Jim Geier for Vermont Folk Rocker Craftsman Oak Wood Block Dining Chairs, 1970s

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Jim Geier for Vermont Folk Rocker Craftsman Oak Wood Block Dining Chairs, 1970s

About the Item

These unique and interesting wood block chairs are by craftsman Jim Geier for his Vermont Folk Rocker Company, circa 1970s. Crafted from oak and rope, this set of 6 Shaker styled chairs are priced as a set. From Vermont Folk Rocker website: The concepts of Jim Geier's designs were originally made in his Starksboro woodshop, built with construction materials salvaged from his job renovating houses in the 1970s. Today, Geier's patented design can be found in homes all-over the country, and giving a cozy Vermont touch to Burlington International Airport and Green Mountain State welcome centers. Sturdy and inviting, the Shaker-influenced chairs particularly stand out for their seat, made from many small wooden blocks woven to the frame. This built-in flexibility makes for a very comfortable chair. Growing up near Albany, NY, Geier spent his high school summers working with his grandfather, a stonemason. "I think my grandfather got me going on making things," he said, recalling in particular a giant concrete dinosaur they built for a children's park. In 1971, Geier rented a small shop in Burlington's South End to make cabinets for the houses he was working on. Once he had a shop of his own, he threw himself headlong into furniture making, continually "churning out new things," he said. Given Geier's experimental spirit, it should come as no surprise that Vermont Folk Rocker didn't begin with a chair at all but with a hammock, made from his now-signature blocks of wood. When he took the hammock to a show in Massachusetts, his sister suggested reimagining it as a rocking chair. "It just went from there," he said. One of Vermont Folk Rocker's many fans is Gene Richards, director of aviation at Burlington International Airport. "They're stunning. They're beautiful," he said. "They're not only a seat. They're art." Aside from being attractive and locally made, the rockers make sense for weary travellers. "They're good for people pre-travel," Richards said. "They're therapeutic, it's like a mini back massage as you sit." "They're more calming than a regular chair," Geier noted. And despite Vermont Folk Rockers' strong connection to the Green Mountain State, he also recognizes the universal within the local: "Everybody wants to sit in a chair that's comfortable." These side chairs would work great in a Craftsman, Mid-Century Modern, Scandinavian Modern or Danish modern home or penthouse apartment but could also look fantastic in a Contemporary or Postmodern room. Also consider mixing it up in a traditional, transitional, classical or Art Deco room with a splash of juxtaposition. Would also be an Apt choice in a commercial project such as a hotel lobby lounge or members club, creative design studio or high-rise executive office. Consider using as side chairs, cafe or breakfast table chairs, bedside chair, fireside chair, dressing or changing room chair, hallway chair, entryway or mudroom chair, nursing or reading chair, conference room chairs, office or desk chair, guest chairs, lobby chairs, lounge chairs or occasional chairs ideal in virtually any setting. Condition: Good vintage condition with light to moderate wear throughout. One chair has a row of missing blocks at the bottom row below the seat. Does not affect the chair's functionality. Can be refinished upon request. Measurements: H 35" x W 17.25" x D 19.25" Seat height 18" Seat depth 15".

Creator:
Jim Geier (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 35 in (88.9 cm)Width: 17.25 in (43.82 cm)Depth: 19.25 in (48.9 cm)Seat Height: 18 in (45.72 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 6
Style:
American Craftsman (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Oak,Rope
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1970-1979
Date of Manufacture:
1970s
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Good vintage condition with light to moderate wear and patina throughout. One chair has a row of missing blocks at the bottom row below the seat. Does not affect the chair's functionality.
Seller Location:
Los Angeles, CA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1330217475852