$140.00

The suite on offer in this listing consists of EIGHT chairs upholstered in COGNAC-COLOURED LEATHER. The full suite with the table and 6 chairs upholstered in cream-coloured leather sold through iNVISeDGE in 2019 for $2600. LOCATION- being sold UNDER CONSIGNMENT from a private vendor in the Central Coast, 1-hour North of SYDNEY. This listing has also been uploaded for research purposes & for people to express interest in buying a similar item thru iNVISeDGE. Go to our CONTACT page for further information.

 

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Description

SOLD within 3 weeks of being listed for $2600 for the full suite including delivery to our happy customer in SYDNEY. 

The suite on offer in this listing consists of 8 dining chairs in cognac-coloured leather and the extension dining table. The chairs are $140 EACH. The table is $1295. We’ve priced this suite cheaper than the last suite we sold in leather to attract potential buyers Australia-wide. This suite is being sold by a private vendor in the CENTRAL COAST (about 1 hour North of SYDNEY), but can be transported Australia-wide for a reasonable additional price. Please NOTE- there are some photos in this listing used for display only.

The suite in the off-white / cream leather SOLD through iNVISeDGE in 2019 for $2600 for the extension dining table AND 6 chairs within 5 days of being listed on this website. The suite on offer here is in COGNAC-COLOURED leather.

To open a transaction, call or SMS the phone number in our CONTACT section.

Provenance and Background Info

CHAIRS DESCRIPTION (written in 2022)

A set of EIGHT dining chairs in cognac-coloured HOWE LEATHER made by Neil Grice Furniture of Brisbane in the late-1970’s or early 1980’s. Neil Grice Furniture operated their workshop in Milton and was some of the most exclusive furniture sold in Brisbane in the 70’s and 80’s. The best dining chairs of today fetch $1200 each- often a lot more. (The price of our chairs here is a mere fraction of that- nearly one TENTH!) The construction quality here is A1. The design has an intriguing look- it’s simple but also stylish- unornate and bold. It’s the quality here that screams out at you. This suite was made during a period when furniture makers focussed less on showy designs and turned to the task at hand- making honest, quality furniture that would stand the test of time. And that it has- just look at this suite after over 40 years!

These chairs are as solid as rock- nothing is going to happen to them in a hurry. I’d say you’d have to throw them over a balcony to break them! The high-back is very unusual in dining chairs too and makes the design supremely comfortable. The soft cushioning and QUALITY HOWE LEATHER gives extra luxuriousness to the comfort too. This leather is some of the best leather EVER made. It is vintage Australian leather but sits proudly amongst the best leather ever made WORLDWIDE. The higher-backs here coupled with the segmented cushioning is unique to Grice’s work. The segmenting gives an extra designer edge- these seats look similar to Eames’ work. I feel that the segmenting really makes this design because it’s so timeless- many designs like this from the late-1970’s have buttons which I feel looks a bit “daggy”, “busy” and dates the look. Leather is also very practical on dining furniture. Spills can be wiped off easily and leather doesn’t generally take on dirt either. Here’s some pure luxury from the past without the price tag.

One of these suites we sold some time back came with the original receipt from 1981. The full suite (6 chairs and the table) sold for $2,900 back in 1981. With inflation, $2,900 is worth $9,510 in 2022. This gives irrefutable evidence of the investment appeal on offer here. I’d say it’d cost $10,000+ to get the same full suite made in Australia these days. The suite comes complete with the original NEIL GRICE foil labels underneath AND vintage HOWE LEATHER labels to solidify the investment appeal.

These Neil Grice dining chairs are faultless in every way- the design ticks every box. They symbolise that when something has been done well they will live on. In a throw-away society, investing in something like this that’s already 40 years old will continue stand the test of time and evade landfill for many more years yet (maybe forever ? if you clean and condition the leather every couple of months or so). There’s no better way I can think of to invest in your home and help protect our environment.

TABLE DESCRIPTION

(Written in 2019 but updated in 2022)

Simple and stylish comes to mind the second I see this suite but the design is also bold and confident. This intriguing mix of simplicity and boldness- two supposed contrasts- create the hit here. But this suite is so much more than that. Above all, what’s really screaming out at you is the quality. The quality is exceptional and helps convey the feeling of stylishness and elegance. The workmanship is second to none. This suite was constructed in Brisbane in the very late 1970’s or early 1980’s. This suite comes complete with NEIL GRICE labels underneath for extra investment appeal (see our photos). This was a time in Australian furniture production where furniture makers stopped trying so hard with their designs and really turned to what was at hand- the craftsmanship of functional, fine furniture. In the late-70’s / early-80’s it’s the craftsmanship that really takes focus. The craftspeople of this era really focused on producing good, honest furniture that would stand the test of time … and virtually all the stuff that came out during this period has. Look at this suite after 40 years of use- incredible! This suite reflects a fascinating part of our history- the last little of slice of what life was like before cheap Chinese imports flooded the market and virtually killed this industry. (They’ve since killed it for virtually every Australian furniture business that has ever etched out an honest living from before the mid-1980’s- not that anyone in the Australian government seems to have ever cared.)

