best premium leather can look like this after 50 years of use- just look at it. It’s beautifully soft and supple- total luxury to settle into. It looks like semi-aniline leather to me which is what you want. It’s has the look and feel of real leather but has a layer of protection so every little mishap doesn’t show up in the leather. I’ve tried hard with the camera to show you the luxury of the leather and to some extent I’ve succeeded but leather like this really needs to be experienced with all senses. The best-quality leathers feel and smell beautiful and that can’t be captured with a camera (at least not yet!). Leathers aint leathers these days- this 50-year old suite shows clearly why some leathers are better than others. I’ve never seen a 50-year old suite in better condition and this suite did have solid use before I got my hands on it. I had to completely sand back the finish on the arms because it had worn completely off at the ends. That was no easy task- the finish was made never to come off!
Leather aside, this suite boasts the highest quality construction all round. The frame is as solid as a rock after all these years use and the seating structure is still perfect. The comfort of the suite is also spot-on. Great for sitting in- it supports your body extremely well but there’s also nice plushness as well (which you can clearly see in the photos). It’s a great-looking suite AND ticks every box for practicality- particularly comfort. Which brings us to the looks- very classic in looks, similar to the famous Chesterfield lounges but nowhere near as bulky so this would be more adaptable to any space. It still has a bold look to it but it’s not a big suite plus the exposed timber frame helps to pare this back and add an element of sleek refinement.
I’m pretty sure this was the last design FLER ever released- which would date it to the late-1960’s. (See the labels.) Fred Lowen then went on to start up Twen in the late-1960’s and then the name was changed to Tessa in 1970 so there’s full verification this suite is at least 50 years old. (This design is similar to the first design ever released by Tessa in 1970 which is basically the same as a design they still sell today- that’s timelessness for you!) Tessa customers have had the choice to choose cheaper leathers at various stages which is one of the reasons I rarely stock Tessa- with this suite there’s no guessing. The onslaught of cheap-crap coming in from China was a long way off when the FLER-brand was in operation. And that’s what you’re paying for here- 100% assurance of the quality of the leather you’ll be getting (and in the construction).
Similar lounge suites from Tessa now cost about $10 000 new- but not with this leather- this leather is rarely seen anymore. Investing in vintage furniture is a great way to go both financially and for our environment. Good vintage pieces hold their value (at least) and obviously if something looks like this after 50+ years of use it will continue to evade landfill for generations to come (if you look after it properly!) LISTING PRICE IS FOR THE SOFA ONLY!
