Collecting the Past: Mid-Century Design Treasures

Robin Day model 658 lounge chair for Hille, Britain, c.1951.

For me, the act of collecting is all about connections and connecting with particular moments in time. The Festival of Britain (FOB) in 1951 was a significant event that promoted a sense of optimism based on a proposition that innovative industrial design practices were key to building a better world, or at the very least an economic recovery in post-war Britain.

In a corner of our lounge room sits a Robin Day model 658 Moulded Lounge Chair manufactured by Hille and designed by Robin Day in 1951. The chair was originally designed by Day for the Royal Festival Hall at the FOB (see pic) and featured a luxurious copper plated steel finish. After the festival the chair was produced by furniture company Hille, the copper frame replaced with a grey painted steel frame. This particular chair is interesting for a number of reasons, the first being that unlike every other model 658 chair I have seen, this chair has no provision for padded cushion on the back section of the chair. Secondly, the chairs has a Hille badge and is stamped ‘Made in Britain’ on the underside, but there is also a metal badge for ‘John Stuart Inc’, a retailer in the United States. This chair has seen some miles, it has crossed the Atlantic where it was most likely sold at a John Stuart store, then it sat in a lounge room until it was sold in auction in the 2000s, then made it’s way back to Britain, then from Britain to Australia.

John Stuart metal badge on the underside of Robin Day model 658 lounge chair, c.1951.

Robin Day’s model 658 chair marks an important moment in time, it speaks of a ‘can do’ post-war optimism that sought to take advantage of new technologies and industrial design processes, such as developments in the moulding of plywood and new adhesives that made it possible for designers to redefine our understanding of furniture. The floating moulded ply section of the model 658 chair was made possible through such innovation, a curvaceous piece of moulded with a walnut, mahogany or rosewood veneer balancing delicately on three steel rods attached to the underside of the chair. This is more than a chair for relaxation, this is a chair for taking flight on plywood wings that soar to a place where anything is possible, well so it would seem until problems associated with the design led Hille to discontinue the model 658 and replace it with the less ambitious model 700 chair. To address the issue with stability and wear issues associated with the model 658’s plywood upper section pivoting on only 3 points on the chair, a decision was made to extend the plywood upper section to meet the chair seat.

Robin Day model 700 lounge chair for Hille, Britain, c.1955.

A functional solution to a problem, but the 700 model exhibits none of the majesty of the previous model. Gone are the expansive ply wings floating gracefully on 3 slender metal arms joined to the seat. The 658 Moulded Lounge Chair was an experiment, a magic trick made possible by technological advances in adhesives and ply moulding techniques. The chair was produced from 1951-1955, and represents a small moment in time where optimism, experimentation and creativity aligned to create a chair of outstanding beauty. It’s important to note that design doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and many Australian designers who attended the Festival of Britain in 1951, or sought work in post-war Britain, returned home with many of these revolutionary ideas. British designer Bernard Goss moved from London to Melbourne, Australia in 1951, where he later formed Pandar Furniture with manufacturer William Palstra.

Advertisement for Pandar Furniture, Australian Home Beautiful, 1955.

The first of the Pandar Furniture range, consisting of two upholstered chairs with steel rod frames, was launched in 1955. The ‘Caribbean’, a low back arm chair, and the ‘Jamaician’, a high back armchair, are arguably reminiscent of British design of the period. The Caribbean armchair is by far my favourite Pandar design, it reminds me of Robin Day’s model 658 lounge chair, which makes me wonder to what degree Goss’ British heritage influenced his designs for Pandar Furniture in Australia. There were many designers working in Australia during the 1950s, and many of them have been lost to history, but if you take the time to search, you can find some real gems. The Caribbean armchair designed by Bernard Goss and manufactured by William Palstra is a treasure waiting to be discovered.

Ernest Race: The British influence on Australian Design.

Ernest Race 1913 – 1964.

The furniture designed by Ernest Race was a dominant feature at the Festival of Britain’s Southbank site on the Thames. Race, an innovative designer, formed Ernest Race Ltd with engineer Noel Jordan in 1945. Located in Clapham, the small company set about the challenge of producing furniture designs in a time of post-war restrictions.

