Description
THIS PAIR OF CHAIRS SOLD UNDER CONSIGNMENT FROM MY CLIENT’S HOME IN MANLY, Sydney North Shore for $2090 in 2019. WE OPERATED AS THE SELLER’S AGENT SO ORGANISED THE FULL SALE ON THE SELLER’S BEHALF. Sorry SOLD!
Provenance and Background Info
(Listing price is for BOTH CHAIRS!)
A PAIR of GENUINE Artek No 406 Armchairs designed by Alvar Aalto back in 1938! It somehow doesn’t feel right to type 1938 here- it seems far too early for something so edgy, “fresh” and chic. The Anibou showroom in Sydney stocks Artek designs and that showroom is the epitome of chic yet most of these designs are now over 80 years old! To top it off the Artek 406 webbed chair is still produced today and has been in non-stop production in Finland since 1938- that’s as timeless as you’ll ever get. And this is what you’re paying for here. These chairs are a design icon- the originals a very strong investment and always sought after by design purists worldwide. It’s easy to see why. When you look at the furniture released prior to Alvar Aalto’s work, nothing compares to this one. Inventions like Thomas Edison’s lightbulb changed the world forever and so too did furniture designs such as the 406 chair by Alvar Aalto. Completely new ideas came through Aalto, ideas that have influenced how furniture has been made ever since. The idea of using moulded laminated timbers was pioneered by Alvar Aalto as was the idea of exposing webbing to form the seating of chairs. People go gaga over what Douglas Snelling did for Australian furniture design but the truth is Alvar Aalto designed webbed chairs a decade before!
Of course, there has been countless imitations of Aalto’s designs since they were released. Modern-day replicas have NO investment appeal- I’ve seen replicas of the world’s best furniture designs being sold second-hand for one tenth of the what someone paid for them new only several years before. A waste of money and so often they look worse for wear in just a matter of years- some are not even structurally sound anymore in just years! Aalto’s authentic designs by Artek have steadily increased in value over the years and will continue to do so. Long heralded for durability, Artek’s offerings are built to last and they do! Additionally, this particular design is famous for its comfort. These chairs have been ergonomically designed for total relaxation and are beautiful to sit in.
In Australia I can’t think of the last time I came across AUTHENTIC Artek 406 chairs on the secondary market (or if I ever have for that matter). They don’t sell cheap new (currently around AU $4600 THE PAIR new through Anibou in Sydney) so not many have been sold and if they come onto the secondary market they’re always hotly contested. At the time of writing there are NO Artek 406 chairs for sale on the secondary market in AUSTRALIA that I could find. I went through most furniture design shops in Melbourne a couple of months ago and saw none. On a worldwide platform this design is currently being sold for around GBP 2200 for a PAIR (AU $4000). See the screenshots provided.
This pair of chairs came out of an architect’s home- they have been respected and loved since the couple bought them new. They’re extremely well looked after. As indicated under the chairs- one was produced in 2004 and the other in 2006- the quality of the construction is irrefutable! After most modern furniture has lost favour and ended up as landfill this 15-year old pair of chairs are ready to be enjoyed for generations to come. This design sells for over double this new which makes them a very astute furniture investment. There’s no better way I can think of to invest in your home, reduce landfill and your carbon footprint.
Ref- around 1902
