Harry Bertoia’s 1950 experiment with bending metal rods into practical art produced a revered collection of seating, including the unique Bird chair and ottoman. Innovative, comfortable and strikingly handsome, the chair’s delicate filigree appearance belies its strength and durability. In Bertoia’s own words, “If you look at these chairs, they are mainly made of air, like sculpture. Space passes through them.” The chair is offered with a full cover and glides.
Replacement Covers available
Construction:- Frame is welded steel with rods polished in chrome or bonded rilsan
- Frame is scratch, chip and chemical resistant with stainless steel connections and four plastic glides
Upholstery:- High back chairs only available with full cover
- Replacement full cover upholstery available in a variety of KnollTextiles
Finishes:- Frame available in black, white and polished chrome finishes
Italian sculptor, university lecturer and furniture designer Harry Bertoia displayed a unique stroke of genius with his patented Diamond Chair for Knoll International in 1952. Bertoia was an inventor of form and an enricher of furniture design with his introduction of a new material: he turned industrial wire rods into a design icon. Educated at Detroit Technical High School, the Detroit School of Arts and Crafts and Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Bertoia taught metal crafts at Cranbrook. He worked with Charles Eames to develop his signature molded plywood chairs. Eero Saarinen commissioned him to design a metal sculptured screen for the General Motors Technical Center in Detroit. His awards include the craftsmanship medal from the American Institute of Architects, as well as AIA’s Gold Medal.
Standard Leadtime for the Bird Chair is 8-12 Weeks.