Vintage 50s Cherner "Scandal" Preztel Plycraft Chair

Vintage 50s Cherner "Scandal" Preztel Plycraft Chair

$795

This is the original "SCANDAL" Chair. Here are two links to the proper history of this chair and to the "Cherner Plycraft Pretzel" chair generally. Most of the heavier, often padded "Cherner Pretzel" Chairs being sold are from a restart in the 1980s. They are fab chairs but NOT vintage 50s mid-century. See this link for true history of all these chairs: http://rosabeltrandesign.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-iconic-pretzel-chair-and-whole.html See this link for association of MY chair with Norman Rockwell: http://blog.dwr.com/2012/08/28/rockwell-and-cherner-or-how-a-commercial-illustrator-created-a-mid-century-icon/ Provenance. The label on this chair identifies it as a "Bernardo" scandal chair and thus produce in the 50s from the original George Nelson design. This chair came from my Aunt's estate. She was the manager of the famous RIT Shop One for 9 year during the RIT arts and crafts renaissance. She was cutting edge, so this is likely a very early chair. This chair is laminated solely from old-growth mahogany. It was said these chairs were not sturdy enough so the design was terminated by Cherner early in the 60s. However, before I cleaned this one up to what you see, the arms of this chair were blackened by body oil, showing it was sat upon by my aunt regularly for many years. The chair is in very good shape and all original down to the plastic "feet", except for the screws that hold the arms to the backrest, which were missing when I got it. The original screws are easily found via restoration hardware. This chair is the real thing, can be worked back to near perfect condition, already looks great, and is true vintage 50's mid-century modern.

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Jonathan Walkey

Jonathan Walkey

Jonathan Walkey Furniture Maker

La Mesa, CA
Member since: 2013
4.9
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Jonathan Walkey is retired professional furniture maker who now makes selected pieces for discriminating clients. I am a one man studio, specializing in decorative arts and crafts, mid-century, Greene & Green, etc. furniture. my own personal style generally includes contrasting hardwoods with beautiful grains and hand worked inlays. In between commissions I simultaneously work on personal studio furniture projects.

I was raised in Lincoln Massachusetts where my father was the director of the DeCordova Museum of modern art. My mother worked as an expert in fine crafts and furniture . I attended many arts and crafts classes and summer art camps at the Museum. I was trained as a silversmith at age 11 and at age 12 built a 10 foot kayak made of wood and canvas. I was a U.S. Navy trained aviation mechanic and earned my living for 15 years as a master mechanic, working mainly on motorcycles. I am also a former carpenter, criminal appellate attorney, credentialed teacher, professional writer, and painter.

Today I apply my talents and interests to building fine arts and craft furniture. My lifelong continuing education combines training of the mind with training of the hands. What you buy from Jonathan is fine art as well as heirloom quality furniture built to last many lifetimes. These qualities are reflected in the cost of my work, neither of which should ever be compared with that of commercial furniture.

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