Well,l have been doing some estate sales searching for unique pieces and happened upon something very unusual.
I guess it could only be described as an ANTI GRAVITY RECLINER.
A very comfortable chair/lounge that when seated has a lever on the right hand side that will release the chair from its position and allow the persons weight ,legs,torso etc to be "averaged" and settle into a position that equally distributes ones weight. There are no springs or metal extendable hardware as it is not a recliner in the sense we currently know as a "recliner" and the mechanism releasing the chairs position is all wood! (maple)?
It is circa 1930s to 50s and is wood frame with arms, with naugahide or maybe even leather covering all sides except the bottom and 4 short wooded legs.
It may be a one off designer piece but l could find no readily visible makers mark...but it is extremely well made.
Any of you vintage collectors/upholsterers that may help me ID this piece it would be greatly appreciated.
Photos to follow.
Dave
Hello Dave
the Norwegians have a company called Ekornes that have used a metal tension system for the last 30 years perhaps its the grand daddy of these bad boys.
http://www.ekornes.co.uk/uk/stressless/the_stressless_history/list/1971thefirststresslessisintrod/ (http://www.ekornes.co.uk/uk/stressless/the_stressless_history/list/1971thefirststresslessisintrod/)
alex
i guess my discription made it difficult to imagine as it is not two pieces as you have thought it may be, it is one piece and the photos l will attach tomorrow will make it easier for you. The link you have included is more like an Eames Chair..two independent pieces..not at all what l have as you will see.
As an aside .what is the best way to remove the odour of cigarette smoke that has permeated this piece?
Dave
Hi Dave,
I've done plenty of recliners but don't think I've ever recovered one like you describe. I'm looking forward to your pic's.
Whenever I pick up a smokey smelling piece I leave it outside in the sun several days. This gets rid of most of the smell but not all. I've heard of good results from a product called Frebreze.
Anybody tried this stuff?
http://www.duboisfabrics.com/product_p/big%20d%20one%20shot.htm
l hope to find a cleaner that will not remove the"patina" of the fabric..something maybe less of a chemical and more of a natural moisturizer that will remove the "smoke" residue that is on the surfaces.
Dave
Quote from: sofadoc on October 22, 2011, 06:17:30 pm
Anybody tried this stuff?
http://www.duboisfabrics.com/product_p/big%20d%20one%20shot.htm
I have an ozone generator for smelly stuff. it is natural and reverts back to oxygen after
30mins.
Ozone will kiil almost every smell there is and also kills mold and mildew
I have one too Fragged but it is back home in Canada...they can destroy natural rubber though so care must be exercised!
Checking on THE naugahide site they simply recommend dish soap and warm water to clean then buff dry.
Dave
Photos
(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi273.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj204%2Fwind_rose_2%2FANTI%2520GRAVITY%2520CHAIR%2Fth_PA230304.jpg&hash=7be43c0a643a4a7651c89caabc43cdbd) (http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj204/wind_rose_2/ANTI%20GRAVITY%20CHAIR/?action=view¤t=PA230304.jpg)
I've done a few of those. It's also very similar to the "Adjusto-lounges" that Art Linkletter used to shill for on TV. But the Adjusto-lounge had a motor with an up-down switch, instead of the handle.
This seems to be the same idea and may have been the inspiration for the design.
http://www.cassinausa.com/corbusier.html
Have done a few..what are the "insides" like? Are they foam fill or hair/matt?springs?
You must be as old or dare l say older than me, to recall Art Linkletter..maybe we should have an "old Guys" thread.. (bit of a play on words there) for us with vintage. ;D
I would still like to know the manufacturer if anyone else as old remembers!
Dave
Quote from: wind_rose_2 on October 23, 2011, 01:00:42 pm
what are the "insides" like? Are they foam fill or hair/matt?springs?
You must be as old or dare l say older than me, to recall Art Linkletter.
Sorry, I don't remember for sure what the guts were made of. It's been over 20 years since I've seen one. Best I recall, foam/cotton over no-sag springs. Maybe a sisal mat.