BA Dining Chair, 1946. Designed by Ernest Race.

In 1946, Race launched the BA Chair (see pic) “made from re-purposed aluminium from redundant aircrafts. The seat covering was originally made from ex-RAF parachutes in a lightweight white cotton. The chair was exhibited at the ‘Britain Can Make It’ exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum” (racefurniture.com). But it would be the Festival of Britain in 1951 that would bring Race’s designs to the attention of the nation. Race’s ‘Antelope’ and ‘Springbok’ chairs (see pic), which could be used indoors or outdoors, were a prominent feature on the Southbank terraces. Race also used the event to launch his ‘Roebuck’ stacking chair.

‘Antelope’ (left) and ‘Springbok’(right) Chairs at Festival of Britain, Southbank site on Thames, London, 1951.

The Festival of Britain was featured in Australian newspapers and lifestyle magazines, and attended by young Australian architects and designers keen to see the best of British Design. The Springbok chair, not put into production after the festival, proved irresistible to Adelaide company Tubular Steel Industries (TSI) who produced a copy of the chair, renaming it the ‘Jumbuk’ chair. Australian designer Fred Lowen visited England in the early 1950s to conduct design research for his fledgling furniture company FLER.

Aluminium Shell Chair, 1953. Designed by Fred Lowen for FLER, Melbourne.

It’s possible that the Fler Aluminium Shell Chair (1953) was inspired by Race’s innovative use of aluminium in his furniture designs. In Lowen’s case, the material and processes proved too expensive, leading to a small production run of the chair. Now making the FLER chair a rare and highly sought after design.

Unicorn Chair, c.1958. Designed by Ernest Race.

In his short career, Race died in 1964, Ernest Race produced some of the most innovative furniture designs of the period. His understanding of materials and industrial processes was arguably central to his problem solving abilities and unbridled creativity. Of all his designs, it is the simplicity and sculptural qualities of the 3 legged ‘Unicorn’ chair (see pic) that I have long admired. It is the physical manifestation of an idea, a meditation in steel rod and moulded ply. For me, this is the moment when design and art combine to make something that is more than its materiality

Isokon Book Donkey Mark l, 1939, designed by Egon Riss. Isokon Book Donkey Mark ll, 1963, designed by Ernest Race.  

For now, I feel lucky to have an original ‘Book Donkey Mark ll’ designed by Race for Isokon in 1963, a reinterpretation of ‘Book Donkey Mark l’ designed for Isokon by Egon Riss in the late 1930s. The Festival of Britain continues to inspire me, and in these times of social-distancing and self-isolation I have looked to this event and drawn inspiration and comfort from the unflinching optimism and resilience of post-war Britain. Thank you for sharing my Festival of Britain journey this week, and thank you to all those who design, make and create; because life is so much more than an economy. It’s nice to know that Race Furniture Ltd continue to produce many of Ernest Race’s iconic mid-century designs.

 

The Importance of Design Research.

Side Table, designed by Clement Meadmore, 1954.

There has been a lot of talk about the value of research and arguably some confusion about what is involved when it comes to researching Australian Mid-Century designers. With this is mind, I thought it might be useful to highlight the importance of design research, by using an example from @modernistermister’s and my own experience. The Side Table (1954) above, had been lost to time, but through our research is now rightly documented as part of Clement Meadmore’s design output. How did this come about? Research involves detective work, and in the case of this particular design, my interest was peaked by a 1990s photo of the interior of Peter McIntyre’s Snelleman House (1954). In the darkness of the room, obscured by a lounge chair, I spotted what appeared to be  the circular top of a small table with what looked like part of a steel rod base. We knew that the Snelleman’s had selected a number of Meadmore pieces for their home (as seen in an issue of the Australian Home Beautiful from the period), so I wondered if this had also included the table in question.

At this point you ask yourself a lot of questions, and spend a lot of time staring at that single photograph, attempting to fill in the gaps, to get an idea of what the rest of the table might look like. A year or so later I saw what looked like the same table on eBay and decided to take a punt. The table came with a story that it had been owned by an elderly woman in Geelong who had treasured it her entire life. It suggested to me that this was perhaps a special piece, but more research was needed.
Stacking Table (model T710), designed by Jens Risom, c.1950.

