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LEATHER AND OAK "SAFARI" CHAIR
Designed by Wilhelm Kienzle in 1928, manufactured by Wohnbedarf, Switzerland circa 1950
Item # 405ZPF07Q-1
Designed in 1928 by Wilhelm Kienzle, the "Safari" chair stands as a stunning and iconic piece. An example is held in the permanent collection of the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany. Executed by Wohnbedarf of Zurich, Switzerland in the 1950s, the chair is made from solid oak and featuring thick-cut rawhide leather sling seating. The leather showcases a captivating patina, marked by stains and oils accumulated over years of use. With its original and untouched condition, this chair represents a remarkable blend of clever design, exceptional craftsmanship, and remarkable comfort and support.
In writing about the chair in the Vitra Design Museum, Claude Lichtenstein notes:
"This dismountable chair was created by the Swiss designer Wilhelm Kienzle. It is an adaptation of a model used in the nineteenth century by British colonial officials during their work-related travels, which Kienzle had seen in London in 1928. Its advantages are that it is lightweight and takes up little space. The chair’s legs are connected by round bars, which are inserted into the open seam of the seat cover (in copies with the original cover). Similarly, the cover is affixed to the movable backrest, which is attached to the upper ends of the back legs with a pivot pin. The leather strap armrests are fastened to the legs with brass buttons. Since the chair’s frame is not independently stable, leather straps stretched between the chair legs bear the lateral load of the seated individual.
In the interwar period, others – such as the Danish designer Kaare Klint in 1933 – created variants of this chair type. Kienzle’s design most likely was not mass-produced until after 1945 by the Swiss interior design company Wohnbedarf. In the post-war period it became the very embodiment of a non-conformist lifestyle."
We have several examples of this model in leather and oak by Wilhelm Kienzle in the shop - if you are looking for a pair to this, just browse our inventory or let us know and we can check current stock for you. Specifically, item #405ZPF07Q-3 is an almost perfect match for it if still available.
Shipping Note: This chair will be shipped entirely disassembled in order to keep shipping costs to a minimum and reassembly will be required once it arrives.
Measurements: 35 3/8" H x 22 1/4" D x 22 1/4" W x 14 1/2" H to seat
Condition Report:
The original leather stained and discolored with a wonderful overall patina, remarkably comfortable and most enjoyable to sit in; darkening and overall oxidization along with light wear to the oak surface; some minor white marks (likely from rubbing the wall) that can be removed upon request; rubbing and wear to the leather inside the back where the wing nuts attach; the wood species of the front and back bar under the leather is different than the oak in the rest of the chair, suggesting they might be replaced; extensive dryness and cracking to the leather belting and arm straps. A very fine example that is beautifully preserved with rich surface history.