Item Description
A rare and highly characterful Artifort lounge chair designed by Theo Ruth, dating from circa 1967. With its generous upholstered seat, slightly reclined backrest and elegant nickel plated steel rod frame, the chair embodies the refined simplicity and experimental spirit of Dutch modernist furniture design of the period. The chair is upholstered in its original Bordeaux red wool, which remains in very good vintage condition and gives the piece a particularly rich and sophisticated presence. The upholstery shows the natural signs of age expected from an authentic example of this period, while retaining its original color, texture and overall integrity. An Artifort label is present underneath the chair. Particularly noteworthy are the numerous and unusual fixing points visible beneath the seat. These construction details differ from what one would normally expect from a standard production model and strongly suggest that this chair may have been produced as part of a very small series or as a prototype. This makes the piece especially interesting to collectors of Artifort and Dutch design. A sculptural yet understated example of late-1960s Dutch furniture, combining a distinctive silhouette with excellent original materials and intriguing evidence of its early production history. Designer: Theo Ruth Manufacturer: Artifort Date: circa 1967 Country of origin: The Netherlands Material: Wool upholstery, tubular metal frame Upholstery: Original Bordeaux red wool Condition: Very good vintage condition Markings: Artifort label underneath Provenance/production: Unusually detailed underside and multiple fixing points suggest a very small production series or prototyped.