The side table shared similarities with Jens Risom’s stacking steel rod table (model T710) c.1950. So was the table we had purchased an import, or had its design been influenced by the work of an international designer such as Risom? We examined Meadmore’s practice closely, considered his design philosophy and his construction techniques, and believed that this little side table appeared to fit those parameters. So we set forth on a journey of many interviews with people who were there at the time, including members of the Snelleman family, and eventually we were able to confirm that the side table seen many years prior in an old photo of the Snelleman house interior had indeed been purchased by the family in 1954, and designed by Clement Meadmore.

Some people have suggested that it’s impossible to know the creative output of a designer who is no longer living, but I would argue that history tells us this is simply not the case. The role of rigorous research is to bring together evidence, and then cross-reference that evidence to scrutinise its authenticity. It is through this process that it is possible to build a case built on facts, rather than hearsay and myths.  Over the past 10 years, @modernistmister and I have conducted almost 100 interviews with people connected to Meadmore, including close friends and family who were regular visitors to his workshop in the early 1950s. Our research has uncovered many previously unattributed and undocumented designs, such as this side table, which recently sold for a record price at Leonard Joels Auctions.

It’s funny to think that before our research this table remained  unknown to the broader design community.At the time of the table’s production in 1954, Meadmore was running a small freelance design business from a shop on Burwood Road, Hawthorn. In the back of the tiny shop he created and assembled his iconic Calyx Lighting range, but he also produced a small number of  furniture designs that were most likely made by the handful, rather than the dozens. When you take into account these small production numbers, and the artistry of Meadmore’s design practice, you can see why Meadmore has become one of the most sought after Australian Mid-Century designers. Since the Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design exhibition at Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne University,  there has been an increase in prices paid for Meadmore designs. Perhaps this is the beginning of a long awaited acknowledgement of the significance of Clement Meadmore’s design practice in Australia. 

The point of this post is not to focus on us, rather it is to demonstrate the real impact of rigorous, and sometimes quite forensic, design research. Everyday, people just like you and I, are out there researching, trawling through archives and capturing interviews, collecting evidence and compiling the histories of Australian designers from across a wide range of disciplines. It needs to be acknowledged that much of this research involves thousands of unpaid hours, and that we all benefit from this work, especially those who profit from the research through the sale of design objects. Australian Mid-Century Design research is informing exhibitions, books, and collections in our public institutions. As we fill in the gaps of this often overlooked history, we owe it to the designers of these objects to strive for accuracy, to acknowledge their contribution and celebrate their legacy. 

 

Kenneth McDonald: A Tale of Two Chairs.

The architect Kenneth McDonald is an interesting character from the mid-century period. During the early 1950’s, McDonald operated an architectural practice from 86 Collins St, Melbourne. The address is important for a number of reasons, as it was also the home of the architectural magazine ‘Architecture and Arts’, and a small furniture business called Meadmore Originals.

‘Architecture and Arts’ was first published in 1952, with the first 5 issues edited by young architecture student Peter Burns. By issue 6 (see above), McDonald had moved on from his position as Advertising Director, taking over Burns’ role as Editor.

In late 1952, McDonald had also formed a business partnership with Clement Meadmore. The business was simply called Meadmore Originals, but Meadmore’s involvement was to be short lived. In April 1953, planning to permanently move to London, Meadmore sold his share of Meadmore Originals to McDonald, who within 6 months onsold the business, along with the rights to some of Meadmore’s designs, to Wim Roosen. Meadmore would not contribute any further designs to the company.

McDonald’s dalliance with design was short lived, but during this time he produced 2 known chair designs. The first was a proposed new design for Meadmore Originals; a stackable corded chair based on Meadmore’s ‘Corded Chair’ (1951) first advertised in the Sept/Oct issue of Architecture and Arts in 1953.

