Description
Provenance and Background Info
(Written in 2015)
A PAIR of Westnofa “Siesta” chairs designed by Ingmar Relling of Norway (late 1960’s) WITH THE MATCHING FOOTSTOOL. This listing is for the rarer high-backed version which are extremely comfortable PLUS the footstool which I’ve seen priced up to $450 on its own (the footstools are near impossible to find). This design is similar to the Norwegian Falcon chair from the same era. The Falcon chair is probably the most famous design to come out of the 70’s (and are now fetching $4000 the PAIR in Australia- written in 2015) and has won a swarm of awards over the years. This design from the same period has also won awards and strongly competes with the Falcon- most would say it sits alongside the Falcon. I love the leanness and simplicity of the styling. The “Siesta” is the epitome of minimalist design but with its sweeping lines it’s still certainly noticed. The angles and proportions are also as good as you’ll find in any chair. The Falcon can be a little “fussy” so it needs space to “breathe” and be properly appreciated. The “Siesta” is a better choice if you have a small space or simply love minimalist styling (but with personality).
This pair make a great investment. They’ve been “on the way up” in value for about 20 years now. There’s currently a pair on 1st Dibs for $US2850 the pair NO FOOTSTOOL (nearly $4000 AUD). The only Siesta chairs I could find in Australia are NEW ones (with blondes frames- the blonde looks wrong to me) for $1650 EACH. “Siesta” chairs have made their way into the history books and the vintage originals should only become more valuable as time goes on.
I love the quality of these chairs the most out of everything. This is the highest quality leather- look at it 40 years on! Leather is difficult to buy these days because many “leathers?” disintegrate in years. For these vintage Norwegian chairs the quality of the leather is assured.
And to top it off the comfort is sensational. The angles are perfect and you’re well supported in these chairs. I also love the height of the back.
Both chairs AND the footstool have the vintage Westnofa labels underneath guaranteeing the age of each piece. Vintage items are not only a smart financial investment (rare vintage design often increases in value over time). But also the best possible choice for the future of our environment. In this throw-away society there are some things that remind us of how things should be. Timeless design and honest workmanship endures is our only way forward.
NOTE- This description was written in 2015. Values given will change over time depending on a multitude of factors.
