CHAIR by Peter Bradford, Barbara Prete

The Current State of the Art, with the Who, the Why, and the What of It

1978 First Edition with 140 pages and over 1,000 black and white photographs, illustrations and diagrams 

Essays by Ward Bennett, Joe D’Urso, Charles Stendig, Ralph Caplan, Niels Diffrient, Mary Blade, Nicos Zographos, and Donald Gratz

Peter Bradford, Barbara Prete (with contributions by Ward Bennett, Joe D’Urso, Charles Stendig, etc.): CHAIR: THE CURRENT STATE OF THE ART, WITH THE WHO, THE WHY, AND THE WHAT OF IT. New York: Thomas Crowell, 1978. First edition. Quarto. Black paper covered boards titled in silver. Printed dust jacket. Yellow endpapers. 140 pp. Over 1,000 black and white photographs, illustrations and diagrams. Book design by Peter Bradford and Wendy Byrne. Jacket rubbed and soiled. Former owners name to front pastedown. Cool vintage booksellers ticket to jacket flap. A very good copy in a very good dust jacket.

9.25x12.25 hardcover book with 140 pages and over 1,000 black and white photographs, illustrations and diagrams, with extensive captions and pertinent background information. A stunningly well-designed volume! A magnificent, early tribute to the modern chair, with essays by Ward Bennett, Joe D’Urso, Charles Stendig, Ralph Caplan, Niels Diffrient, Mary Blade, Nicos Zographos, and Donald Gratz. Including a large section of all the submissions of the 1977 American Institute of Architects chair design competition. Highly recommended.

Contents:

• Preface: the Cooper-Hewitt lectures
• Ralph Caplan: his perspective, chairs as symbolism of civilization and cultures
• Ward Bennett: Our sitting society, the pitch of proper seating, unchanging form
• Joseph D'Urso: Inviting floors, interior landscapes, friendly terrains
• Niels Diffrient:  Objective performance, comfort indicators and compromises
• Mary Blade:   Physical forces and damages, your sitting behaviour, move
• Nicos Zogaphos: Form first, pleasing and non-aggressive shapes
• Donald Gratz:   The magic methodology of making, unending care and craft
• Charles Stendig: Spiritied tastemaking, laced with humor, acument and pride
• Exchange: Zographos, Gratz and Stending dialogue, varied personal revelations
• Caplan continued:   additional reactions
• AIA 1977 International Chair Design Competition: informal jury comments

A summary of discussions held at the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt Museum by some of the world's most notable chair designers and marketers. Includes designs by Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen, Marcel Breuer, Le Corbusier, and more.

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