1960s Rare Set of 2 Mid Century Ward Bennett 1226 Lounge Chairs

Description

Ward Bennett's 1226 chairs from Brickel Associates are an exemplary representation of his minimalist and functional design philosophy. Introduced in … more Ward Bennett's 1226 chairs from Brickel Associates are an exemplary representation of his minimalist and functional design philosophy. Introduced in the 1960s, these chairs feature a sleek, timeless design that emphasizes simplicity and comfort. They are constructed with a sturdy wooden frame and retain their original orange brick nylo-suede upholstery.

The bottoms of the chairs still have their original sales tags making these especially remarkable. One has to wonder who "Herman" was, the lucky recipient of the chairs when they were brand new over 60 years ago.

Ward Bennett’s career began at age 13, when he quit school to work in New York’s Garment District. At 16 he went to Europe and continued working in fashion. Despite attending art schools in Florence and Paris, he was mostly self-taught, with skills ranging from jewelry-making to interior design. “I learn from people,” he said, referencing influences including Georgia O’Keeffe. Bennett eventually settled in New York, where his reputation earned him many high-profile clients. Lyndon Johnson later asked Bennett to design a chair for his presidential library—“a cross between a barroom chair and a courtroom chair with a little Western saddle.”

Bennett began working with Geiger in 1987. Their first collaboration—a 20-piece collection—was introduced in 1990. In 1993, Geiger acquired Brickel Associates, for whom Bennett had designed more than 150 chairs as their sole designer from the 1960s through the mid-1980s. Today, he is considered the first American to use industrial materials for home furnishings. He was hailed by the American Institute of Architects for “transforming industrial hardware into sublime objects.” Many his designs are in the permanent collection at MoMA, as well as in the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. less