Leather and Oak "Safari" Chair | Wilhelm Kienzle, ca. 1950

LEATHER AND OAK "SAFARI" CHAIR
Designed by Wilhelm Kienzle in 1928, this example circa 1950
35 3/8" H x 22 1/4" D x 22 1/4" W x 14 1/2" H to seat

First conceived in 1928 by Swiss designer Wilhelm Kienzle, the “Safari” chair has become one of the most recognized expressions of early modernist furniture. An example resides today in the permanent collection of the Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein. The present chair, produced in the 1950s by Wohnbedarf of Zurich, is constructed of solid oak with thick, rawhide leather sling seat and back. The leather bears a striking natural surface, enriched by decades of wear, oils, and use, while the construction itself reveals both ingenuity and restraint. Kienzle’s design combines durability with a collapsible, lightweight format, offering not only comfort but also an enduring symbol of modernist ideals executed with traditional craftsmanship.

In writing about the chair in the Vitra Design Museum, Claude Lichtenstein notes:
*"This dismountable chair was created by the Swiss designer Wilhelm Kienzle. It is an adaptation of a model used in the nineteenth century by British colonial officials during their work-related travels, which Kienzle had seen in London in 1928. Its advantages are that it is lightweight and takes up little space. The chair’s legs are connected by round bars, which are inserted into the open seam of the seat cover (in copies with the original cover). Similarly, the cover is affixed to the movable backrest, which is attached to the upper ends of the back legs with a pivot pin. The leather strap armrests are fastened to the legs with brass buttons. Since the chair’s frame is not independently stable, leather straps stretched between the chair legs bear the lateral load of the seated individual.
In the interwar period, others – such as the Danish designer Kaare Klint in 1933 – created variants of this chair type. Kienzle’s design most likely was not mass-produced until after 1945 by the Swiss interior design company Wohnbedarf. In the post-war period it became the very embodiment of a non-conformist lifestyle."*
We currently hold several examples of Kienzle’s oak and leather “Safari” chairs in the shop.
Shipping Note: This chair will be shipped fully disassembled to minimize freight costs; reassembly will be necessary upon arrival.

Condition:
The original leather stained and discolored with a wonderful overall patina, remarkably comfortable and most enjoyable to sit in; darkening and overall oxidization along with light wear to the oak surface; rubbing and wear to the leather inside the back where the nuts attach; dryness and cracking to the leather belting and arm straps. A very fine example that is beautifully preserved with rich surface history.