Artistic, innovative and entrepreneurial, the self-taught creator Tom Dixon has been a contemporary design-world maverick for more than three decades. From his revolutionary art-meets-design projects of the 1980s and throughout his dynamic and influential career as a designer of furniture, housewares and interiors, the only consistent note has been change. Dixon’s chief fascination is exploring new materials and new ways of constructing things.
Dixon was restless even as a young man. He enjoyed ceramics and drawing in high school but later dropped out of the Chelsea School of Art in London. While repairing his motorcycle in 1983, Dixon learned how to weld and took to the craft. He began making what he has called semi-functional objects from scrap metal (sometime as performance art in a nightclub), then formed a furniture studio–cum–think tank called Creative Salvage. Amid the ritzy excess of the ’80s, Dixon — along with designers such as Tejo Remy and Ron Arad — forged a new, attention-getting aesthetic with furniture made from found materials.
In 1987, Dixon began working for the Italian furniture manufacturer Cappellini, which put his best-known design, the slender, sinuous S chair, into production, followed by such pieces as the Pylon chair (1992), a wire lattice that resembles electrical transmission towers. Starting in the 1990s, Dixon expanded his interests rapidly. He started a company to manufacture the stackable plastic Jack light; joined the housewares retailer Habitat as creative director; and breathed new life into Artek, the venerable Finnish maker that Alvar Aalto and his wife Aino helped cofound. Since 2002, Dixon has run his namesake company fabricating furnishings from novel materials like brass foil-clad wood and “vacuum-metalized” glass.
The hallmark of Dixon’s design is his captivation with the process of creating pieces such as chairs, tables and lighting fixtures. “A kind friend once described me as a ‘vertebrate designer,’” Dixon has said. “That means that I design from the bones outwards and am not really interested in surface.”
Classic Dixon pieces are those that exhibit the manner of their making — from his early work in welded scrap metal to the woven rattan seats and backs of his Fat chair for Cappellini. There are two ways to approach Dixon designs: as a collector, or as a decorator. The former will seek Dixon’s one-off and limited edition works and prototypes. These historical artifacts carry high prices that range from around $8,000 to $50,000 and above. Those more interested in a dynamic look will find that manufactured Dixon designs — such as his Jack lights or his Melt pendant — can be found for prices that range from about $300 to $1,000. Either way, as you will see on 1stDibs, the designs of Tom Dixon have a singular allure that makes them a noteworthy element in any room.
Limited Edition, Eps Chair by Tom Dixon for London Design Festival, 2006
By Tom Dixon
Located in Uppsala, SE
Very rare EPS chair in a limited edition of 500 pieces in grey polystyrene (packing material) designed by Tom Dixon for the London Design Festival...
Polystyrene
Tom Dixon "Banana Chair" Wire Frame for Cappellini, 1988, 1st Edition
By Cappellini, Tom Dixon
Located in Montréal, CA
Tom Dixon designed the Banana Chair in 1988 for Cappellini, during the period that followed his breakout S Chair and cemented his reputation as a leading voice of British Creative Sa...
Metal
$1,073Sale Price|60% Off
H 52.37 in W 43.31 in D 22.45 in
Tom Dixon Speed lounge chair for Space Design, UK 1999
By Tom Dixon
Located in London, GB
A rare lounge chair by British designer Tom Dixon for Space Design. A delicate braided rope has been systematically woven across its iron frame, a method Dixon employed in various ea...
Rope
$5,500
H 27.25 in W 21 in D 25.25 in
1990s Marcel Wanders for Droog Green Rope "Knotted Chair" by Cappellini - Italy
By MARCEL WANDERS, Cappellini
Located in St. Louis, MO
A rare and spectacular icon of late-20th-century avant-garde design: the "Knotted Chair" (Model KC_1), designed by the legendary Dutch designer Marcel Wanders in 1996 for Droog Desig...
Epoxy Resin, Carbon Fiber
$1,624
H 41.74 in W 19.69 in D 20.48 in
1 x Hourglass Rope Dining Chair Tom Dixon Style Metal Frame UK, 1980s Postmodern
By Tom Dixon
Located in London, GB
An amazing hourglass rope chair designed after the famous 'S' chair of Tom Dixon. The chair is weaved with rushed rope weaved around a metal frame. It holds a playful and beautiful...
