Carved Hardwood Hand Chair after Pedro Friedeburg
View Similar Items
Carved Hardwood Hand Chair after Pedro Friedeburg
About the Item
- Creator:Pedro Friedeberg (Artist)
- Dimensions:Height: 35 in (88.9 cm)Width: 22 in (55.88 cm)Depth: 21 in (53.34 cm)Seat Height: 17 in (43.18 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:20th Century
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Excellent joinery and craftsmanship with age appropriate wear.
- Seller Location:Rio Vista, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1555216283561
Pedro Friedeberg
The sculptor and painter Pedro Friedeberg works in a richly detailed, Surrealist and eccentric artistic style that blends influences from neoclassical art, M.C. Escher and native Mesoamerican symbolism. He is best known for his Hand chair — a functional sculpture that is an icon of design-as-art.
Friedeberg was born in Florence to German parents and moved with his mother to Mexico at the outset of World War II. As a university student in Mexico City in the 1950s, he initially studied architecture, but his designs for fantastical buildings ran afoul of his rationalist, Bauhaus-oriented teachers.
By chance, Friedeberg’s drawings came to the attention of Mathias Goeritz, the German-born Dadaist painter and sculptor. He encouraged Friedeberg and made him a protégé. Friedeberg credits his mentor for instilling in him a fanatical attention to detail in his work. Friedeberg produced his first Hand chair in 1961, and has since created numerous iterations. He has also made several variants using other human limbs in different functional forms such as tables and clocks.
While Friedeberg’s sculptures have a gentle character that is sometimes described as spiritual, his paintings and prints are something entirely different. He employs deep perspective to create hypnotic, painstakingly rendered canvases that suggest rooms and cityscapes.
Whatever the medium, Friedeberg’s work is arresting and instantly recognizable. The Hand chair, though familiar, remains a captivating piece — both furniture and artwork — that stands apart in any interior. Examples are often priced between $20,000 and $30,000, depending on formal variations (such as a foot-shaped pedestal), material and condition. Smaller functional items such as tabletop clocks bring about $9,000. His paintings and drawings require space; they are meant to be contemplated. Prices on original examples start at about $30,000; prints generally sell in the region of $900.
As you will see on 1stDibs, the art and design of Pedro Friedeberg is singular and memorable.
Erin Lane Estate is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and its team of furniture restorers, art curators, professional appraisers and Asia specialists sources prime vintage and antique furniture from the finest estates in Northern and Southern California. Erin Lane Estate specializes in Hollywood Regency, McGuire, Chinese and Japanese pieces.
- Set of Eight Modern Regency Style Hardwood Dining ChairsLocated in Rio Vista, CAFantastic set of eight hardwood dining chairs made in a modern regency style with a scrolled back. Bespoke set of chairs made in Spain from the design center in San Francisco featuri...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Regency Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Hardwood
- Pair of Midcentury Barcelona Chairs After Ludwig Mies Van der RoheLocated in Rio Vista, CAIconic pair of Mid-Century Modern Barcelona chairs made in the manner and style of Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe for Knoll. The chairs feature tufted leather seat cushions with a desirabl...Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel, Chrome
- Pedro Friedeberg Style Two Hands Carved Walnut Drink TableLocated in Rio Vista, CAExtraordinary carved walnut drinks table or side table featuring two graceul hands made in the style and manner of Pedro Freideberg. The mid-century modern sculptural carving depicts...Category
20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsGlass, Walnut
- Pair of Ebonized Leather Rope Klismos Chairs After Robsjohn-GibbingsLocated in Rio Vista, CAFantastic pair of large klismos chairs featuring a dramatic ebonized black lacquer finish and leather woven rope strap seats. The oversized chairs are unsigned, however they are made...Category
20th Century Neoclassical Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Set of Six Neoclassical Style Gilt Dining Chairs After VersaceLocated in Rio Vista, CAStunning set of six shiny gold dining chairs after Versace. The chairs feature thick gilt metal or gilded metal frames made in the neoclassical taste. The chair backs have greek colu...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Michael Taylor for Baker Style Carved Hardwood SofaLocated in Rio Vista, CAGorgeous hand-carved hardwood sofa made in the manner and style of Michael Taylor for Baker Far East collection. The hardwood frame features a geometric open design supported by a fl...Category
20th Century Chinese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Hardwood
- Mexican Carved Hand Chair in the Style of Pedro Friedeberg, circa 1960By Pedro FriedebergLocated in Camden, MEA finely detailed studio carved cocobolo hand chair crafted in Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico, circa 1960. The Studio carved hand has an incised love line and life line. The artist ha...Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Sculptures and Carvings
MaterialsCocobolo
$3,520 Sale Price57% Off - Carved Walnut Pedro Friedeberg Style Hand ChairBy Pedro FriedebergLocated in Montreal, QCCarved Walnut Pedro Friedeberg style hand chair.Category
Vintage 1980s American Chairs
MaterialsWalnut
- Carved Hand Chair after Pedro FriedebergBy Pedro FriedebergLocated in NYC, NYA unique, hand-carved wood chair in the shape of a cupped hand with detailing down to the wrinkles and fingernails. The base whimsically detailed as a shirt cuff with buttons. Solid....Category
Vintage 1950s French Folk Art Slipper Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Pedro Friedeberg Style “Hand” ChairBy Pedro FriedebergLocated in Doylestown, PAA nice early “Hand” chair circa 1970, after the artist Pedro Friedeberg, carved in walnut with a nice patina and details. Nice smaller scale - would make a cool desk chair for a kid.Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsWalnut
$1,750 Sale Price33% Off - Pedro Friedeberg Iconic Wood Hand Chair, 1960sBy Pedro FriedebergLocated in Uccle, BEThis beautiful golden brown Pedro Friedeberg hand chair was commissioned in the 1960s and is crafted of solid Honduran Mahogany. In 1961 when Pedro was working with artist Mathias Go...Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsMahogany
$39,579 Sale Price20% Off - A Pair Carved Bavarian Board Chairs ca. 1900Located in Berghuelen, DEA Pair Carved Bavarian Board Chairs ca. 1900 A pair wonderful carved oak wood board chairs from a famous munich inn. The backrests are carved with whimsy folksy scenes of the Munich...Category
Antique Late 19th Century German Black Forest Chairs
MaterialsNutwood
$1,875 / set
