Chair #243

KLISMOS CHAIR

—Designer unknown

Aaaaah, the Klismos chair. We've already covered the history of the chair back on March 24 (Chair #83) of this blog. Best seen from the side angle not the one shown here, it's a classic beauty in all of its various forms and incarnations.

Chair #242

GRYPHON ARMCHAIR

—Designer unknown

Carved of the mighty oak, this powerful Gryphon chair is fierce! Imagine the chairman of the board perched in it at the end of a long conference room table? Yikes. I'd acquiesce immediately to his or her demands. The chair was created circa 1815, and still has the original burgundy leather cushion on it. The gryphon, half lion (king of beasts) and half eagle (king of birds), is known as the most magnificent animal in Greek mythology. Animals on furniture originated in antiquity (think Egypt), but are mostly known from the French Empire period.

Chair #241

LOUNGE CHAIR

—Designer unknown

Offered through the Brown Jordan company. Timeless. Essential. Elegant.

Chair #240

1910 ARMCHAIR

—Designed by Adolf Loos (for Thonet)

Adolf Loos (December 10, 1870 – August 23, 1933) was one of the most important and influential Austrian and Czechoslovak architects of European Modern architecture. In his essay "Ornament and Crime" he repudiated the florid style of the Vienna Secession, the Austrian version of Art Nouveau. In this and many other essays he contributed to the elaboration of a body of theory and criticism of Modernism in architecture.

—From Wikipedia

Chair #239

WOVEN RATTAN LEAF CHAIR

—Designer unknown (offered through Wisteria Catalogue)

California dreaming. You sit in this chair on a brilliant, sunshiny morning, drinking warm chai. The salt air is stinging your nose after your morning swim, and your arms and legs are all tingly and refreshed. You are wearing nothing but the scent of the ocean as you read your daily horoscope. Yep. It's good to feel that inner harmony. Later you'll dress in that yellow and pink Indian block print sundress, and you'll saunter through the farmer's markets to find some buffalo mozzerella cheese. Just the perfect thing to have for lunch with those heirloom tomatoes that you picked earlier from your garden. All it will need is a little extra virgin olive oil—the special kind that you brought back from Tuscany last fall, not the everyday stuff—along with some Fleur du sel and fresh cracked black pepper. Summertime perfection.

Chair #238

BLACK LEATHER SIDE CHAIR

—Designer unknown

“A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else

does a man need to be happy.”

— Albert Einstein

Chair #237

WWII BRITISH FIGHTER PILOTS SEAT

—Designer unknown

Attention WWII enthusiasts! This unique collectors item was once used by the RAF (Royal Air Force) and features a shaped concave back chair to accommodate the pilot’s parachute. The aluminum body has been cleaned and polished. It still has the authentic registration and patent numbers from the British Ministry of Defense impressed on it. Jolly fun.

Chair #236

BUMP LOUNGE CHAIR

—Designed by Dakota Jackson

In the 1970s Dakota Jackson was making unusual, one-of-a-kind furniture in his New York studio —like this lounge chair, which comes with a beautiful ottoman. Born into a family of magicians and performers, his early work had mysterious qualities, including hidden compartments and parts with unexpected movement. He earned recognition by major museums and led to commissions and collaborations well beyond his furniture showrooms. Besides designing furniture, you might have seen his one-of-a-kind martini glass in a print ad for Bombay Sapphire Gin. Slick.

Chair #235

BUTTERFLY CHAIR

—Designed by Jorge Ferrari-Hardoy

The butterfly chair was developed in 1938 by an Argentinian architect named Jorge Ferrari-Hardoy. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the butterfly chair became an iconic symbol of modernism, with its minimalist design. It's made with a simple metal frame with a single piece of fabric draped as a seat. This Ralph Lauren beauty uses a gorgeous leather. Though it's spectacular to look at and comfy to sit in, it offers little or no support and it's a bear to get out of if you're over the age of 12.

