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Early Rare Prototype for N° 5490 Chaise Lounge, George Nelson, 1953

Name: Early Rare Prototype for N° 5490 Chaise Lounge, George Nelson, 1953
Brand: George Nelson
Price: 20000 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

Nestled in the sun-soaked haven of Florida, tucked away in the eccentric estate of a wealthy collector, this forgotten relic of mid-century modern design lay dormant for years, waiting for its moment to shine once again. This collector had a treasure trove of mid-century marvels, lovingly amassed by a collector with an eye for the extraordinary. Among the coveted pieces, we unearthed a true gem—a rare, early prototype frame for a George Nelson Chaise Lounge, painted white and lightly oxidized from years of outdoor exposure. But here's where the story takes a twist. This frame wasn't just any run-of-the-mill Nelson creation; oh no, it was a mysterious enigma, a glimpse into the master's mind before it was fully formed. I've been told that this iteration was never meant for the limelight, never intended for the pages of Herman Miller's catalog—it was a tantalizing taste of what was to come. And so, with a nod to its storied past and a wink to its uncertain future, we embarked on a journey to breathe new life into this forgotten treasure. Chroming the solid steel frame proved a Herculean task—too weighty, too large and unwieldy for even the best craftsmen of Los Angeles. But fear not, dear connoisseurs of design, for where there's a will, there's a way. We stripped the frame bare and bestowed upon it a sleek powder coating of midnight black, a modern twist on a timeless classic. With the frame restored to its former glory, our artisans set to work, crafting a seat worthy of its illustrious heritage. Upholstered in sumptuous Argentine leather, every stitch a testament to luxury, we spared no expense in bringing this vision to life. And what's a chaise without its crown? We crowned our creation with a headrest fit for royalty, the final flourish of opulence atop an already extravagant masterpiece. But wait, there's more. The George Nelson 5490 Chaise Lounge isn't just rare—it's a unicorn among unicorns. A fleeting presence in the Herman Miller catalog, it vanished almost as quickly as it appeared, making this prototype a true collector's dream. Now, dear patrons of the exquisite, let us not forget the luminaries who paved the way for such marvels of design. George Nelson, the visionary behind the chaise, a maestro of modernity whose influence echoes through the ages. And let us pay homage to Charles and Ray Eames, whose iconic designs continue to captivate and inspire, and to Alexander Girard, whose bold aesthetic remains etched in the annals of mid-century history. We currently have this functional work of mid century modern greatness in our gallery alongside a Vladimir Kagan cloud sofa a Milo Baughman coffee table as well as a Paul Evans sculpted credenza, and not only does this chaise make a statement, it steals the show! The last photograph shows the chaise in our booth at the Palm Springs Modernism Show 2024. We had a satin bow tied around it to signal "please do not sit." Photos prior to restoration available upon request.

Creator:

George Nelson (Designer)

Dimensions:

Height: 28 in (71.12 cm)Width: 30 in (76.2 cm)Depth: 70 in (177.8 cm)

Style:

Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Leather,Steel

Place of Origin:

United States

Period:

1950-1959

Date of Manufacture:

1953

Condition:

Refinished. Replacements made: Please see description, entire seat has been replaced. Wear consistent with age and use.

Seller Location:

Culver City, CA

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU1139238787772

View Invoice

Shop All George Nelson

George Nelson

Architect, designer, and writer George Nelson was a central figure in the mid-century American modernist design movement; and his thoughts influenced not only the furniture we live with, but also how we live.

Nelson came to design via journalism and literature. Upon receiving his bachelor’s degree in architecture from Yale in 1931, he won the Prix de Rome fellowship, and spent his time in Europe writing magazine articles that helped bring stateside recognition to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Gio Ponti, Le Corbusier and other canonical modernist architects. In the 1940s, Nelson wrote texts that suggested such now-commonplace ideas as open-plan houses, storage walls and family rooms. D.J. De Pree, the owner of the furniture maker Herman Miller, was so impressed by Nelson that in 1944 — following the sudden death of Gilbert Rohde, who had introduced the firm to modern design in the 1930s — he invited Nelson to join the company as its design director.

There Nelson’s curatorial design talents came to the fore. To Herman Miller he brought such eminent creators as Charles and Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi, and the textile and furniture designer Alexander Girard. Thanks to a clever contract, at the same time as he directed Herman Miller he formed a New York design company, George Nelson & Associates, that sold furniture designs to the Michigan firm, as well as its competitor, the Howard Miller Clock Company. Nelson’s New York team of designers (who were rarely individually credited) would create such iconic pieces as the Marshmallow sofa, the Coconut chair, the Ball clock, the Bubble lamp series and the many cabinets and beds that comprise the sleek Thin-Edge line.

For dedicated collectors, as well as for interior designers who look beyond “the look,” there is a “cool-factor” inherent to vintage pieces from George Nelson and others. Nelson was in on it from the start, and it’s valuable to have a piece that was there with him. But still, as is evident from the offerings from dealers on these pages, in any of the designs, in any iteration whose manufacture Nelson oversaw and encouraged, there are shining elements of lightness, elegance, sophistication — and a little bit of swagger. George Nelson felt confident in his ideas about design and didn’t mind letting the world know.