Description
LOCATION- being sold under consignment by a private seller in Thirroul, near Woollongong / SYDNEY). I travelled to Thirroul to inspect these chairs and take these photos. They can be transported Australia-wide. It’d cost about $260 to get this pair to Melbourne (to give you an idea of freight costs).
Priced at $1,695 PER chair (if you buy both). We may be swayed to sell just one- priority will be given to those buyers who’d like to keep this pair together. It’s very hard to get a matching pair of chairs of this age- Kone chairs or otherwise.
Background Info and Provenance
Written in 2024
These are the best Kone chairs I’ve ever had. They belonged to the Grandparents of my vendor (the Grandparents bought them back in the mid-1950’s). This pair is in incredible condition for the age. They were professionally restored a couple of months ago. These vendors took time to find the right person to lovingly restore these back to their former beauty and the guy who did the job put his heart and soul into it- the result is amazing. These chairs look stunning (particularly considering they’re about 70 YEARS OLD!)- you couldn’t expect a pair of these chairs of this age to look any better. They are ready for the next custodian to use and love- then pass onto the next generation. This pair is a very special INVESTMENT and something I doubt you’ll come across again for a long time to come … if ever!
Roger McLay’s Kone chair is an iconic Australian design and ridiculously rare. I haven’t come across another pair of McLay Kone chairs I could seriously consider stocking in iNVISeDGE since 2006. Roger McLay’s “Kone” chair was the most celebrated of his work and has had a notable mention in virtually every reference book on vintage design ever compiled (definitely Australian vintage design books anyway). Designed in 1948, the Kone chair was made from a single piece of aircraft-grade laminated plywood moulded into a conical shape and attached to a metal base. Most had metal legs although other versions were produced with wooden legs. (Some even had “shag-pile” covers on them and were called the “Poodle” chair! I can just picture someone putting a lead on one and taking it out for a walk!) Initially, the Kone chair was sold only from McLay’s Gloucester Street Studio in Sydney, but it became so popular after winning the 1950 Interior Design Award that Descon was commissioned to produce and sell it in larger quantities. That said, these days there are very very few of these around. Roger McLay’s designs have been archived at the Powerhouse Museum in Australia, preserving and valuing the legacy of the Kone chair for generations to come.
This Kone chair by Roger McLay is a solid investment- Kone chairs have increased in value since I’ve been in this business and I believe this trend will continue in the future- they’re rare and timeless in style- there’s a real simplicity to them but they still have wow-factor. I can only find few other Kone chairs available for sale in Australia at the time of writing (2024- ALL of them are more expensive than this RARE pair). There was also one that sold back in 2019- it was priced at about AU $3,200. These are serious investment pieces.
The main upside to investing in a Kone chair is that they’re extremely adaptable to any interior. Designer furniture can be clinical and sterile-looking these days- this vintage chair will add an earthy accent to your space. Kone chairs would be a beautiful contrast on polished concrete floors!
Investing in vintage design is a great way to go. This Australian vintage Kone chair will work in virtually any interior so there will always be demand for them. There’s no better way to invest in your home and reduce landfill.
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