In a weird, ironic twist of circumstance and opportunity I found myself (not twelve hours after posting some of my chair dreams) watching a pair of original Poul Jensen walnut lounge chairs being delivered into a local shop. Someone else in the store made a beeline for them (an interior designer I was later told) but not before I had managed to park the stroller and take a seat in one of them. The other one was still being set up. Yesterday’s post showed one chair that is sold by Thrive Modern Furnishings that is “inspired” by this mid-century danish chair (the Truman Chair). This was the real thing, there were two of them in great condition, and while I’m not going to tell you the price I paid, I will tell you that another original Z chair was listed on 1stdibs this morning for a whopping, eye-popping $4200. (I paid nothing even remotely close to that – not even remotely close to the retail price of the knockoff!) That one has already sold as well. I had to think fast because the other guy was waiting to scoop them out from under me. I will also tell you that I have personally done a few little jigs of joy. I cannot believe the luck. Five minutes difference one way or the other would have meant no chairs. I still cannot believe this deal.
So here’s one of my two chairs below- it’s still at the store til we bring over the truck – but it’s got a nice fat sold sign on it. And they are pink at the moment, but we’ll get the cushions recovered eventually. There are lots of articles about appropriate fabrics for the chair like this one. I’m actually kind of glad to get to choose – and I’ll probably wait until we settle on a rug and a sofa before I do.
I like the fabric in the images above my pink beauty – a neutral with a nice tweed or wool nubby feel to it. I think the walnut is going to look really good with all the white painted bookshelves in there, and the chairs will also look good with the walnut library table and coffee table from my grandparents. I’ve been in chair limbo so long that I maybe I needed to stop trying to make a decision and just let things happen. You never know what might fall into your lap if you get out of the computer for awhile and actually look around the city.
What else did we find today? Well – we found pink eye – the little one did at least. My husband says it serves me right for taking her thrifting! She found an upholstered stool in gold leather with walnut legs that the owners of the store let us take with us – it will be great next to the cabinet we’re going to turn into an entry hall closet. Perfect for putting on and taking off shoes. F and I found some frozen yogurt while we waited for her eye drop prescription to be filled, and moments over ice cream are always some of my favorites.
This is my last Friday off before returning to work full time next week. M keeps correcting me that it’s not really my last Friday off – that’s what vacation days are for. So I’m not going to lie… it was really nice to “find” something special this Friday – something that I think we’ll enjoy as a family for years and years to come. Even on those long Fridays at work when we are all just ready to come home, kick off the weekend, and be homebodies for awhile – well, we’ll have some comfortable – and beautiful – chairs to pull up around a game board or a stack of good books.
More pictures later. Hope you had a great Friday and found something old (or new). Share if you’d like.
As another STL-ite, I’m curious about where you found the chairs? Congrats on a great find — they’re gorgeous and going to be even more so in your new upholstery. Cheers – CT
If you check the post again you’ll notice I added a link in to the store – The Future Antiques. I realized right after I posted it that I hadn’t put that link in so I updated it. We bought some Bertoia chairs there almost ten years ago when they were on Grand – I hadn’t been to their new place near Ted Drewes until today. They had a lot of great things in this morning. I felt like I had reached my spending limit, but I could have taken a couple more pieces home if money were no object. Plus, I couldn’t really browse because I had to stay sitting in the chair to decide so this other person couldn’t take them!
I love TFA — I was a frequent at the Morganford store. The new spot on Chippewa is a hop, skip and a jump from my mother-in-law’s house so now I don’t mind as much when husband wants to stop over there on the weekends!
I kind of forgot about them once they moved from Grand. I like this new location – although I see our custard runs getting VERY expensive in the future!
Awesome find! I tell my friend all the time that if we keep looking we will always find what we want. Good for you!!
You’re probably right. I still can’t get over the luck. That store had some great finds yesterday.
Gorgeous–but I like anything and everything Danish!
We found ourselves with a new babysitter on Friday, so hooray for a date night for us!!!
Denmark seems like ages ago doesn’t it?
Hooray for date nights!
So, I tried half a dozen times to leave a message about this chair… and for some reason, my iPad wouldn’t let me… so trying a big-girl computer….
Anyway. On Friday, I went out for my morning walk in the neighborhood. Strayed a bit further out than normal and came across (nearly) the same chair you show above, just sittin’ on the side of the street waiting for trash day. With a skip in my step, I mall-walked home to grab Brett and the car. We are now the new owners of a free, nearly perfect, Mid Century Lounge Chair. Sans cushions or spring overlay… the smell and dirt were astounding… but none the less… we have a very workable chair that will soon find it’s way up to our bedroom. So excited!
And bragging.
That’s probably why my iPad wouldn’t let me comment.
What random parallel luck we had. And you spent way less than me. And got some exercise in to boot!