1930s Modernist Famulus Armchair by JP Hully English Art Deco Birch Bentwood

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1930s Modernist Famulus Armchair by JP Hully English Art Deco Birch Bentwood

About the Item

This rare 1930s Modernist armchair known as the ‘Famulus’ was designed by J. P. Hully and made by P.E Gane Ltd in Bristol, UK. The Famulus chair is made from steamed birch with the arms bending through 180 degrees ending on sledge feet. The wood has a lovely patina and is complimented by detachable grey linen piped cushions that appear to have been recently re-upholstered. History: Bristol’s part in the Bauhaus story hinges on the relationship between designer Marcel Breuer and forward-looking Bristol furniture manufacturer Crofton Gane. In 1930s Britain the Design and Industries Association (DIA), a prominent group of designers, architects and manufacturers were the main lobbyists for contemporary approaches to design. They were very aware of design developments in Europe and leading figures were quick to welcome refugee designer Walter Gropius and his colleagues to London. The DIA used their contacts and connections to find employment and projects for their guests. Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer found partnerships with architects and this lead to a small number of architectural projects and collaborations. Crofton Gane had recently become Managing Director of Bristol furniture manufacturer and retailer P E Gane Ltd and had been an active member of the DIA for some years. He had visited the Exposition des Arts Decoratif in Paris in 1925 with the DIA group and had worried his father P E Gane with his enthusiasm for plywood and for Modernist thinking! By 1930 he was able to explore his ideas more actively, taking full control of the P E Gane company in 1933. By 1935 when he met Breuer, he had been developing the company’s ranges for some time, both selling imported furniture by the likes of Alvar Aalto as well as hiring his own designer J P Hully who worked particularly on ranges of modular furniture. Hully had been a leading member of the design team at Bath Cabinetmakers who designed and made contemporary furniture primarily for large contract projects and who had shown at the Paris exhibition. Breuer’s interest in furniture design and new materials was always likely to chime with Crofton Gane, and he was quick to offer him work both as a furniture designer and as an architect. (Excerpt Ken Stradling Collection).

Creator:
JP Hully (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 35.04 in (89 cm)Width: 24.41 in (62 cm)Depth: 33.47 in (85 cm)Seat Height: 15.75 in (40 cm)
Style:
Art Deco (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Beech,Bentwood,Fabric,Metal
Place of Origin:
United Kingdom
Period:
1930-1939
Date of Manufacture:
1930
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Sherborne, GB
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU4257226845982