Iron
1st Edition Cité Armchair by Jean Prouvé for Vitra
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Rare first edition Jean Prouve Cité chair by Vitra, circa 2002. The Cité armchair is an early masterpiece by the French designer and engineer Jean ...
Metal
$21,260
H 41.34 in Dm 34.26 in
Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair 1st Edition 1958/60 Original Leather Fritz Hansen
By Arne Jacobsen
Located in Forest, BE
1st Edition of the Egg chair Arne Jacobsen designed for the Royal Hotel SAS in Copenhagen and completed in 1958. The very 1st ones have no ...
Leather
$9,077 / set
H 41.74 in W 19.69 in D 20.48 in
6 x Hourglass Rope Dining Chairs Tom Dixon Style Metal Frame UK 1980s Postmodern
By Tom Dixon
Located in London, GB
This listing is for six chairs An amazing hourglass rope chair designed after the famous 'S' chair of Tom Dixon. The chair is weaved with rushed rope weaved around a metal frame. ...
Iron
$3,548 / set
H 31.5 in W 22.05 in D 15.75 in
Set of 3 Postmodern "Banana" Bar Stools by Tom Dixon for Cappellini, Italy 1988
By Cappellini, Tom Dixon
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find an iconic and highly sculptural set of three "Banana" bar stools designed by Tom Dixon during the 1980s. Celebrated for their playful organic form and innovative use of materials, these stools exemplify Dixon's early experimental approach that would later establish him as one of Britain's most influential contemporary designers. Each stool features a distinctive banana-shaped seat hand-woven in natural rush over a metal frame, resting on elegantly slender black lacquered steel legs. The juxtaposition of the warm, tactile woven surface with the graphic linearity of the steel base creates a striking silhouette that is both functional and artistic. Produced in limited numbers during Dixon's formative years, the Banana stools...
Iron
$10,054
H 27.56 in W 37.41 in D 37.41 in
Meltdown Chair, White Rope by Tom Price, Contemporary, Limited Edition
By Tom Price
Located in PARIS, FR
'Meltdown Chair, White Rope' is a piece by English artist Tom Price, from the Meltdown Series. This chair is made entirely from polypropylene rope, no other material is added. The artist starts its creation by rolling up the rope around a ball – which is later removed, and then he presses a part of the rope ball on a heated metal seat-shaper former. The rope melts and, when it cools and subsequently hardens, the shape of the seat is created. Tom Price thus alters the structural and aesthetic qualities of the plastic material, giving rise to interesting contrasts in texture and form within the same object. Launched in 2007, the Meltdown Series earned Tom Price widespread international acclaim for his innovative production processes and eye-catching approach to working with commonplace plastic products. The way of assembling the plastic material and the mostly unpredictable patterns created by the heating method ensure that every piece is unique and unrepeatable. This design pieces are true sculptural objects, while at the same time being fully functional and very robust. Meltdown Chairs are included in the permanent collections of several Museums, including SFMOMA San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (US), the Denver Art Museum (US), The Nelson Atkins Museum (US), Chatsworth House (UK), MKG Hamburg (Germany) and the Amore Pacific Museum (South Korea). Works from the Meltdown Series have been exhibited extensively throughout the USA, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. They have been included in many high-profile museum exhibitions, including SFMOMA San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (US), MAD Museum of Art and Design New York (US); The Mint Museum (US); Denver Art Museum (US); Design Museum Holon (Israel); Design Museum Gent (Belgium); NRW Forum Dusseldorf (Germany); The Latvian National Museum of Art in Riga (Latvia). They have also featured at international art and design fairs, including Design Miami Basel (Switzerland); Sao Paolo Design Festival (Brazil); Cheongju International Craft Biennale (South Korea), Design Days Dubai (United Arab Emirates); Gwangju Biennale (South Korea) and Lodz International Design Biennale (Poland). Finally, the series has been featured in multiple publications, including: The Campaign for Art...
Plastic
$11,739
H 47.25 in W 41.34 in D 38.59 in
Original 1st Edition Eero Aarnio Ball Chair for Asko Finland, 1970s
By Eero Aarnio, Asko
Located in Renens, CH
Designed by Eero Aarnio in the 1960s, the Ball, also known as the Globe Chair, is one of the most recognised design icons of the 20th century. It is still produced today by the Germa...