I remember Art promising a free color TV with every purchase. A few of my customers bought them. NO TV though. They would tell you over the phone that they're all out of TV's, so they'll just give you $500 off the price. The adjusted price was around 2 grand, which was about 3X's what it was worth.
WHO YOU CALLIN' OLD? ;)
Not just old! Minds goin too!
Are you sure it was a Color TV...l believe Linkletter was off the air when they had Color..but then again could be my minds goin.
Thanks for the info!
You may have a real find there. I did a google search for mid-century recliners and here's one that looks similar to the bottom of yours.
http://www.bondandbowery.com/printitem.php?itemid=3850
There are a few from Eames also on eBay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Retro-Eames-Era-Chaise-Lounge-Massage-Chair-/400250700034
Pretty kool chair.
June
Art's show was over, but he still did the commercials well into the color era.
I always called em Astro chairs cause they looked like they came right out of a Jetsons cartoon.
An semi-interesting tidbit about the design......a Fla based blood donation service uses these loungers for the donors. They liked the style so much that a local guy here in my town reproduces them for the donor company.
SofaDoc your mind is ok its me l guess! :'(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfYDYyXltEc&feature=related
Wow! Even I didn't remember that he made it into the VCR age! I'll bet they were all out of THOSE too!
Wow! check this out....bring back memories?
http://picasaweb.google.com/111619259604299981487/ContourChairLounge?gsessionid=SBxhuSyv2yFaXCKoGOvVLQ#
Pretty cool. But I don't remember any of 'em originally having Pli-grip.
If your body weight Re lines it I wonder how you get up?
Dave are you in Florida that would explain the cold air and rain last week. ;)
Dave,
I did one of those a year of so ago. I believe, if it's the same thing, and I think it is, that you will find everything you need to know about how to dismantle it once you take off the cambric, or what ever the bottom fabric is.
Also, there's a lever that locks it in place so you can easily get up and on it.
Once you do that, you will see the rollers up inside the bottom and how they connect the top and bottom pieces together.
I found that it was not very difficult to reupholster.
Good luck.
gene
Mike;
You know that when the weather in Florida gets cold l am in Florida :P
I was hoping to get over to see you and do a sunset at a tiki bar with you..see if you can stop work for a few hrs and enjoy life!
Dave
Gene;
I have not immediate plans to recover it at this time though this site that June posted http://www.bondandbowery.com/printitem.php?itemid=3850
has me thinking....with a couple of easy design changes and some complementary colors it may be profitable.
As far as getting in and out of the lounge...there may be a spring that will "pull " the lounge back to the starting position that has become unconnected because once you are in the chair and release the lever thats it...it stays in that position untill you either get up and re position it or someone pushes it up for you.
I guess in all the commercials, that is why you never see that little ole lady / man getting out of the thing..it is as hard as getting out of a hammock...which is also very comfortable but cannot be reupholstered ;D
Dave
Quote from: wind_rose_2 on October 24, 2011, 04:51:44 am
I guess in all the commercials, that is why you never see that little ole lady / man getting out of the thing
Maybe the old lady should've had one of those medic alert gadgets.
HELP, I'M IN ART'S CHAIR, AND I CAN'T GET OUT!!
That had me ROTFLMFAO!
Quote from: wind_rose_2 on October 24, 2011, 04:41:32 am
Mike;
You know that when the weather in Florida gets cold l am in Florida :P
I was hoping to get over to see you and do a sunset at a tiki bar with you..see if you can stop work for a few hrs and enjoy life!
Dave
we got all winter Dave.
I'm not going anywhere My house it not far from were my shop was when we met.
That is so cool. About a year ago I picked up a retro stationary lounge that looks a lot like your recliner. I wanted to go with the Jetsons look and do it in black vinyl with horizontal channels from the foot to the head. The wife nixed that idea. she wants something more classy. Go figure. The padding was shot and most of the springs were broken. I'm going to try to get it done, in her fabric, by December. I'll post some pics.