Armchair
DesignerDesigned by
Hans Jorgen Wegner
(Danish, 1914 - 2007)
Furniture MakerMade by
Johannes Hansen
(Danish)
RetailerSold by
Knoll International
(Danish, founded 1938)
Date1947-1960s
MediumAsh, teak, rope
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 42 1/8 x 30 1/2 x 28 3/4in. (107 x 77.5 x 73cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineConnecticut Museum of Culture and History collection
Object number2006.31.0
DescriptionAsh "Peacock" armchair in the Windsor style, with a fan-back, turned arm supports, legs, and stretchers, and a rush seat. The back of the chair consists of an arched bow that contains sixteen spindles of varying height. All but each end spindle is turned with an ovoid bulge; these bulges are arranged in an arch across the back of the seat. Each teak arm is flat, ear-shaped, and tilted up; it is supported at the front by an arm support that extends down through the side seat rail to the medial stretcher. The seat is trapezoidal in shape, and constructed of thin rope woven around the exterior and interior seat rails that form the seat. The seat is supported by four plain legs that are raked, or tilted out from top to bottom. Each side of the chair has a single stretcher that is turned with an ovoid form in the center. A medial stretcher, with an ovoid form at either end that supports the arm supports, joins the two side stretchers. The chair frame has a colorless varnish.
Condition: The arms are worn and have darkened. The rope that forms the right side of the seat has loosened slightly. The lower front legs and worn and scratched.
Design and Construction Details: The bow is supported on a tenon at the top of each of the spindles, and is tenoned down into the side seat rails. The spindles are tenoned down into the back and side seat rails. The seat is constructed of front, side and back seat rails; the end of each rail has long tenons that interlock, or laminate, to the tenons of the adjoining seat rail at the corner. The seat has three additional inner seat rails that run along the inside of the side and back seat rails. The seat is constructed of rope, or cord, that is woven around the front seat rail, the front of the side seat rails, and all three of the inner seat rails. The seat frame is supported on a through tenon at the top of each leg. The through tenons extend up through each laminated corner of the seat frame and each has a small wedge of dark wood inserted through the end of the tenon. The side stretchers are tenoned into the lower legs. The medial stretcher is tenoned into the side stretchers. The arm is supported on a tenon at the top of the arm support; each arm support extends down through the side seat rail and is tenoned into the medial stretcher.
NotesHistorical Note: Chair 2006.31.0 and a three additional identical chairs were used in at the Connecticut Historical Society, in the Library and in the hallway outside the entrance to the Library. (Hunt and Hudson 5/16/2006)Condition: The arms are worn and have darkened. The rope that forms the right side of the seat has loosened slightly. The lower front legs and worn and scratched.
Design and Construction Details: The bow is supported on a tenon at the top of each of the spindles, and is tenoned down into the side seat rails. The spindles are tenoned down into the back and side seat rails. The seat is constructed of front, side and back seat rails; the end of each rail has long tenons that interlock, or laminate, to the tenons of the adjoining seat rail at the corner. The seat has three additional inner seat rails that run along the inside of the side and back seat rails. The seat is constructed of rope, or cord, that is woven around the front seat rail, the front of the side seat rails, and all three of the inner seat rails. The seat frame is supported on a through tenon at the top of each leg. The through tenons extend up through each laminated corner of the seat frame and each has a small wedge of dark wood inserted through the end of the tenon. The side stretchers are tenoned into the lower legs. The medial stretcher is tenoned into the side stretchers. The arm is supported on a tenon at the top of the arm support; each arm support extends down through the side seat rail and is tenoned into the medial stretcher.
Object Note: This armchair, "The Peacock Chair", was designed in 1947 by Hans Wagner and manufactured by Johannes Hansen and retailed by Knoll International. (Hunt 5/18/2006)
Status
Not on view
