Pretzel Chair
George Nelson (1908–1986) is regarded as one of the most important and influential figures in American post‑war design. In 1952, his New York studio developed a chair made of moulded plywood, initially referred to as the Laminated Chair. The distinctive curve of its backrest and armrests, however, soon earned it the nickname Pretzel Chair. Owing to the limitations of manufacturing technologies at the time, the complex design proved difficult to produce and was withdrawn from the programme after only a few years—making it a sought‑after collector’s item today.
To mark Nelson’s 100th birthday, Vitra launched a limited re‑edition of 1,000 numbered chairs in 2008. Advances in manufacturing technology made it possible to preserve the chair’s organic form while optimising its structural stability. Today, the Pretzel Chair is considered a highly desirable collector’s piece, and the re‑edition represents an important milestone in the history of Mid‑Century design. The example offered in this auction bears the number 1/1000.
Sold as is. Signs of wear are present. For collector's items, the unaltered condition can preserve their value – for questions on care, please consult an expert.
First Design
1952
Production Year
2008
Edition
1,000 copies
Edition Number
1/1,000
Material
Bent plywood, veneer
Dimensions
approx. H 73 × W 50 × D 48 cm
Initial value
€1.750,00
Auction starts in
George Nelson
George Nelson (born 1908 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA; died 1986 in New York, USA) studied architecture at Yale University. In 1944, he became Design Director at Herman Miller. Holding this position until 1972, he emerged as a key figure in American design and brought Charles and Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi and Alexander Girard to Herman Miller. In 1957, Vitra founder Willi Fehlbaum concluded his first licensing agreement with Herman Miller for furniture production in Europe. Over the decades of collaboration with Vitra, a close friendship developed between George Nelson and Rolf Fehlbaum.
Since 1947, Nelson ran his own design studio, George Nelson Associates Inc., developing projects and objects in collaboration with highly regarded colleagues. Several of these works are now considered icons of Mid‑Century Modern design.
Further Auctions
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Well Tempered Chair
Ron Arad, 1986/87
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Bad Tempered Chair 16/1000
Ron Arad, 2002
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Bad Tempered Chair 136/1000
Ron Arad, 2002
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Plywood Chair
Jasper Morrison, 1989
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Greene Street Chair
Gaetano Pesce, 1984/86