Steel
$12,800 / set
H 26.5 in W 31.5 in D 30 in
Pair of Pierre Paulin "M" Lounge Chairs Model F580 for Artifort 1st Edition
By Artifort, Pierre Paulin
Located in Dallas, TX
Pair of First Edition Pierre Paulin F580 Lounge Chairs for Artifort, 1960s – Sculptural Serenity in Motion A rare, all-original pair of first edition F580 lounge chairs by visionary ...
Wool
$29,571
H 29.53 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Meltdown Chair, Bronze #2 by Tom Price, Contemporary, Limited Edition
By Tom Price
Located in PARIS, FR
Meltdown Chair, Bronze #2 is a piece by English artist Tom Price, from the Meltdown Series. This chair is created using a ‘lost-plastic’ casting technique: a chair made from polypropylene tubes is encased in a thick ceramic shell and then melted out. The artist then pours molten bronze into the empty space that has formed and, once the metal has cooled and hardened, the ceramic shell is broken away. A work on the surface follows: the underside is left raw and patinated black while the seat is polished until it acquires a bright mirror finish. Every chair in the edition is unique because the ceramic mould must be broken to release the bronze, and therefore the entire process must be repeated for every new edition. Launched in 2007, the Meltdown Series earned Tom Price widespread international acclaim for his innovative production processes and eye-catching approach to working with commonplace plastic products. The way of assembling the plastic material and the mostly unpredictable patterns created by the heating method ensure that every piece is unique and unrepeatable. This design pieces are true sculptural objects, while at the same time being fully functional and very robust. Meltdown Chairs are included in the permanent collections of several Museums, including SFMOMA San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (US), the Denver Art Museum (US), The Nelson Atkins Museum (US), Chatsworth House (UK), MKG Hamburg (Germany) and the Amore Pacific Museum (South Korea). Works from the Meltdown Series have been exhibited extensively throughout the USA, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. They have been included in many high-profile museum exhibitions, including SFMOMA San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (US), MAD Museum of Art and Design New York (US); The Mint Museum (US); Denver Art Museum (US); Design Museum Holon (Israel); Design Museum Gent (Belgium); NRW Forum Dusseldorf (Germany); The Latvian National Museum of Art in Riga (Latvia). They have also featured at international art and design fairs, including Design Miami Basel (Switzerland); Sao Paolo Design Festival (Brazil); Cheongju International Craft Biennale (South Korea), Design Days Dubai (United Arab Emirates); Gwangju Biennale (South Korea) and Lodz International Design Biennale (Poland). Finally, the series has been featured in multiple publications, including: The Campaign for Art...
Bronze
$4,000
H 32 in W 42 in D 33 in
George Nelson Coconut Chair for Herman Miller, Early 1st Generation Production
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Troy, MI
Rare 1st edition Coconut lounge chair designed by George Nelson and Associates Herman Miller circa 1955-1956 Earliest production example characterized by a triangular steel shell an...
Metal, Chrome
Pair of Highback "Fan" Chairs by Tom Dixon, 2020s
By Tom Dixon
Located in Coronado, CA
A wonderfully dramatic pair of contemporary highback "Fan" Chairs designed by Tom Dixon. Dixon designed this chair as a modern take on the classical British Windsor chair, with a goa...
Leather, Ash
Tom Dixon for Cappellini Wicker S-Chair
By Cappellini, Tom Dixon
Located in Rochester, England
Designed by Tom Dixon, one of the best known British designers of the 21st century, the S-chair went into production with Cappellini in 1991. The S-chair is instantly recognisable, thanks to its sculptural silhouette and is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, making it a true design icon. The S-shaped seat is constructed from wicker, with a curved high backrest which flows seamlessly into the seat. The chair sits on a circular steel base, creating a cantilever effect, as if the seat is defying gravity. A true design classic, this Tom Dixon S...
Wicker
Tom Dixon Upholstered Fat Lounge Chairs, Pair
By Tom Dixon
Located in Astoria, NY
Pair of Tom Dixon (British, b. 1959) Fat lounge chairs, of molded foam upholstered in black wool upon four black lacquered metal legs, "Tom Dixon." la...
Metal
Banana Chair by Tom Dixon, Produced for Cappellini, 1988
By Tom Dixon, Cappellini
Located in New York, NY
The Banana chair by Tom Dixon Design by Tom Dixon, circa 1988 Tom Dixon, (b. 1959 England - ) Manufactured by Cappellini, Italy. Wrought iron structur...
Wrought Iron