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WOMB chair, Eero Saarinen (Knoll Int., 1948)

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steve85018's loves1 of 59ENAMEL OVER COPPER MID-CENTURY MODERN WALL ART 1939 Grain Belt dimensional cardboard w/ string hanger
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    Posted 9 years ago

    austrohung…
    (584 items)

    In my opinion this one is THE ultimate chair, or at least has been the chair I've always wanted to have (although I admite that there are quite a few of them, as well as I have too many favourite Art Nouveau or Art Deco buildings in Madrid).

    Well, last Spring we were having a walk in the old part of The Other City (where The Other House is) and found an antique store we had never seen before which was run by this impressive pin-up looking girl… First thing I saw -appart from her amazing leoppard print high-heels- was this chair but said nothing to Carlos -I'd always wanted one in red, not in green :)-. We looked around for a while and found some amazing pieces of furniture and objects. After commenting about a wonderful 1950s chest of drawers intended to keep blueprints for an architect (that was too beautiful but also too big and a little bit expensive), he asked me “about the green chair at the entrance” so after I told him it was a Saarinen's Womb from 1948 his eyes became big as plates and run to take a look at it! We asked the girl about its price and she mentioned quite a good one but still a four digit number… “BUT I’ve got a simmilar one with an unnoticeable tear on one side, for right half its price…” and this time it was a very nice and appealing three digit number… Ooooooooooooooh my! As we were still thinking about it she took a friend of hers –who happened to arrive pay a visit when we were there- and they both went to her storage place next street and brought the chair… the tear was almost invisible! So we didn’t think it twice and now it lives in the living room at The Other House (looking beautiful by its two amazing LADY room-mates… http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/128930-lady-chair-and-sofa-marco-zanusso-arfl?in=collection-2677). On pic. 4 you can see it also has some great lamp room-mates...

    The Womb chair is an absolute classic. It was designed by Eero Saarinen between 1946 and 1948 and was –and still is- produced by Knoll International. At the Knoll website they say “Eero Saarinen designed the groundbreaking Womb Chair at Florence Knoll's request for "a chair that was like a basket full of pillows, "something I could really curl up in."” And I really think he absolutely fullfilled her desire.

    It is still made nowadays although the “original edition” that started in 1948 was discontinued in 1993, and it was later reissued, and this is the Womb chair they’re now selling in the shops. Although the chair was made in a myriad of bright colours, nowadays Knoll is only making it in five colours for the chair and ottoman set ( black –Black Iris-, medium gray –Smoke-, light gray -Neutral-, blue -Aegean- and the classic Womb in red -Cayenne-) whereas for the ottoman there are two more colours: light brown -Flax- and dark brown -Pumpernickel-.

    Also the legs seem to have been made in several finishings: chromed, matte chrome, black and I’ve just seen a white one online.
    Here’s the page for this chair at the Knoll website: http://www.knoll.com/product/womb-chair-with-ottoman (and believe me, what we paid was much, much less than the price on their website)

    I’ll try and search when was made this green one. I'm pretty sure it's not from the 50s , the 60s nor even the 70s... but most probably from between the 1980s and 1993.

    By the way, on pic.2 you can see different size versions for this design, as well as an early model or prototype with big feet. On pic.3, you can see Saarinen and his wife sat at the Womb chair. I loved this picture when I saw it so I really really had to share it with you!

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    Comments

    1. SEAN68 SEAN68, 9 years ago
      very beautiful!!!
    2. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      Thanks SEAN!!! We're very proud of this chair!!!
    3. SEAN68 SEAN68, 9 years ago
      I WOULD BE AS WELL!! I still have my black Eero Saarinen chair , remember that one ?
    4. SEAN68 SEAN68, 9 years ago
      your very welcome austro!!
    5. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      I don't, Sean!. Sorry! which model was it?
    6. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      Thanks for loving it GTMOOM and JEWELS!!!
    7. Manikin Manikin, 9 years ago
      You have the coolest furniture ! I love your taste austro !!
    8. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      Thanks MANI!!! But how could anyone not loving this chair?

      Thanks for your loves MANI and AGH!!!!
    9. vetraio50 vetraio50, 9 years ago
      Just AMAZING!
    10. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      FORAPACHE. CZECHMAN and VET, thanks so much for your love!!!

      And thanks VET! I always wanted to have one of these... you can guess how happy I am with it! :)
    11. racer4four racer4four, 9 years ago
      I am so envious Austro! Personally the green would be my choice so it's a win win.
      I just want to sit in your chair, relax, and admire all of your fab things!
    12. shareurpassion shareurpassion, 9 years ago
      lol...that's a ditto to racers comment! Good to see you, it's been a while!

      Love, love!!!
    13. inky inky, 9 years ago
      Looks sooo! comfortable and I just love the green as well!....:-)
    14. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      In that case I'm glad we got it green, RACER, INKY and SHARE :) So whenever you're "in The Other City, where The Other House is" you're welcome to call in and have a nice cup of tea sat at this beauty (or maybe you'd prefer a glass of wine?)

      Thanks RACER, INKY, SHARE, CORMORAN, MIKE, ELISABETHAN and VIOLET for your loves and comments!!!!
    15. Cpomedx Cpomedx, 9 years ago
      Love the colour and the curves.Thanks for sharing
    16. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      Thanks for your kind comment CPOMEDX
    17. inky inky, 9 years ago
      A glass of wine will be nice thank you austrohugaro.....:-))
    18. SEAN68 SEAN68, 9 years ago
      hello austro in the black vinyl http://vastudc.com/images/saarinenchair3.jpg

      my model still has the orginal label and I still have my knoll table still .
    19. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      Thanks for loving it CINDB, EYE and SKLO!!!!

      INKY: let it be a glass of wine and some jamón ibérico ;)

      That one's nice SEAN! Wouldn't mind to have one at home! :)
    20. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      Thanks for loving it KYRA!!!
    21. SEAN68 SEAN68, 9 years ago
      Thankyou austro!!
    22. Budek Budek, 9 years ago
      An Amazing piece, Austro!!! and the story was interesting, too!
    23. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      Thanks BUDEK! I think it was waiting for us...

      Also thanks to STEVE, BRATJDD and HUNTER for your loves!!!!
    24. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      Thanks for your love DR FLUFFY!!!
    25. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      Thanks for your love HO2CULTCHA!!!
    26. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      CINDB: thanks for loving... again!!!!
    27. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      Thanks for loving it MIEDERMAN!!!
    28. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      Thanks for your love MIKKO!!!
    29. BelleEpoque BelleEpoque, 9 years ago
      great chair and great story, as always! :)
    30. austrohungaro austrohungaro, 9 years ago
      Thanks BelleEPOQUE!!! We're very proud of this chair and the eway we found it :)
    31. Nathaniel.J, 4 years ago
      What a strange coincidence! I saw this chair in red just yesterday in an auction viewing in Auckland, NZ

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