Tracing the designs of 4 basic chairs

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 3:05 pm

a good selection of wright designed chairs.

notice the "library chair", is this the same chair as in the vintage hanna dining room? if so, what library?
sdr-maybe you need a couple for your remarkable library!

also, a great example of the "easy chair" (origami), with perfs. no vertical grain here...

http://www.ditext.com/chairs/wright/chairs.html

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:13 pm

Great collection. Would make an interesting quiz ? The Coonley chairs are another, rarely-seen slant-back.

The Winona Bank of course is Purcell and Elmslie. . .

http://images.google.com/images?client= ... a=N&tab=wi

The "library chair" isn't identical to the Hanna dining chair -- most likely from a hexagonal house, though ?

Don't you wonder what the Hanna "big chairs" were, if not Origami -- and not pleasing to Wright, after the fact ?

Pictures on the way. . .

(Could you line-break that link, so this page doesn't remain oversize ?)

SDR

Palli Davis Holubar · Post by **Palli Davis Holubar** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:30 pm

PeterM This 1947 library chair is not quite the same as Hanna, an iteration - the trapezoid at the back comes to a shorter length giving the chair a more triangular look. What building had a designated library? Of course, Lakeland College- Roux library. These photos are from FLW The Seat of Genius.
SDR- You said the Hanna photo had to be before 47 (can't go to the first page to check) I sure wish these photographers dated their photos!

Palli Davis Holubar · Post by **Palli Davis Holubar** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:32 pm

SDR- the b&w sheet with each of pieces of pieces drawn is that Hanna?

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:48 pm

The drawing on page 1 of this thread ? Yes, that is in the Hanna book. The photo has to be before 1947 because that is when the Hannas had a new table and the Danish dining chairs. . .

SDR

Palli Davis Holubar · Post by **Palli Davis Holubar** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:12 pm

Thanks- I ask because the floor cushion is at Fallingwater (4 sides) & the Wingspread (6 sides). I have been straining to remember the Z word that was the old name for the Fallingwater piece...zapoton or something. Here it is at Hanna called floor cushion. I'm not sure if I should keep this in the hassock taxonomy. Any thoughts, anyone?

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:52 pm

In keeping with my general feeling about this, I say use the prevailing name, and increase the number of categories if necessary.

Here are two portions of a photo in "In the Nature of Materials" (1941). Both early Hanna chairs and a floor cushion (as drawn, with handles) are present.

So, this is the large chair that Wright didn't like.

Palli Davis Holubar · Post by **Palli Davis Holubar** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:09 pm

Yeah and isn't that chair the most retro perf- straight out out of the textile blocks.
Developing the perf precursors section has been very luminating.

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:29 pm

Diane Maddex

note ball chains

Wright residence II (1895)

Husser (1899)

Willits (1902)

Dana (1903)

Darwin Martin (1904)

Roberts (1908)

Beachy (1908)

Evans (1908)

Robie (1909)

Robie

Imperial Hotel Annex (1915 ?)

Barnsdall (1917 ?)

Barnsdall

Taliesin (prior to 1941)

Walton (similar to Lovness, Price Sr)

Olfelt (low version at Lindholm)

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:40 pm

charles rennie mackintosh 1897:

http://artnouveaux.com/argyle.jpg

for international historical context...

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 9:36 pm

shaker chair 1850:

http://www.craftinamerica.org/wood/pic_31.jpg

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:06 pm

sdr, you have done it again...

several comments

hanna side chair: are there any other chairs which have perforations at the base of the chair?

maybe there is an awkwardness about the complex hannah easy chair, as if he is trying to figure out how to enlarge the side chair, but hasn't quite yet reduced it to its most simplified form. the arms are like the william morris or adirondack chair. it would be great to see it from a different angle.

it seems like every version of the spindle back chair is resolved and perfectly proportioned, a theme he returned to over and over. what about those big rear shoes on the darwin martin chair?

those ball chains: any other examples of this idea?

palli- the z thing hassock: stafford norris 111 made one of these for the willey house. futuristic flying saucer john lautner chemoshere house on the floor.

the barnsdall hollyhock tall chair comes back in variation for loveness?

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:29 pm

Yes, the next little batch will be the newer tall-backs, of which there are several, often perforated. Rayward is one set -- with other chairs like baby-
bear stave-back Olfelt -- the 1955 dining chairs in your link above, in fact.

There's another side chair with minor perforation to the base. I just saw it somewhere. There's nothing I know of like Hanna. Those have completely
eluded me before now. . .

I agree with all that about the Hanna large chair. Were their second (1947) ones Origami ?

No other wierdnesses like ball chains, as far as I know.

SDR

Palli Davis Holubar · Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:20 pm

It's hard to look at these chairs and try to compare seat heights. That dimension is so critical to all his seating. Anybody have references with dimensions? Seat of Genius expects me to do the math for seat height.

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:43 pm

A few of my sources give overall dimensions, but the only way to extrapolate seat height from that is if the photos are taken from about 2-3 feet off the floor. Some of them are.

We need way more graduate students with Greyhound passes. . .

SDR