An exhibition that tells the story of the Nakashima Straight Chair: first as a hand-made piece crafted exclusively at Nakashima’s workshop; next as part of the Knoll product line in the 1940s and 50s; and finally, as a modern production piece reintroduced to the Knoll catalogue in 2008.
The Design Center at Philadelphia University mounted an exhibit on the evolution of George Nakashima’s Straight Chair, which ran from April 30 to June 5, 2009.
The exhibit traced the chair’s metamorphosis from a hand-made piece produced in Nakashima’s Pennsylvania workshop, to its years (1946-1954) of production by the Knoll furniture company.
The story of Knoll’s model N19 runs full-circle however, as the piece was re-released in 2008.
If you’d like to have a look at the chair’s latest reinvention, visit Knoll .
Working with Nakashima’s daughter Mira, a crack design time reviewed several old chairs at the Nakashima workshop museum, thoroughly documenting their construction. While Knoll’s N19 can never hope to approach the hand-made qualities that make a Nakashima piece what it is, it’s being touted as a darn good substitute.
Mira with her favorite doll and the doll’s bed made by george in replication of the bed he made for Mira
The Nakashima family home – full of George’s creations
Mira Today