Chair #234

DESK CHAIR

—Designer unknown

This is a Mid-19th century (circa 1860) mahogany desk chair with a Voyeuse style back with is inset with a caned oval, flat arms, rounded seat and apron on turned legs.

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Voyeuse

(voy ⋅ euse) – noun, plural

French Furniture

a chair of the 18th century used at game tables, having a padded top rail on which spectators could lean

Chair #233

5 LEGGED LOUIS XV CHAIR

—Designer unknown

Hey, five legs are better than four, right? Curvy Cabriole legs and soft velvet upholstery make this a lovely chair.

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Versaille, 1700s. Poor Louis. Being the great grandson of Louis XIV, the Sun King, was a hard act to follow. The King of France, Louis XV, was intelligent but thought to be morally bankrupt, inept at ruling, and a failure at foreign policy. Ouch. In spite of all that he was still named "the Beloved" king. Passionately interested in science and botany, he enriched the gardens of the Château and commissioned the building of the Petit Trianon palace for his mistress, Madame de Pompadour. Oh those naughty French and their mistresses.

Chair #232

LISZT SWIVELING BARSTOOL

—Designed by Nina Cambell

By now you readers know that I love any chair that swivels, and the delicious fact that this is a barstool is even more delightful. Though the chair was originally designed as a dressing table stool, the legs on this have been extended to create a barstool. With a cool 1930s feel, it also feels very contemporary with its clean lines. It comes in mahogany or black lacquer with either a brass or nickel footrest. Now that's something to rest your Jimmy Choos on.

Chair #231

LOCKER CHAIR

—Designer unknown

With stylish modern design, this hip chair would bring zest to any locker room...or home or office. It has a steel frame with a chrome finish, and an inviting contoured back for comfort. And it stacks.

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Locker Room Etiquette

written by By Dustin Driver for ask men.com

The locker room: A steamy, sweaty powder keg of competitive pheromones, vaporized testosterone and Old Spice deodorant. One false step and the whole place could erupt into a frenzied and uncomfortably nude fistfight. Locker rooms dredge up the awkward anxiety of early puberty, which often includes the unsettling memories of childish ridicule, towel snapping, wedgies, and the inevitable comparing of various body parts. Distant memories of ill-executed locker room etiquette are enough to put anybody on edge and transform the most refined guy into a nervous dolt.

So, let’s review some basic locker room etiquette for the grown man. These simple rules will help you keep your cool after a workout or a game, and vanquish any lingering pubescent angst that could turn you into a total rube when the gym shorts come off and the showers start to flow.

1. Keep your eyes to yourself

Nothing makes a guy more uncomfortable than some other guy leering at his nether regions. It’s the No. 1 rule in locker room etiquette: Keep your eyes at eye level at all times. It’s just a matter of respecting a guy’s privacy. Failure to comply with this rule could leave you with a split lip.

2. Respect personal space

Unless the place is absolutely packed, there’s no reason you should be removing your skivvies on top of another guy. Take a few steps back and give everybody his space. Remember, everybody feels a little vulnerable and on edge when they’re naked (except maybe exhibitionists or nudists or porn stars) around strangers. Being up close and personal will only make things worse. If your locker is in a packed corner, you’ll just have to wait your turn.

3- Try not to be completely naked for too long

If you’re going to hit the showers, which we hope you do, after a hard workout, getting naked is unavoidable. However, if you’re just changing from corporate wear to gym wear, try to change in stages; don’t just strip down and prance around the locker room like a jackass looking for your workout shirt. Have everything ready and change one article of clothing at a time. If you’re heading to the showers, make sure your towel is nearby and ready to do double duty as your manly terrycloth kilt.

4- Don’t dally

Get in and get out. In the evening, the locker room at your gym is probably crammed with sweaty guys who are just trying to get in and get out on their way home from a long day at work. They won’t appreciate it if you’re taking up space, dawdling, chatting or, worse, talking on your cell phone.

It really isn’t more complicated than that.

