Ernest Race
British, 1913-1964
Ernest Race was a British textile artist and furniture designer, born in 1913, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. After graduating with a degree in interior design from London’s Bartlett School of Architecture, he joined the lighting firm, Troughton & Young, as a draughtsman. He was a key figure in the British furniture design industry in the 1900s, with his skill involving the use of ingenious manufacturing processes to create contemporary furniture from improvised or recycled materials.
After visiting a weaving village in India in 1937, Ernest returned to London and opened a shop in Knightsbridge, to sell textiles and carpets. He did not start designing furniture until just after World War II, when he answered an advertisement from engineer, J.W. Noel Jordan. His best-known designs are the BA3 aluminium chair of 1945 and the Antelope, designed for the “Festival of Britain” in 1951.
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EARLY ERNEST RACE DA Sofa, 1949, Classic British Design
By Ernest Race
Located in Somerton, GB
A Classic piece of British design, this early DA sofa designed by Ernest Race has a welded steel frame with coil sprung seats and beech legs. Recently r...
Category
1940s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ernest Race
Materials
Steel
Ernest Race Rocking Chair, 1940s, England
By Ernest Race
Located in London, GB
Designed by Ernest Race in 1948. A very rare low volume original, it has become a highly recognised design classic.
Constructed from bent steel rod, the chair is very comfortable. ...
Category
1940s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ernest Race
Materials
Steel
Hunting Aviation Metal Desk Ernest Race
By Ernest Race
Located in New York, NY
Ernest Race designed Metal Desk for P.W. Cow / Hunting Aviation, United Kingdom 1946. A wonderful piece of British Design History Desk by Ernest Race. The aluminum metal has a pattern to its surface as aircraft panels...
Category
1940s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ernest Race
Materials
Aluminum, Steel
Original 1950s Heron Chair by Ernest Race Midcentury Modern chair
By Ernest Race
Located in Stow on the Wold, GB
A beautiful example of an original Ernest Race Heron Chair circa 1955. Designed by Ernest Race and Manufactured by Race Furniture.
Owned by one famil...
Category
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Ernest Race
Materials
Steel
Ernest Race, Isokon Donkey Mk 2, 1963, mid-century classic shelf unit / display
By Isokon, Ernest Race
Located in London, GB
Ernest Race, UK.
Isokon Donkey Mark 2
Designed 1963 for the Isokon Furniture Company.
Cream-white painted plywood with wooden legs.
L 53 cm, W 41 cm,...
Category
1960s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ernest Race
Materials
Wood
H 15.75 in W 16.15 in D 20.87 in
Rare Ernest Race 'Neptune' lounge chair. c1953 England
By Ernest Race
Located in London, GB
An early Ernest Race 'Neptune' chair.
Beech plywood with the early brass fittings and webbing.
Folds to an incredible 12cm
Structurally sound with a lovely patina
Category
1950s English Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ernest Race
Materials
Beech, Plywood
Unique 1950s Springbok Garden Table and Chairs Set by Ernest Race
By Race Furniture, Ernest Race
Located in Shepperton, Surrey
A unique 1950s table with four accompanying "Springbok" chairs by Ernest Race for Race Furniture.
Made for the 1951 Festival of Britain, the chairs are of original vintage. The chairs bear remnants of the Race Furniture label. The bespoke Springbok table was made by Ernest Race in the 50s to accompany the chairs and is as rare as it gets.
This set is documented in the Antique Trade Gazette:
Ernest Race, who died at the early age of 51 in 1964, established his eponymous company in 1945 and is best known for his 'Antelope' and 'Springbok' chairs that were unveiled at the Festival of Britain and used steel rod frames with plywood and spring seats. Pictured here is a set of four 'Springbok' chairs as shown at the festival accompanied by a unique custom-made table. Both use Race’s characteristic steel rod frames and ball feet.
The set has had some conservation work, including the addition of transparent tubing to protect areas where the plastic webbing has split. It remains in very useful condition and would make the ultimate MCM garden...
Category
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Ernest Race
Materials
Steel
Round Coffee Table, Rare Ernest Race Design, 1940s
By Ernest Race, Race Furniture
Located in London, GB
Ernest Race Coffee Table Designed by Ernest Race in the 1940s Cast aluminium legs Walnut veneer table top with aluminium banding.
Category
1940s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ernest Race
Materials
Aluminum
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Ernest Race furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Ernest Race furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Ernest Race furniture, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Ernest Race were created in the mid-century modern style in united kingdom during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Omersa, Hille, and Arkana Furniture. Prices for Ernest Race furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $956 and can go as high as $12,741, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,474.