The other chair, a far more intriguing proposition, appears in a registration application submitted by McDonald to the Commonwealth Patents Office on March 18, 1955. McDonald was notified on the 6th of April that he had not enclosed the prescribed lodgement fee of two pounds. On the 14th April McDonald posted the fee, which was received 4 days later, thus changing the date of the registration application to the 18th of April. Described in the application (33980) as the ‘Three Legged Stacking Chair’, and made of iron rod and plywood, the design is reminiscent of the work of high profile American designers Charles Eames and Paul McCobb.

One need only look at Eames’ 3 legged ply chair from 1944, or Paul McCobb’s 1535 Iron and Maple Dining Chair from the Planner Group (see above) to see similar design motifs to that used in McDonald’s chair.

In 1955, there was also another 3 legged stackable Chair created by an Australian designer. Meadmore had returned from London in November 1953, and re-established himself as a designer. In 1954 he released his now iconic Calyx lighting range and in February 1955 Meadmore’s 3 legged timber stacking chair was featured in Australian Home Beautiful magazine.

Whereas McDonald’s chair might be described as crude, Meadmore’s 3 Legged chair was arguably a far more elegant and resolved design, perhaps taking in European influences from designers such as Carlo Mollino and Gio Ponti.

Ultimately McDonald’s 3 Legged Chair was never registered, due to objections by the Patents Office that included small errors in the paperwork and his not supplying photographs of the underside of the chair. On the 8th August, 1956, McDonald was advised by the Commonwealth Patents Office that “as no action had been taken by you to remove the objections within the time allowed, the application has been deemed abandoned … unless an extension of time is applied for within fourteen (14) days from the date of this letter.”

On the 16th August McDonald applied for an extension, which was granted, but in the following year McDonald had still not addressed the objections and the application was deemed abandoned on 2nd May, 1957. It’s possible that McDonald had designed the 3 Legged chair as part of an intended new range for Rosen’s Meadmore Originals. Perhaps, he also felt that his design would ultimately be compared to Meadmore’s sophisticated design which had already found a place in the market.

By the later half of the 1950s, Architecture and Arts had moved away from featuring industrial design and interiors, shifting its focus to modern architecture and trade suppliers. It would appear that neither of McDonald’s chairs went into production, but the designs tell an interesting story of the influences and processes that shaped industrial design in mid-century Australia.

Images:

[1] Front cover of Architecture & Arts, Issue 6. Image: Author

[2] Advertisement in Architecture & Arts, Issue 6. Image: Author.

[3] 3 Legged Stacking Chair, designed by Kenneth McDonald. Source: Design Registration File, 33980, NAA. Image: Gordon de Lisle.

[4] 3 Legged Ply Chair, designed by Charles Eames, 1944.

[5] 1535 Iron and Maple Dining Chair, designed by Paul McCobb, c.1950s.

[6] 3 Legged Chair, designed by Clement Meadmore, 1955. Harris/Atkins Collection. Image: Author.

Lind House receives State Heritage Listing

The battle to save Lind House, designed by emigre architect Anatol Kagan, united mid-century enthusiasts from across the country in a battle to save the important home from demolition. Too often, important buildings are demolished and replaced with lack lustre apartments, and that’s exactly the fate the developers had planned for Lind House. But this is no ordinary home, Lind House is an important example of European Modernism in Melbourne, a building that retains many of its original features.

It was great to see so many people getting behind the campaign to save Lind House and putting pressure on the Glen Eira Council and State Government to rescue the important home from the wrecking ball that has claimed far too many modernist buildings in Australia.

The good news is that the cultural significance of Lind House has finally been recognised and it has been added to the Victorian Heritage Register. According to an article in the Herald Sun, the developer sold the house to a young family who are keen to restore and maintain the home.

The campaign to save Lind House is proof that people power can work, and that it’s worth fighting to save the things that you value in life. I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who took the time to contact the council and politicians, and those at the coal face who wrote detailed submissions to secure the future of Lind House. Together we are many, so let’s keep spreading the mid-century love so that others can see the beauty of mid-century modernist design.

You can read all about the decision to heritage list Lind House here: https://architectureau.com/articles/anatol-kagan-house-receives-state-heritage-listing/

Grant and Mary Featherston: Design for Life

One of the most anticipated events this year has to be the Grant and Mary Featherston exhibition to be held at the Heide Museum of Art in Bulleen, Melbourne. Curated by Kirsty Grant and Denise Whitehouse, the exhibition explores the Featherston partnership, acknowledging the design contributions of Mary Featherston.

