By Sigvard Bernadotte, France & Søn
Located in Highclere, Newbury
A rare complete set of 6 Sigvard Bernadotte H-line Danish armchairs in dark burgundy leather with brushed steel frames and solid Walnut arms for France & Son.
Designed in the 1960s by the renowned Swedish designer Sigvard Bernedotte the H-line armchairs stand out as one of his rarest designs. Constructed of a steel frame with solid, contoured walnut arms, the chairs also feature a sprung seat and back that adds both comfort and support. And here, finished in a soft dark burgundy leather, they represent probably the finest example of these chairs currently available.
Little is known about the design of the chairs other than they were part of a small project that also included a range of modular sofas. The sofas and solo H-line modular system components had open sides rather than arm rests and combined with a coffee table and corner table to create a flexible seating system. It’s believed the system was created in the mid to late 60s at the changeover period in 1967 when Poul Cadovius acquired France & Son and changed the name to Cado.
Bernadotte had worked with France & Son on a number of chair designs since 1953 but these were all constructed in wood, which was France and Son’s (formerly France & Daverkosen) great strength. The move to using metal in the H-line coincided with Bernadotte’s own work with metal in other design projects; particularly at Georg Jensen and with Bang & Olufsen, and also with the launch of his own design company in 1964. Bernadotte Design AB helped a number of International and Scandinavian companies explore new materials, technologies, and aesthetic possibilities and it’s believed the H-line was a development in new materials and production techniques for France & Son. This change was later embraced by Cado who created a number of designs using a metal frame by, amongst others, Knudsen & Lind.
The quality, as always associated with both France & Son and Cado, shines through on these chairs. From the almost seamless welding of the joints on the square tubing to how all the bolts and screws are recessed to be flush with the frame; everything exhibits an impressive attention to detail. It’s therefore reassuring to note that the renovation of the chairs follows the same ideal. It looks like the frames have been meticulously cleaned, stripped, brushed and polished and the chairs beautifully reupholstered in high quality dark burgundy leather. These details combined with the contoured, waxed and polished solid Walnut arms creates a truly sophisticated and elegant set of chairs that would work well as dining chairs or even as a set of impressive board room chairs...
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Walnut Seating
