Chester Armchair

Overview

The Chester armchair is the single-seat piece of Poltrona Frau's Chester family, listed on the page under SKU 5107111. It is credited to Renzo Frau, dated 1912 on the product sheet, and it is upholstered in Pelle Frau® leather.

Image source: Poltrona Frau — Chester Armchair · © Poltrona Frau and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research. · View official product page ↗ · Image use & copyright policy

Construction

The frame is seasoned beech wood with biconical, hand-placed steel springs on jute belts. The seat is padded with rubberised horsehair, the backrest and arms with hand-shaped vegetable horsehair, and the seat cushions are goose down filled; the product sheet adds polyurethane foam. The capitonné of the back and arms is worked by hand, and a row of leather-covered tacks finishes the outer back.

Specifications

• Size (code 5107111): W 104 cm, D 91 cm, H 67 cm; the drawing also marks 65 cm and 43 cm (unlabelled); height measured with 6 cm feet
• Feet: 6 cm spherical or 12 cm high, in walnut-stained or black-lacquered beech; 13.7 cm wooden feet with a leather covering
• Upholstery: Pelle Frau® ColorSphere®, Heritage, Nest, Soulful, Velvety; cover not removable

Pleated arms and hand tufting

Poltrona Frau names the pleated armrests as the finishing touch to the capitonné of the leather, which is carried out entirely by hand. The product sheet gives the same hand-made description for the armchair today.

What the Insights text stresses

The page's Insights text describes the Chester armchair through hand-executed capitonné stitching, rounded armrests and covered buttons, with the Pelle Frau® leather and the solid wood frame as its main elements.