Description
This Rufenacht chair in the camel colour is the most popular colour they did- these lighter tones gives this chair a stylish Scandinavian aesthetic- RARE!
A pair of Rufenacht chairs we SOLD back in 2022 went to an interior designer in Canada who paid AUD $3,000 in freight alone to get two of these chairs overseas. She studied worldwide offerings of swivel chairs and finally settled on this AUSTRALIAN design.
LOCATION- Ascot, BRISBANE.
Provenance and Background Info
(Written by the iNVISeDGE regular seller in Adelaide, in conjunction with Michael Grealy)
These Rufenacht swivel chairs are from the late 1970’s and believe me, they’re a rare thing! Michael has spoken to some people a number of times who have had very strong interest in Rufenacht swivel lounge chairs since the last ones we had (that sold over 2 years ago). All our iNVISeDGE regular sellers (myself included- here in Adelaide where this furniture was made) have been keen to find Rufenacht swivel lounge chairs- these are the first ones iNVISeDGE has got in over 2 years! People keep asking for them- some people will not settle on a Tessa T21 swivel or Norwegian Falcon chair (for example)- this is the chair they want and I completely understand why. These chairs have it ALL. But above everything the comfort is absolutely sublime!
Some 21 years ago, Michael from iNVISeDGE ‘discovered’ Joe Rufenacht’s stunning furniture, and instantly fell in love with the minimalist curves and exceptional quality. Today, it is safe to say that iNVISeDGE is the leading source for Rufenacht furniture worldwide. Rufenacht went out of business 20 years now- you have to buy it 2nd-hand; there’s no other way to get it these days. And because of this, it’s INVESTMENT furniture- values have increased over the years and will continue to increase, at least in line with inflation.
Rufenacht started in the mid-1970’s and by 1980 he’d pocketed more design awards than any other furniture maker in Australia. This swivel chair design won the prestigious Australian Design Award back in 1978. Joe Rufenacht told ABC in 2006 that it took him 40 different prototypes to get his dining chair right- the design here probably took the same or more. His designs tick EVERY box- a resounding tick for comfort, design, quality and investment-appeal. JR furniture (Rufenacht’s company) closed its doors in 2006 unable to compete with cheap overseas imports any longer. The 30-year history of this Australian business has etched a permanent place in Australian furniture design and production history.
This chair is an obvious furniture investment. The design looks very similar to the coveted Norwegian Falcon chair by Sigurd Ressel. Falcon chairs in Australia have risen in value from about $1,100 back in 2002 to around $3,000 EACH in 2021- not a bad earner for something you also get to sit in and enjoy in the meantime! In recent years (since COVID-19 lockdowns) Rufenacht pieces have become almost impossible to get- no-one seems prepared to give their Rufenacht pieces up so prices keep rising (which only adds to the investment appeal).
Providing you use this chair with some sense, Rufenacht’s furniture will last a lifetime (but most likely forever). The quality of this chair EXCEEDS the Falcon chair (easily) because of the steel sub-structure. Each timber piece is supported by steel for extra durability- with the base section, the timber is clad onto steel. On top of this, the FULL-GRAIN leather on this suite is over 40 years old (and by Howe Leather, Australia)- it’s some of the best quality you can buy (if not THE best). This chair is set to be passed onto yet another generation (after this one)- a symbol that when something is done well, it will live on.
2112, 2302, 2410
