Eero Saarinen (1910-1961) & Knoll International
Pair of Tulip model chairs in white lacquered fiberglass, swivel base in cast aluminum covered with white Rilsan. Patties in the white sky.
Measures: 81 x 51 x 44 cm.
The tulip chair was designed by Eero Saarinen in 1955 and 1956 for the Knoll company in New York. It was designed mainly as a chair to match the complementary dining table. The chair has the soft lines of modernism and has been experimental with materials for its time. The chair is considered a classic of industrial design. The chair is often considered "Space Age" for its futuristic use of curves and artificial materials, Saarinen had hoped to produce the chair in one piece entirely in fiberglass, but this material was not able to support the base and the prototypes were prone to breakage. As a result, the base of the tulip chair is made of cast aluminum with a rilsan coated finish to match the upper shell, giving the appearance of a single unit. The upper shell is made of molded fiberglass, with a reinforced plastic finish. The foam padded cushion is removable with Velcro closure. Museum of Modern Art Award, 1969 Federal Industrial Design Award, 1969 Design Center Stuttgart Award, 1962 Saarinen obtained a patent for the Tulip chair in 1960. and the prototypes were prone to breakage. As a result, the base of the tulip chair is made of cast aluminum with a rilsan coated finish to match the upper shell, giving the appearance of a single unit. The upper shell is made of molded fiberglass, with a reinforced plastic finish. The foam padded cushion is removable with Velcro closure. Museum of Modern Art Award, 1969 Federal Industrial Design Award, 1969 Design Center Stuttgart Award, 1962 Saarinen obtained a patent for the Tulip chair in 1960. and the prototypes were prone to breakage. As a result, the base of the tulip chair is made of cast aluminum with a rilsan coated finish to match the upper shell, giving the appearance of a single unit. The upper shell is made of molded fiberglass, with a reinforced plastic finish. The foam padded cushion is removable with Velcro closure. Museum of Modern Art Award, 1969 Federal Industrial Design Award, 1969 Design Center Stuttgart Award, 1962 Saarinen obtained a patent for the Tulip chair in 1960