Grant, the senior curator of the popular Mid-Century Modern: Australian Furniture Design exhibition held at NGV Ian Potter in 2014, and Whitehouse a Featherston scholar, make an ideal team to deliver this important survey of the Featherston’s design practice. Whitehouse’s knowledge of the dynamic design duo is built from years of detailed research, including extensive interviews with Mary Featherston. Whitehouse is also a fantastic writer, so the catalogue essay is sure to be a highlight.

The exhibition is a rare opportunity to see many rare Featherston chairs, and gain some insight into the influences that shaped the planning and production of these iconic furniture designs.

Australian Mid-Century Design continues to capture people’s imagination, and this exhibition showcases the work of one of Australia’s most iconic design partnerships. Don’t miss out and be sure to get a catalogue before they sell out.

The exhibition opens in June, so in the meantime head over to the Featherston Archive for more Featherston design pleasure.

Date:  30 June 7 October 2018

Location:  Heide III: Central Galleries

Curator/s:  Kirsty Grant and Denise Whitehouse / Project Curator: Kendrah Morgan

Admission:  Included with Museum Pass

Clement Meadmore and the Art Of Mid-Century Design

At Australian Modern we are truly passionate about Australian Mid-Century Design, so it may not come as a surprise when we tell you that we have been working on a very special design project. What is this project you may well ask? It’s the first major survey of Clement Meadmore’s industrial design practice from 1951-1963.

The exhibition will include newly discovered designs that have never been exhibited and a rare opportunity to see Clem’s furniture and lighting designed for the iconic Legend Cafe and Teahouse in Melbourne. At the moment we are busy working on the catalogue, but I can say that the exhibition will is planned for November, 2018. You can expect an official announcement in the coming weeks.

The Legend Cafe, designed by Clement Meadmore, 1956.

The exhibition is 10 years in the making and will feature furniture, lighting, graphic design, and archival images. We have managed to locate most of Clem’s designs, but there are still a some designs from the Meadmore Originals catalogue that have managed to allude us. Can you help find the missing designs? It would be fantastic to include them in the exhibition.

If you have any information on these missing designs (see below) please email me at: australianmodern@yahoo.com.au

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The Other Moderns: Sydney’s Forgotten European Design Legacy

I recently got a copy of the brilliant new book ‘The Other Moderns: Sydney’s forgotten European Design Legacy’. Edited by curator Rebecca Hawcroft, the book features a collection of expertly researched, and beautifully written essays that highlight the contributions of European designers and artists who came to Australia before or after World War ll. 

The book is the companion to ‘The Moderns’ exhibition which is currently showing at the Museum of Sydney until 26th November, 2017.  If you are yet to see the exhibition, I suggest you make it a priority. It is a timely and much needed contribution to our design heritage.

The exhibition features a range of vignettes by important designers of the period. This is a rare opportunity to see rooms of original furniture by George Korody, Steven Kalmar, Michael Gerstl and Paul Kafka. The curator Rebecca Hawcroft, has done an incredible job of bringing together archival photographs, artefacts and design objects to create a spellbinding exhibition that leaves you wanting to know more about the lives of these incredible people.

The book expertly builds on the material covered in the exhibition, and is crammed full of archival images and contemporary photographs of stunning vintage pieces from the Hotel Hotel collection. 

The stories are inspiring, and it’s good to see women being acknowledged for their important contribution to architecture and design.  In a time when refugees are too often vilified, this book provides a rare insight into the ways that Europeans, many fleeing war, have significantly influenced architecture and design in Australia. 

It’s a credit to all of the authors, and evidence of their craft, that they were able to write such detailed and evocative accounts that conjur such a vivid sense of the challenges and cultures that shaped the experiences of these remarkable people.

The book is limited, so get yourself a copy before it sells out. And don’t forget to check out the exhibition for a rare chance to see the beautiful furniture designed by these creative and talented Europeans who brought so much knowledge and culture to Australia. 

