Description
SOLD! Regularly click into our NEWLY LISTED Category for new listings or follow us on Instagram!
Today I’d price this exact same pair of chairs (IF I GOT THESE BACK FROM THE BUYER) at OFFERS OVER $3200. (Any offers under $3200 would be ignored). We’ve had hundreds of people express interest in buying these chairs since they sold. *** If you have this design and you’d like to SELL, message us. Only 5 to 18.5% commission fee! (5% for established dealers only- conditions apply for 5% commission.)
Provenance and Background Info
(This description was written in 2014. This pair of Artifort Groovy chairs SOLD through iNVISeDGE back in 2014 within days of being listed for $1995. THIS PAIR and went from Brisbane to Sydney. A really solid investment for our customer- these chairs are now worth significantly more.)
A pair of F598 armchairs manufactured by Artifort and designed by Pierre Paulin in 1973. The M-Chair or Groovy chair was ground-breaking design at the time and as such is held in the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. The suspended shape was a first but what I like most is the sensational comfort. Form melds seamlessly with function in these chairs. They not only look out-of-this-world but they’re great to sit in- the angles, proportions and padding are all brilliant. You feel well supported in the F598 and the level of cushioning and “give” in the seat section is spot-on.
This pair of Artifort chairs is coming from the personal collection of a vintage design enthusiast. He has such a love for vintage design he’s published several books including the coffee table book, “Australian Modern Design- Mid 20th Century Architecture & Design”. He purchased these chairs as a set of 4. He wants to reupholster the other two in a different colour to suit his own space leaving this pair for someone else to love. These chairs are NOT in need of re-upholstery. This is second generation upholstery. They’re off-white (a cream/ very light beige colour)- the selection of photos depicts the colour well. The upholstery is a high-quality durable fabric which means these chairs will stand up well to normal regular use.
In the 13 years I’ve been in this business (written in 2014) this is the first Pierre Paulin F598 chair I’ve stocked. They are rarely seen in Australia (most were bought across from Europe by architects and interior designers, usually for commercial waiting areas). Very few have ever been sold in Australia in a retail situation (if any ???). Vintage pairs of F598 chairs show up occasionally in high-end auction centres in Sydney and Melbourne but otherwise they’re rarely seen (NEVER in Brisbane!). From my research I can only find one other F598 for sale in Australia at the time of writing. It’s in Newtown, Sydney. It’s priced at $1295 but it needs reupholstery DESPERATELY- the pair on offer here don’t. (That other chair is on ebay- it sold on ebay for $1295 – rip off!) Some F598 chairs have a decal label but the vast majority don’t. All Artifort F598’s have a small “A” printed on the front end of each aluminium slide and this pair is no exception as shown in one of our photos (deleted from our listing in 2020!).
My client has taken off the upholstery of his other pair ready for re-upholstery (the cream colour doesn’t suit his space) so I’ve looked at the inner-construction of these chairs first-hand. The inner-frame is steel with steel springs. The frame is then somehow put into a mould and the cushion-foam is moulded to the required shape over the top of the steel frame. The workmanship is incredible but more importantly because they’re steel, these chairs are solid, strong and sturdy- they were built to last.
This pair of F598 chairs is a very strong investment. If you invest in them and need to sell years down the track, please approach me, I’d be very happy to represent them again. Above the financial advantage of investing in vintage furniture there’s the satisfaction of knowing there are very few better ways to reduce landfill. Investing in items that were built to last and designed with respect to our earth’s resources is our only way out of this mess.
(In the same league as B & B Italia, Cassina, Edra and Poliform.)