Chair #230

HANGING RATTAN EGG CHAIR

—Designed by Nanna and Jorgen Ditzel

Cocooning AND hanging in space... saaaa-weet! Seriously, what could be nicer on a hot summer day like today. A giant slice of juicy-licious watermelon, perhaps?

Chair #229

OUTDOOR IRON CHAIR

—Designer unknown

So retro, and über fun in snappy colors.

Chair #228

PRINCIPE SIDE CHAIR

—Designer unknown

Principe is Italian for Prince, and a pair of these Principe chairs with their subtle Moorish designs on the chair backs would be perfect in that Palazzo in Venice. You know, the one you rent on the Grand Canal for the month of September? Well how else could you be at all the correct parties for the Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica di Venezia — or to us mere mortal Americans, the Venice film festival. Everyone who is anyone will be there, and you'll sip your morning espresso in this chair, contemplating all of the invitations, and the coveted Gold Lion. La dolce vita, baby.

Chair #227

LIBRARY CHAIR

—Designed by Julian Chichester

With all due respect to British designer Julian Chichester and his beautiful library chair, all I can think about with the name Chichester is that Clark Rockefeller imposter dude. He was the German con artist formerly known as Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter who, because of his grandiose type delusional disorder along with a narcissistic personality disorder, created himself into a bevy of bluebloods with names such as Clark Rockefeller, Chip Smith, and Christopher Chichester. Nice gall, nice hootspa! He was nabbed by police after he kidnapped his own daughter, and after his arrest police unraveled a fascinating life of grifting and conning that spanned decades. He's in the big house now for about 4-5 years. I can't wait to see the sequel.

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Here's a list of my favorite con artist films:

The Sting

Paper Moon

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

The Grifters

Catch Me If You

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

Chair #226

CHIPPENDALE CHAIR

—Designer unknown

This chair was made in proper proportions for a child. Lucky kid! A cupid's bow crest, scrolled handholds, and ball and claw feet make this a charming chair. I can't imagine that the two circles on the chair back, just below the aforementioned cupid's bow crest, weren't intended to look like an owl's face and eyebrows. My first (and close to last) piece of sculpture I ever made was of an owl, formed eagerly from damp clay at the art classes I took one summer from the Sister's of Notre Dame. My owl had a big crooked nose, and his body was much too wide and boxy, but still, I loved that little owl. Funny how things like that get lost over the years. Who knows where it is now.

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The Old Owl

There was an old owl, lived in an oak

The more he saw, the less he spoke

The less he spoke, the more he heard

So take a tip from this wise old bird

Chair #225

RD4 CHAIR

—Designed by Richard G. Liddle

Ever wonder what happens to those yogurt containers that you faithfully wash out and drop in the recycle bin? Well, clever eco-friendly chairs like this, for one thing. The RD4 (which stands for Roughly Drawn) Chair is hand-woven from 100% recycled plastic waste material. Airy and open, no two chairs are exactly alike. So keep recycling those yogurt containers!

Chair #224

CHICAGO CHAIR

—Designed by Angelo Mangiarotti

Born in Milan in 1921, the Italian architect, urban planner, and industrial designer Angelo Mangiarotti is a legend. By 1953 he was a visiting lecturer for design at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, and during this time he met design greats such as tFrank Lloyd Wright, Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Konrad Wachsmann. These masters were formative and influential for Mangiarotti's personal and professional growth. I imagine he created this chair around then, and gave it the name Chicago.

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"It's like sitting in the palm of a giant's hand."

—architect Alexander Gorlin

Chair #223

PANDA CD CHAIR

—Designed by Belen hermosa

Don't you wish you saved all those America OnLine CDs that you got in the mail? Aparently Belen Hermose did. Constructed from a simple base covered in CDs lined up in rows, the chair was recently shown at International Furniture Fair of Valencia. (If we should pronounce it correctly, Valen-thia.) Perhaps not the softest chair, but you've gotta admit it's wicked cool.

