Description
SOLD TO CATH IN MARCH 2020 for AU$6300 for the FULL 4-PIECE SUITE (3.5-seater sofa, high-back chair, low-back chair and footstool). NOTE- All our prices are in Australian Dollars which is SIGNIFICANTLY LESS IN AMERICAN DOLLARS. This full suite sold in 8 weeks of being listed on the iNVISeDGE website.
This vintage suite is virtually irreplaceable as a FULL suite so we’d like to see the suite stay together, HOWEVER we understand that homes and living areas have changed significantly since the 1960’s so different configurations will suit many buyers. All pieces have since SOLD together.
Background Info and Provenance
(Written in 2020)
An AUTHENTIC 1960’s LEATHER 3-seater sofa with a Brazilian Jacaranda timber-frame by Probel for Jean Gillon. This suite has various LABELS on it (2 different labels- as shown in the photos). Gillon’s work is incredibly rare on a worldwide platform and is held in very-high esteem. There are a few Jean Gillon sofas for sale on 1st Dibs at the moment for around AU $14 000 (various are even more). If this sofa sells for $3195 the buyer has nabbed a very strong investment- it’s a no-brainer really. This sofa is constructed from solid BRAZILIAN HARDWOOD, FULL-GRAIN leather, REAL suede for the sling-back and seat, metal springs are sewn within the suede for extra (springy) comfort- the very best cushioning money can buy has also been used. Look at it after about 55 years of use- the superior QUALITY is irrefutable.
The aspect I like most about the quality is the way the timber-frame has been constructed. NO glue has been used and the main structure is not held in place with screws either. The frame slots together ingeniously and is held in place using beautifully sculpted timber toggles. I’ve never seen anything like it- this obviously makes the suite much more time-intensive (and costly) to produce. This construction technique also means the structural frame is virtually impossible to break (I can’t see how it could ever break really) making this suite a lifetime investment and one to be passed onto future generations.
If you’re not already sold, the COMFORT is also excellent. Different comfort types are possible with this sofa. You can rest back in it, giving your back relaxation to snooze. You can also put a small cushion behind your lower back to sit up straighter with full comfort. (This sofa is also generous in size so you can lie out on it).
This leaves us with looks. This suite is stunning! It’s certainly noticed but not over-the-top. I like how the timber is dark and shiny, contrasting with the cushioning and allowing the architectural frame to really be noticed. In an area with the feel of expansive space, this sofa (or suite) will help anchor your space and encourage your eye to stay in the space before moving beyond, out the windows into the world outside. This sofa would look incredible on polished concrete or stone floors in front of floor-to-ceiling glass flowing onto green rolling hills or expansive country. I can also picture it in an architecturally-designed home with high cathedral-like ceilings, a country home or warehouse conversion.
There’s one last thing I need to add before you get totally bored reading this. This suite is upholstered in REAL FULL-GRAIN leather (from the 1960’s)- the 1960’s and 1970’s were the last times in history we could be assured of what we were getting when it came to leather in furniture. These animals give their life for us- the least we could do is make the best possible use of their leather (not split it up into 3 or 4 separate layers making virtually all of it end up as landfill in about a decade- just another example of the insane corporate greed occurring at the moment.) I would not put anything but FULL-GRAIN leather furniture in my home (or wool or linen). Leather is a very smart choice if you have children or pets. (Many newer leathers have more plastics and chemicals in them than polyester- this is NOT the case with quality vintage, FULL-GRAIN leather.) Top-Grain leather is shit- don’t be deceived!
This suite by renowned Brazilian architect, furniture designer, creator and artist, Jean Gillon, is one to be passed from this generation to the next. Instead of buying furniture that will end up as landfill in as little as a decade consider investing in QUALITY vintage-furniture. (Not all vintage furniture is quality but this is). There’s no better way to invest in the future of the earth and do something socially-conscious. Here you also have an opportunity to support an Australian small-business that’s in it for more than just themselves. There are many local small businesses out there wanting to do the right thing by their customers and our planet- please consider supporting them before you consider multi-national conglomerates. And to top it off, there’s also no better way to INVEST in your home from a financial perspective.