Neil Grice Furniture of Milton was some of the most exclusive furniture in Brisbane back in the early 1980’s. The man I bought the last Neil Grice suite I had still had the receipt from 1981- he paid over $1200 in 1981 just for the table. In today’s value this is about $3950 but it’s impossible to buy something like this anymore- if this table was made in Australia today using the same types of timbers it’d fetch about $5000 but most likely more. This piece has a fascinating designer edge with its use of slender timber panels running vertically. There are several (rare) timber types used in the piece- all hardwoods which will ensure the continued durability and life of the piece.

This SOLID TIMBER dining table (crafted mainly by hand) extends to a total length of 240cm! This is a great size for the majority of homes and is very versatile. It seats 6 in its unextended mode and 8 very easily when it’s extended (it will accommodate ten normal sized chairs- the Neil Grice chairs that this table is photographed with are very big chairs). This is the best quality dining table I’ve had in 21 years in the business. There’s no shitty “Weetbix” chipboard in this piece that the likes of Parker used- spill liquid on one of those Parker tables, it bubbles and swells- sand back the top more than once and it’s ready for landfill. This SOLID timber top can be sanded as many times as you want making it a LIFETIME investment.

This table by Neil Grice Furniture of Brisbane (c. 1979 – 1982) is one to be passed through the generations telling more stories as it goes. This is why many people are turning back to vintage furniture- buyers can be assured that vintage furniture will last for as many years as they want it for (if they use it with some sense). There’s no better way to invest in your home, reduce landfill and your carbon footprint.

2211 and 1912

QUESTIONS POSED TO OUR VENDOR IN THE CENTRAL COAST AND HIS ANSWERS ... ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Are there any wobbles or movement in any of the chair or table joints? NO ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Are there any breaks, cracks in the timber or repairs to any of the chairs or table? NO _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Is the leather on all chairs in excellent condition overall? YES a few chairs have some very minor marks that aren't noticed until you inspect them closely. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Would it be fair to say that there is only very minor signs of use to the leather? YES ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Are there any cuts, holes, prised apart stitching, significant scuffs, noticeable wear or cracks into the leather on any chair? NO ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Are there any signs of use to the leather that draw your eye (ie. that you feel must be pointed out specifically) or would you put any signs of use down as very minor and what anyone would expect for a very well looked-after suite that's about 40 years old? From my perspective only expected signs of use from a piece of used furniture. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Any there any condition issues at all to the full suite that you would put outside of what anyone would expect of a suite that's been well looked-after and is about 40 years old? If so, please explain. The table in direct sunlight has a slightly uneven shine as I explained to you on the phone. This is unnoticeable inside. I only noticed it when I got the table out in strong sunlight. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ If someone requests it, would you be happy to do a video call with any potential buyer to help show them your suite "in person"? YES _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The section written below was done for a previous Neil Grice suite we've sold. Most of these comments will apply to this suite. Use the above section as the stronger guide on condition. This table is in excellent condition. It’s very solidly constructed with no damage or movement to the structure of the piece. It shows superior construction techniques and is structurally solid. It has NO breaks, NO repairs, NO cracks- it is solid and very strong. The table extends with a high-quality butterfly extension mechanism which works exactly as it should. This table is about 40 years old so shows minor signs of use. The timber is hardwood so is not easy to dent. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The original finish is the best quality coating money can buy. I believe it’s a TWO-PACK finish which is easy to look after. The only downfall with a 2-pack finish is that marks don’t tend to polish out easily (if at all). Areas of the table have an inconsistent shine. This does not affect the overall presentation but is noticed when you start inspecting the piece closely. As shown in the photos it is not noticed from various angles- it depends on how the light shines off the surface. For a 40-year-old table it presents very well overall for a piece that’s fully original. You could get the top refinished down the track and this would be an investment (it certainly wouldn’t be throwing money away). I wouldn’t personally do this at the moment (if ever). This finish is very resilient and will serve you the long term. You have to use the surface with a little sense. (I would use place-mats but this is not necessary for adults who are conscious of not sliding their plates along the top or throwing their cutlery down. Do not use abrasive pads / cleaners on the top either- it needs only a damp cloth. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The table-top has NO SIGNIFICANT STAINS, NO NOTICEABLE RING MARKS, NO BREAKS IN THE TIMBER, NO HEAT MARKS etc- just minor signs of use and loss of shine in a couple of areas. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ As shown in the photos, there is a minor inconsistency in the tone of the extension pieces housed under the table. It's not too bad and still presents well when extended. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Measurements. The table measures 180cm X 120cm with a height of 72.5cm. It extends to have a total length of 240cm! (These are the exact same dimensions as the labelled Neil Grice table I sold back in 2011.) Read my 1200+ feedback comments on ebay spanning 20 years (ALL for vintage furniture SALES) to be assured that all the items I sell are in excellent condition and described as accurately as I can. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The chairs also are in excellent condition for chairs that are 40 years old. They show some minor signs of use but nothing that draws your eye. These chairs are upholstered in vintage Howe leather which is arguably the best leather ever sold to be in Australia. These are top-quality chairs and are all very solid and sturdy.
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