Chair #222

SHIVEN CHAIR

—Designed by Varsa Woodworks Design studio

Clean lines, that's for sure. Made of Russian birch, and offered in Espresso, Chestnut, Cabernet, and Natural. Euro and Contempo.

Chair #221

DEVIL HEADED ARMCHAIR

—Designer unknown

All I know about this chair is that it's from Brazil circa 1920. What are those things in the arms? They look similar to foo dogs, but I just can't say for sure. It's called a devil headed armchair but those don't look like devils to me. They do look totally voodoo and totally wicked.

Chair #220

WING CHAIR

—Designer unknown

This is a modern riff on the classic wing back chair, minus all the fussiness. Sort of a cross between a butterfly chair and a wing chair.

Chair #219

BEECHWOOD ARMCHAIR

—Designed by Thomas Hope

This particular chair has ebonized wood with gold detailing, and the cushion and seat back is a scrumptiously perfect pale, grape color. It would be perfect behind an ebony desk in a library or office.

Chair #218

ARTIFORT F 598: - F598 GROOVY CHAIR

—Designed by Pierre Paulin

French designer Pierre Paulin was a well-known figure in the world of design for over half a century. Born in paris on July 9, 1927, Paulin was influenced by Japanese drawing and American designers Charles and Ray Eames. When Paulin designed the F 598 chair in 1973, it quickly became the darling of the avant-garde. This and other designs of his found their way into major museums across the world such as the New York's Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, and London's Victoria and Albert Museum. His work even found its way into the presidential palace! Being a favorite designer to former French Presidents - Georges Pompidou and Francois Mitterrand, they chose him to furnish. Trés chic! He died at the age of 81 on June 14th of this year in Montepellier, France.

Chair #217

FORMULA CHAIR

—Designed by Eero Aarnio

How fun! Does this remind anyone of a winter sled? Can you imagine zipping down a snowy hill on this? Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Chair #216

GAP CHAIR

—Designer unknown

This interesting chair looks as though it was modeled after the classic Swiss Army Knife. I misplaced the creator's name and info, so if anyone out there has any sort of info on this extraordinary chair, please let me know. Thanks!

Chair #215

ADELTA 8395 FOCUS 2 CHAIR

—Designed by Eero Aarnio

Finnish interior designer Eero Aarnio (born 1932) is well known for his innovative furniture designs in the 1960s, notably his plastic and fiberglass chairs. His simple geometric designs fit right in with the cool and groovy pop culture of the 60s, and therefore were were ideal for productions such as period science-fiction films.

Chair #214

STABELLEN CHAIR

—Designer unknown

This Stabellen chair is a carved wooden chair typically found in the Alps. Swiss, Germans, and Austrians call a sitting room a stube, so it makes sense that one would sit in a stabellen. It evolved from a stool, so these chairs tend to have a flat seat as is shown here. The back is generally some sort of carved motif, often heart shaped in Germany and Austria. Charming.

Suddenly I feel like wearing Lederhosen, drinking a stein of beer, and yodeling.

Chair #213

HONEYCOMB CHAIR

—Designed by Christoffer Angell

A honeycomb is a mass of hexagonal wax cells built by honey bees in their nests to contain their larvae and stores of honey and pollen.

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SAVE THE BEES! Did you know our beloved honey bees are disappearing? Without them, we humans are in trouble. The importance of honeybees? We rely on them for one third of our food supply, so when honey bees are in danger, we’re all in danger. Brought here from Europe in the 1600s, honeybees have become widespread across North America and are bred commercially for their abilities to produce honey and pollinate crops—90 different farm grown foods, including many fruits and nuts—depend on honeybees. Unfortunately, honeybee populations across the continent have plummeted by as much as 70 percent in recent years, and biologists are still unsure of why and what to do about the problem which they have termed colony collapse disorder (CCD). Several theories are being discussed by the experts; radiation from cell phones, chemicals in our garden and farms, global warming... these all may be to blame. We need honey bees. Go to the Häagen-Dazs website and donate a buck for the cause!