1950s Authentic Tulip Chair by Eero Saarinen for Knoll

Details

Description

This iconic "Tulip Chair" design was Eero Saarinen's first success..and was produced by the Knoll company.Tulip chair. This chair is … Read more This iconic "Tulip Chair" design was Eero Saarinen's first success..and was produced by the Knoll company.Tulip chair. This chair is vintage and in great condition with very little signs of aging, and the blue cushion is new and was purchased from Knoll in 2022

Colors: White frame. Cushion blue
Designer Eero Saarinen
Date 1955 - 56
Materials Aluminium base, Fiberglass frame. fabric cushions
Style / tradition Modernist
Height 80 cm (31 in)
Width 50 cm (20 in)
Depth 56 cm (22 in)
According to Wikipedia - The Tulip chair was designed by Eero Saarinen in 1955 and 1956[ for the Knoll company of New York City. The designs were initially entitled the 'Pedestal Group' before Saarinen and Knoll settled on the more organic sounding 'Tulip chair' to mirror its inspiration from nature. The chair has the smooth lines of modernism and was experimental with materials for its time. The chair is considered a classic example of industrial design.

Design and construction
Saarinen said: "The undercarriage of chairs and tables in a typical interior makes an ugly, confusing, unrestful world. I wanted to clear up the slum of legs. I wanted to make the chair all one thing again."

Saarinen had hoped to produce the chair as a one-piece unit made entirely of fiberglass, but this material was not able to support the base, and prototypes were prone to breakage. As a result, the base of the tulip chair is of cast aluminum with a rilsan-coated finish to match the upper shell, giving the appearance of a single unit. The upper shell is molded fiberglass, with a reinforced, plastic bonded finish.. The upholstered foam cushion is removable with Velcro fastening..Saarinen was awarded a patent for the Tulip chair in 1960. See less