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**Bear with me for photos - I've posted to other forums but never had problems posting inline photos.

My wife bought the chair pictured below at a garage sale. I really like it but have never seen anything similar. The strips from which this is made are highly stressed - they almost ring when tapped, so the chair is extremely rigid. It is not wicker/rattan, and although it has a metallic sound when tapped or dragged on a hard floor but even the frame is non-magnetic, so not made of steel.

There is a smooth, white coating over everything that is much harder than paint, and there is not a single exposed end. I carefully filed away some material at the base but could see nothing but more white material, and there was a definite plastic smell.

The irregular surface of the arm (3rd pic) is apparently from weaving the material together. There are small holes at every intersection of strips with the frame, probably some sort of bracing point during assembly. You can clearly see that in the 3rd pic, which also shows the heavy application of a coating

There are no labels or identifying marks on the chair or cushion. The dimensions are 33' high x 21" wide and deep

I have the impression this was a one-off piece, as it is so unique, does not have a manufactured look, and would have been extremely labor intensive to make. At the same time it's a huge undertaking to design for one piece, and I would think an exhibition piece would have been more finely finished.

Thank you.


Pic 1 Pic 2 http://www.flickr.com/photos/2...in/photostream
Pic 2 http://www.flickr.com/photos/2...18668/in/photostream
Pic 3 http://www.flickr.com/photos/2...07165/in/photostream
Pic 4 http://www.flickr.com/photos/2...07453/in/photostream

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Don-CNY,

Could be a resin substance or since it sounds metallic it could possibly be aluminum coated with a resin substance.

I remember when those chairs came out -- they were porch furniture and reminded me of things you do with string. But I can't remember WHEN they came out.

Martha

I'd think 60s-70s. I've seen similar ones as well.

SOLVED! - It's made of spun fiberglass, which make sense considering it it both light and strong, and now that I look even closser I see the "fibers" are not flat like real or fake rattan/wicker, but rather more round or square in cross section. It's so heavily coated that I did not realize that the strands themselves were woven. Also makes sense for the arms, which are probably strips of fiberglass fabric. Here are pics of almost identical items: