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Amazing Pair of Grand Prix Lounge Chairs by Sculptor Maurice Calka, Arflex, 1960

$32,000List Price

About the Item

Fabulous and super rare pair of monumental sculptural form 'Grand Prix' lounge chairs by prestigious French sculptor Maurice Calka (1921-1999) for Arflex, Italy, 1960. These beautiful chairs have undergone a complete restoration of their upholstery by our inhouse workshop including completely new 'latex' foam as per the original specification which is expensive and hard to find today. We have also renewed the seat supports with the original specification 'Pirelli' rubber webbing. The upholstery restoration was completed with elegant high-quality Danish Kvadrat 'Hallindall 65' fabric designed by Nana Ditzel. Photos taken during the restoration process are available on request to seriously interested clients. We have chosen not to rechrome the refined and beautiful sculptural form chrome steel feet , a highlight of these beautiful lounge chairs, instead deciding to leave them in their current original condition in order to maintain the chair's vintage appeal and immediate visual authenticity . Both chrome bases do exhibit small areas of chrome loss and patination wear commensurate with age and use, please see images 9 and 10. We feel that ideally they should not be tampered with or over restored as these are important collector pieces. The bases can easily be removed from the seat and rechromed should the buyer wish to do so. Calka devoted nearly all of his career to sculpture, designing only a few examples of furniture, all in his vivid sculptural style, these are now highly regarded and sought after examples of design art. Collectors of his work include Kanye West who owns an example of his biomorphic form 'boomerang desk'. Calka's rare and iconic original free-form 'PDV' desk with matching chair achieved the astonishing price of $481,000 at Christies New York in December 2007 and Calka's beautiful little 'mandarine' coffee table sold for £25,000 sterling in 2015 at Philips, London. Importantly the 'Grand prix' lounge chair appears to be Calka's earliest foray into furniture design. This rare model was produced in very small numbers and hence they are very rarely seen on the market. The beautiful 'Grand prix' lounge chair featured prominently in all the prominent Italian design journals of the time including 'Domus' and 'RIVISTA DELL ARREDAMENTO'. The manufacturer, Arflex, had prior to 1959 only employed Italian designers and architects, in 1959 they expanded their search overseas for talented designers, and for a couple of years, employed some of Europe's most talented upcoming architects and sculptors including Maurice Calka and the also extremely talented architect and artist, Pieter De Bruyne, from Belgium who also designed iconic lighting for Gino Sarfatti's Arteluce and his own beautiful pieces of design art most of which were unique works made in his own atelier. This really is a rare opportunity . Please ask for additional photos. Copies of additional original period literature documenting this design will be provided to the buyer. LITERATURE: ‘Domus’, issue number 395, October 1962, page 41 (confirms the original production date as 1960 and confirms that the lounge chair was produced both with or without the special order headrests). ‘Rivista dell Arredamento’, issue number 96, 1962, pages 2-3. ‘Rivista dell Arredamento’, issue number 100, 1962. Page 38. ‘Rivista dell Arredamento”, issue number 109, 1964; please see image 2.

Creator:
Maurice Calka (Sculptor)
Dimensions:
Height: 35.44 in (90 cm)Width: 32.68 in (83 cm)Depth: 35.44 in (90 cm)Seat Height: 15.75 in (40 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Chrome,Wood,Wool
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
1960-1969
Date of Manufacture:
1960
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. The upholstery on these chairs has been completely restored including new latex foam,Pirelli rubber webbing and Danish Kvadrat Hallingdall 65 fabric. The chrome bases have been left original and exhibit wear and spot losses commensurate with age.
Seller Location:
bergen op zoom, NL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU93015825663

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