The Wire Chairs are a series of three chairs made of a metal wire mesh; designed byHarry Bertoiain the 50s for Knoll.
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When were the Wire Chairs conceived?
Starting out as a teacher in jewelry design and metal work in California,Bertoiamoved to Pennsylvania in1950to work withHansandFlorence Knoll, with the promise of full freedom to develop his artistic concepts. Out of this challenge emerged a range of furniture “mostly made of air” andthree wire piecesthat became known as theBertoia Collectionfor Knoll. Among these was the famousDiamond Chair: a fluid, sculptural form made from a welded lattice work of steel that soon became one of the most popular piece of furniture of mid-century.
If you look at these chairs, they are mainly made of air, like sculpture. Space passes right through them.
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How were they produced?
The chairs were produced with varying degrees ofupholsteryover theirlight grid-work, but since a suitable mass production process couldn’t be found at first, they were handmade and sold in small numbers. It was at that time that a dispute withRay and Charles Eamestook place. In fact, the first Wire Chairs utilized two thin wires welded on either side of the mesh seat, unfortunately this design had already been granted a patent to theEamesfor theWire Chairproduced by Herman Miller.
SoBertoiaand Knoll redesigned the seat edge, using athicker,single wire, and grinding down the edge of the seat wires at asmooth angle— the exact same way the chairs are produced today. Nonetheless, the commercial success enjoyed byBertoia‘s chairs was immediate and the Bertoia Collection remains one of the great achievements of modern furniture design.
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Which are the Wire Chairs?
The three Wire Chairs by Bertoia are: theSide Chair,Barstooland theDiamond Chair. Each one can be found in slightly different versions. A full list of the Wire Chairs available today is the following:
Bertoia Side Chair
Bertoia Side Chair without Seat Pad;
Bertoia Side Chair – Two-Tone;
Bertoia Side Chair in Rose Gold.
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Bertoia Barstool
Bertoia Barstool without Seat Pad;
Bertoia Barstool – Counter Height;
Bertoia Barstool – Counter Height without Seat Pad.
Bertoia Diamond Chair
Bertoia Diamond Chair – Two-Tone;
Bertoia Diamond Chair in Gold.
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线的椅子是什么做的?
The three chairs are all characterized by awire mesh design, but they differ slightly for material and finishes.
Bertoia Side Chair
Seat and base are constructed ofwelded steel rodswithpolished chromeorwhiteorblack Rilsan finish. The seat pad and cover attach directly to the frame with hidden mono-filament and metal hooks.
The Rilsan finish and vinyl seat pad are both suitable for outdoor use while the chrome finish is not. Plastic glides are also included on sled base to protect floors.
Bertoia Barstool
Seat and base are constructed ofwelded steel rodswithpolished chromeorwhiteorblack powder coat finish. Seat pad snaps on to the frame with domed snap buttons.
White and black powder coat frame with vinyl seat pad are all suitable for outdoor use.
Bertoia Diamond Chair
Seat and base are constructed ofwelded steel rodswithpolished chromeorwhiteorblack Rilsan finish. Seat pad and cover attach directly to the frame with hidden mono-filament and metal hooks.
As for the Side Chair, the Rilsan finish and vinyl seat pad are suitable for outdoor use, the chrome finish is not and plastic glides are included on sled base to protect floors.
Data Sheet
- Designer: Harry Bertoia;
- Year of design: introduced in 1952 and still in production;
- Manufacturer: Knoll;
- Provenance: USA.
Info sources:
https://www.knoll.com/shop/by-category/knoll-classics/harry-bertoia-collection
https://www.knoll.com/product/bertoia-side-chair
https://www.knoll.com/product/bertoia-barstool
https://www.knoll.com/product/bertoia-diamond-chair
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