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Norman Cherner 10
Lot 10
Price Realised: €5,500
Estimate: €2,000 - €3,000
A SET OF 6 WALNUT CHAIRS by Norman Cherner, manufactured by The Cherner Chair Company, bearing labels Pair of carvers: 70 (w) x 79 (h) 44 (seat height) cm. Chairs x 4: 43 (w) x 79 (h) x 44 (seat height) cm. New York City architect and designerNor... Read more
Lot 10 - 10 by Norman Cherner Lot 10 Norman Cherner 10
Estimate: €2,000 - €3,000
A SET OF 6 WALNUT CHAIRS by Norman Cherner, manufactured by The Cherner Chair Company, bearing labels

Pair of carvers: 70 (w) x 79 (h) 44 (seat height) cm.
Chairs x 4: 43 (w) x 79 (h) x 44 (seat height) cm.

New York City architect and designerNorman Cherner(192087) was fascinated by the principles of theBauhaus movementand taught atColumbia Universityand at New YorksMuseum of Modern Art. Designed in 1958, The Cherner Chair, boasting clean lines, gentle curves and organic material, distinctly embraces the attributes ofmid-century modern furniture. However, the story begins with the Pretzel Chair.

In the early 1950s, a plywood chair called The Pretzel debuted in aHerman Millershowroom.While beautiful, the Pretzel had structural problems and was expensive to make, so Herman Miller contracted Massachusetts manufacturerPlycraftto produce the chair. A dispute between the two companies and concerns over costs halted Pretzel production in 1957. However, with the materials and techniques for constructing plywood furniture, and not wanting them to go to waste, Plycraft president Paul Goldman commissioned Norman Cherner (a Nelson recommendation) to improve upon its design. A Pretzel-type chair that could be more easily produced on Plycrafts equipment.

The Cherner Chair, in the sculptural swoop of its wing-like arms and sloping seat made of layers of laminated plywood, emphasised the distinctive properties of working with the material. However, Goldman told Cherner the chair was cancelled, while continuing to sell it under a different name, Bernardo, later admitting this was a fictional name.

Cherner sued Plycraft after hed discovered hed been lied to. When a judge ruled in his favour in 1961 which forced Plycraft to pay Cherner royalties and bring the chair to market with proper credit it was good timing. The chair appeared inNorman Rockwells paintingThe Artist at Work,which ran on the cover ofTheSaturday Evening Postin September of that year. Cherners elegant chair was famous, and it remained in production until 1972.

Today, the Cherner Chair Company, founded by Norman Cherners sons Benjamin and Thomas, produces the Cherner chair based on Normans original drawings. The chairs in this sale are labelled and come with letters of authenticity.
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