2001
This sofa is in excellent condition for a sofa of this age. It's solid and sturdy with NO structural damage at all- NO cracks around any joints, NO splits, NO breaks or repairs at all. Due to the ingenious structural design, it's basically impossible to damage. The timber is Brazilian HARDWOOD for the best-possible durability. The sofa is about 55 years old so has minor signs of use but nothing that's noticed. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The leather is vintage FULL-GRAIN leather. The QUALITY of this leather is the best you'll find and despite being 55 years old (and having had considerable use) it's still in brilliant condition overall. It has a few minor signs of age and use but NO major wear, NO holes in the leather and NO significant damage. Someone obviously lay out on this sofa (from one corner) over many years because the leather at one end had a bit of wear when it came in. (I moved this cushion to the middle where it will get less use in the future (this is yet another advantage of the design). I thoroughly cleaned and conditioned all the leather on this sofa and touched up the cushion that had the wear. There were shallow cracks in the finish. I have applied 15 very thin coats of leather paint to these with a very-fine brush. The paint I used had an adhesive added to it to help protect the area from further wear. Most leather technicians will just spray the whole cushion with paint and the leather will then lose it's character (and start to look and feel like you're sitting on vinyl / plastic). The technique I've used retains the vintage character of the leather, protects the leather from further wear and is hard to spot (inspect all the close-up photos- they're all extremely clear and obviously not hiding anything). The technique I use takes many hours to do properly which is why no-one else does it. The previous owners didn't clean the leather on a regular basis- if they had I think there would have been nothing wrong with the leather at all despite being used over many years. Cleaning and conditioning QUALITY leather is not a chore- it's an opportunity to get closer to this natural covering and be in awe at how something that's so old still services you and still looks amazing after so many years. If you clean and condition this sofa after every few months of use (or after extensive use of the air-conditioner) it will continue to service you over the long-term. If I owned it, it would last me the rest of my life (I have no reservations saying this because I know I'd look after it properly- as I've said it's not time-consuming or painful. I will be selling the leather products I recommend in the future- keep an eye on iNVISeDGE.) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The other big advantage of this piece is that it's upholstered in about 3 separate cushions and in about 30 smaller segments over the full sofa. This is EXTREMELY practical. Cushions can be moved around and also if one segment of leather becomes too worn in the future you WON'T need to re-upholster the whole thing. Virtually all the leather on this sofa is still in INCREDIBLE condition. With leather upholstery like this, the full sofa should not need full re-upholstery for many more years. Because many smaller segments have been used you can replace one leather segment if ever needed. (This is similar to a car. If the battery is flat, you don't replace the whole engine! ... just the defective part.) Whether Jean Gillon was forward-thinking enough in the 1960's to consciously do it like this for this reason I don't know but the way this has been upholstered is VERY intelligent and will ensure that re-upholstery is easier and the vintage character of this piece should be retained for several more lifetimes (before full re-upholstery will be needed. As already stated, the timber frame will last forever with normal use.) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The stitching is all in brilliant condition for a sofa of this age. The real LEATHER-SUEDE used on the seating slings is the best quality material that could have been used for this application. Canvas slings in vintage chairs like this are the norm. These LEATHER slings WON'T fade, rip and tear like canvas slings. There is no noticeable damage after 55 years of use- I doubt there ever will be. There are also springs sewn into the slings for added durability and comfort. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This vintage cushioning is incredible. I don't exactly know how this cushioning is different to modern-day cushions but this original 55-year-old cushioning is in remarkable condition with little signs of use (even though it has been used). There is no degradation / compression that I can see- it's ALL holding it's shape extremely well. This suite has exactly the same comfort as it had when it left Jean Gillon's workshop and will continue to remain comfortable for many years to come (probably several lifetimes). ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
One screw at the back doesn't go all the way in- I don't know why this is. I tried screwing it in further and it won't- it's also hard to screw out. It's doing exactly what it's supposed to so I left it as is. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Overall the condition of this sofa is a joy to comment on (not because this suite has been particularly well looked after) but because every element used in its construction is the very best that can be used. This has ensured the continued durability of the suite and that it still looks brilliant for something that has been enjoyed for 55 years. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Measurements. Across- 210cm. Depth- 88cm. Seat height- 42cm. Total height- 77cm. For freight- cbm- the cushions can lie flat on the frame for reduced freight charges. Height with cushions lying flat- approx 63cm.
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