Description
Background Info and Provenance
(This pair of chairs sold through iNVISeDGE in 2015 for $1350 THE PAIR.)
(Written in 2015)
A PAIR of vintage single-seater Tessa T5 lounge chairs from the mid-1970’s. (Price is for 2 chairs.) The T5 model is particularly rare. In 15 years of trading I’ve never had another pair of T5s (written in 2015). This design is another of Fred Lowen’s highly-celebrated designs which can be added to a list of hundreds. The prolific output of Lowen floors me- Lowen is the most celebrated Australian designer ever, perhaps only behind Featherston, but when you study closer you’ll notice that Lowen achieved much success in the 1950’s AND then went on to create his best designs (and most awarded) through the 1970’s too. (And there’s even a design he did in the 1980’s that I think is better than the famous T4 model.) The T5 was designed in 1975 and takes obvious cues from Hans Wegner plank chair. I’ll probably be shot down for saying this but I think it’s a step above Wegner’s design. I like sweeping line of the back leg with these- the curvaceous flow here creates a contrast to the geometric plank-like styling elsewhere in the chair.
The best thing with investing in Tessa Furniture is the assurance of its quality. Tessa Furniture boasts a reputation spanning 40 years and remains in business to this day largely because of the quality of its construction. This pair is VINTAGE (about 40 years old) and is solid as a rock after all these years use. This is second-generation upholstery. The frames are still going strong- I don’t see any reason why they won’t last forever. They’re very solidly built.
You can also add comfort to the list of advantages here. These are a really nice sitting chair- perfect for having a conversation in- the angles have been carefully considered in the design to properly support the body and the cushions are soft and spongy for extra relaxation. This model came with 2 different back heights- the height of the chairs shown in this listing is around 85cm which is a good height to support and totally rest your back.
Investment appeal is yet another advantage. These are RARE- they’re much harder to find than the popular T4 model. The T5 had a short production run and they’ve been out of production for more than 40 years now. Plank Chairs by Wegner sell for about AU $4000 the pair these days. (That’s being conservative- I’ve seen them on 1st Dibs in America for AU$7000 the pair.) This pair is good buying- these famous Australian chairs should never lose any value- try getting that from new furniture!
Buying vintage furniture that has stood the test of time is one of the best ways to invest in your home and reduce your carbon footprint.
(NOTE- This description was written in 2015. It is time-sensitive and any values given will change over time.)
Extra note on COMFORT (to be added to an iNVISeDGE blog on comfort in upcoming months)
You can buy furniture that’s completely soft and spongy and this furniture feels very comfortable the first few moments you sit down but with no ergonomic support, you can not comfortably sit in it for any extended period of time. Your body keeps slumping and sinking- it’s the correct angles (of the seat and the back) and the support (of the seat section in particular) that keeps your back and upper body in the correct position for extended relaxation. The relaxation in soft, spongy furniture is not authentic. You feel enveloped and hugged when you first sit down which obviously gives you an instant liking to it but if the angles and support are not right, after some time you’ll feel the need to keep moving because your upper body is not getting any proper relaxation.