Update: Keep up the good work. Save Lind House from demolition

Hi All,

Mid-Century enthusiasts from across the country are getting behind the national campaign to save Anatol Kagan’s masterpiece ‘Lind House’ from demolition.

Thousands of everyday people like you and I are frustrated and disappointed with the lack of protection afforded Lind House, and many of us think it’s time that councils, like the Glen Eira Council, went the extra mile and sent a message to developers that they can’t destroy our most treasured cultural icons. 

At this stage you need to keep up the  pressure, and for those who are yet to contact the Glen Eira Council, please submit your objection asap using the link in my previous post. 

I was told today, at a council meeting last night, Mayor Mary Delahunty said the council would write to the Planning Minister asking for interim protection control measures to save the house.

Well, we can also write to the planning minister.  Please email Richard Wynne MP or give his office a call at the link below:

http://m.vic.gov.au/contactsandservices/directory/?ea0_lfz99_120.&roleWithSubordinates&1deea11c-53f3-429b-9dda-80a3d0318f5e

Please leave a message on his Facebook page asking him to take action now to save Anatol Kagan’s architectural gem. https://m.facebook.com/richardwynnemp/

Keep up the good work everyone, and thank you to all the modernisters out there working hard to save our cultural heritage for future generations.

You can read about the latest developments in this excellent article by Bianca Cardona. 

As always, we are ever grateful for the tireless work of Modernist Australia, who are committed to saving our mid-century architecture. 

Please share this post widely and ask your friends to join the campaign to save an outstanding example of Melbourne Modernist architecture. 

Iconic Anatol Kagan home faces demolition. Can you help save it?

The ‘Lind House’, 450 Dandenong Rd, North Caulfield, designed by Anatol Kagan.

It seems strange that Robin Boyd’s book The Australian Ugliness should have such relevance more than 50 years after its publication, but here we are again dealing with the same issues. In an era where ugly has arguably become an industry fuelled by profit, too often we see architect designed mid-century homes destroyed and replaced with poorly designed boxes with little architectural merit.

These generic boxes are like tombstones that represent the destruction of another home, and too often the loss of yet another iconic architectural landmark. With increased frequency we read or hear stories of people mourning the loss of significant buildings that have been touchstones in our design history.  Mid-century homes designed by Boyd, Chancellor and Patrick, Fooks, Holgar and Holgar, and many more, here one day and gone the next, and ironically in its place another high density ‘modernist inspired’ box.

The buildings that replace these architectural gems often purport to be modern, but are instead simply examples of what Boyd terms featurism. You’ve all seen the photos, open plan spaces with replica American mid-century furniture, an island bench in the kitchen and a faux Danish pendant light. A pastiche that is neither modern or inspiring.

Recently, we saw Boyd’s Blott House (see above) on the chopping block, but thankfully it was saved by mid-century enthusiasts who valued and understood the importance and qualities of this iconic home.

Well, here we are again. This time it’s the ‘Lind House’, an architectural treasure designed by Anatol Kagan, one of the best architects from the Melbourne mid-century movement. You can read all about the home in this wonderful article by our ever vigilant friends at modernistaustralia.com.

I have walked past the ‘Lind House’ many times, admiring its form and it’s gentle modernism. I have dreamt of winning lotto and moving in to this ‘dream home’. But alas, the developers are poised, and the house looks certain to be another casualty in a housing market that values profit over substance. It is astounding that such an important home should not be protected, but perhaps councils too often talk of  revenue rather than rescue.

Whereas Boyd and other Australian mid-century architects had sought to create buildings that inspired new ways of living, it looks like the spectre of the ‘Australian Ugliness’ is now threatening to erase the very buildings that demonstrated that thoughtful and creative architecture is the key to a better future.

What can you do about this?

A developer is planning to replace Lind House with 8 dwellings. You can see the planning permit application details on the Glen Eira Council site.  Lodge an objection today, you can do it here. I suggest you let the Glen Eira Council know that they have a role to play in protecting our design heritage. We also have a duty to protect the things we value, so please click on the link above and make an objection. Do your bit to save this important example of mid-century architecture.

If you care, please share this post to help raise awareness. Together we are many, and submitting an objection sends a clear message to the council. Let’s all try to save this truly magnificent mid-century home.