Sit on It

nattcallai Haziran 03, 2022

2009: Design Classics

I imagine we have all sat on one of these because it is estimated that over 14 million (and counting) of them have been made since its launch in 1963. Designed by Robin Day this polypropylene stacking chair was one of the first chairs manufactured by injection moulding.

As the winter nights lengthen perhaps a little light is required. George Carwardine was a car designer specialising in vehicle suspension systems when he designed and patented the anglepoise lamp in 1932. He manufactured it himself until demand became so great that he arranged for it to be made by the Terry Spring Company, who still make a version of it today. Originally designed for the working environment Carwardine adapted it for use in the home in 1935 and in 1937 the patent was bought by the Norwegian lighting designer Jacob Jacobson who continued to develop different versions throughout Scandinavia.


2014: Sit Comfortably!

I like the imaginative double images of these booklet stamps which highlight five modern Swedish furniture designs. The stamps were designed by Hans Cogne, professor of graphic design and engraved by Martin Mörck and Piotr Naszarkowski. Hans Cogne also designed the FDC and cancel.
Top row left : A chair called 'Hug' designed by Anna von Schewen who wanted to give the feeling of sitting in someone's arms and received the Excellence in Swedish Design Award in 2002. The chair design (top middle) by Carl Malmsten (1888-1972) was inspired by a pair of old lathe Windsor style chairs during a visit to Finström Church on Åland and has become one of the most popular pieces of furniture in Sweden. The church itself has also been featured on an Åland stamp with a suitably snowy landscape.

Yngve Ekström's (1913-1988) beautifully curved piece of furniture (top right) was voted 'Swedish Furniture of the Century' at the turn of the millennium. A comfortable chair is what Gunilla Allard (1957-) was aiming for, her goal to make a small armchair as compact as the seat in her English sports car (bottom left). Lastly, bottom right, is an aluminium chair which was the first in production for Mats Theselius.


1992: Antique Cape Furniture

As a contrast here are some South African stamps on antique furniture from the Cape area used by the Dutch settlers. The 17th Century furniture in Cape Town workshops were made using imported wood and influenced by the styles in Holland and are known by the term Cape Dutch. The country districts of the Cape such as Stellenbosch had Dutch style homes which were furnished with pieces made from local workshops and wood.