Description
Background Info and Provenance
These chairs sold through iNVISeDGE for $240 the PAIR back in 2005. Today in 2019 I’d price the same pair at around $700. Tables in iNVISeDGE are priced SEPARATELY unless specifically stated otherwise. These chairs form an important part of Australian furniture history and the quality is incredible! Look at them after 5 decades of use (some of it would have been in full weather too).
These chairs (known as the H-Flex chair) were designed exclusively by Michael Hirst in the late 1960’s. It is my understanding they came about 10 YEARS AFTER a similar design he did in collaboration with the famed Clement Meadmore. He tweaked the earlier design to make it more durable and comfortable. I remember this pair of chairs well (even though I sold them 14 years ago now). There was a flex in the back which aided comfort. The comfort was at least as good as similar chairs designed by Breotex at the same time. I also remember them because back in 2005 the information online about Australian furniture design was not around like it is today and other dealers didn’t buy them because they were not by Clement Meadmore (and didn’t know who did them- I didn’t either! I just liked them!). I feel this design is as valuable as the design that came 10 years before when he collaborated with Meadmore. These are a rare part of Australian furniture history and therefore even at $700 the pair today (in 2019) would offer a very solid investment. The iNVISeDGE buyer who got these for $240 back in 2005 did very well.
I just found the description for these chairs that I wrote for these chairs back in 2005…
A 1960’s Matrix outdoor pair of chairs that’s an excellent investment no matter which angle you look at it from. These chairs are reminiscent of the work done by celebrated Australian sculptor, Clement Meadmore. Meadmore’s work is highly sought-after making it a solid investment. I don’t think these chairs are Meadmore’s work but the style is very similar nevertheless (and the suite is certainly vintage- c. 1960s). Have a close look at the design- the shapes produced are striking but also conducive to comfort. These chairs are surprisingly comfortable to settle back in- the curves fit the contours of the body well and the wire design backs are flexible providing extra comfort. These chairs have stood the test of time with regards to workmanship and the stunning design. Prices for outdoor furniture like this are rapidly increasing because outdoor furniture of this QUALITY is not produced anymore (it’s too costly to do this furniture as well as it was done back in the 50’s and 60’s – using the same metals etc).
These vintage matrix-type settings in particular are very hard to come by and when they come up it’s highly competitive to get them. If you’re in the market for an outdoor setting you won’t buy better- brand new settings without the quality, character and history sell for around this price.
As the photos show, this setting is in excellent condition for its age. It’s remarkable really for outdoor furniture that’s over 60 years old. This furniture is covered with a thick plastic coating that’s very resilient. Over the years it can get minor chips here and there but I’ve given them 2 coats of epoxy enamel spray so these chairs will look as they do now for about 10 years. I coated mine in 2006 as they were starting to look dull and tired (they were still in their original state after 50 years). That new epoxy coating looked brilliant until about 2014 (7-8 years) and they were used in full weather for a lot of the time (they still looked really good overall but started looking a bit tired again). The re-spray wasn’t essential so I didn’t get around to re-spraying them until 2017 and I only did 2 of the chairs then. Those 2 chairs have been in full weather another year (they still look great as the photos show). I re-sprayed the other two just prior to getting the suite ready to sell. All four should look brilliant for at least 6 years in full weather and if used under a balcony the current finish should keep looking great for most likely a lifetime. The original white plastic coating is still under the epoxy spray so scratches and scuffs will not be noticed. You can get them powder-coated instead but this is not essential because of the plastic coating underneath.
When I bought these chairs in 2004 each chair had 2 broken wire strands along the front. I came across another set of 4 these chairs being used in a Sydney café some years back and those were exactly the same as mine. These broken strands have been exactly the same for the 14 years I’ve had the chairs. This can’t get any worse which is why I still bought them like this. I would say it’s happened to virtually all of these chairs but it doesn’t affect the chairs. I’ve used them thousands of times- it doesn’t bother me and it’s not noticed until you look closely at them. See the photos. I would have put $1695 on this suite if the chairs weren’t like this- they’ve been priced accordingly. They are what they are and have been like this a long time- I’d say soon after they were first purchased back in the 50’s. You could get those spots re-welded but I’ve seen no reason to have it done- they’re fine as they are.
This seems like an exhaustive condition report but they are great chairs- practical, resilient, comfortable and stunning. I rate them much higher than similar chairs that are new. The new ones only have a powder-coated finish on top of cheap metal- moisture can start getting under the powder-coating after about a year for most of them and then they slide downhill very fast. The cheap metal underneath corrodes quickly and then they start to break at the joints. With these you 100% know what you’re getting- I’ve been upfront about my experience with them over 14 YEARS! Look at them after 60 years of use and imagine what the new ones will look like after all these years- well there is no imagining because I can’t see any of them evading landfill for very long!
The table is not original to the suite but is much better than what my suite came with. The chairs came with a patio table that was too low for dining. I found this table only recently and I think it works extremely well with these chairs (much better than the original table). The table is 1940’s I’d say and brilliant quality. It is NOT the same metal they’re using these days. I purposely left the table as is to show (and prove) that it’s 70 years old. It has evidence of 2 layers of paint only. Where it’s worn there is only minor surface rust- NO CORROSION THOUGH. With the metals used in the vintage suites the surface only rusts and acts as a protective screen so this table is 100% fine as is and WILL LAST FOREVER. Similar new tables corrode- the metal itself starts to break down and soon the furniture falls apart and ends up as landfill. There’s not much furniture being made like this anymore and if it is it’s not selling at anywhere near this price. Also if you ever get more of these chairs the glass could be swapped over for a rectangular piece and the base could be still used. Alternatively if you want more space for the suite get a larger circular glass piece cut for it. The current glass is used as such has signs of use such as scratches- nothing that spoils it though.
Breotex Cross-Hatched Design. Measurements. CHAIRS Height- 78cm. Across- 60cm. Back- 60cm. TABLE Height- 74cm. Diameter- 0.92cm. TOTAL- 0.28X4 + 0.68= 1.5cbm when one of the chairs is put in the table base.
Read my 1160+ feedback comments to be assured that all my items are in excellent condition and I strive to describe them as accurately as possible.
