Club chair
Encyclopedia
A club chair is a type of armchair
, usually covered in leather. It was created and made in France
. Before it came to be known under its current name, it first appeared as the , the "comfortable armchair". It was given this name to distinguish it from the fauteuil de style, which had straighter lines and was less enveloping.
The craftsmen involved in the design of the chair were unknown.
The origins of the term "club" are unclear, but it may be a reference to the gentlemen's club
.
With great simplicity, the Art Deco
era produced armchairs with clean, flexible lines, in contrast to the Art Nouveau
style of the 1910s.
After the Second World War, dozens of different shapes appeared. Some have stood the test of time, such as the "moustache" and the "gendarme’s hat", named after the shape of the backrest.
The round shape has become the club armchair’s most emblematic incarnation.
, fellmonger
y, upholstery
and colouring are the main crafts involved in the manufacture of a club armchair. Each chair is a product of all this combined expertise.
The club armchair first appeared at the start of the 20th century, with the application of a new padding technique, using double conical springs not only in the seat cushion but also in the backrest and armrests. The suppleness of these springs was combined with a coir
filling.
Industrial progress led to the replacement of this padding method with no-sag springs or elastic webbing, together with synthetic foam.
and, most recently, bicast leather
. However, sheep's leather
is still considered the authentic material for the chairs.
With a vegetable-tanned sheep's leather covering, the marks and defects in the skin are visible through the dye, making each chair unique. Furthermore, the incredibly fine grain gives the armchair a unique patina over time. French leather was renowned for its quality in the 19th century.
Between six and eight skins of approximately 0.8 square metres (8.6 sq ft) each are required to cover an armchair. They are applied wet, stretched as tightly as possible, and contract as they dry. They will last around 40 years.
Armchair
An armchair is a chair with arm rests.Armchair may also refer to:*Armchair nanotube, a carbon nanotube with chiral symmetry*Armchair, a sitting sex position*Armchair , a bus operator in London...
, usually covered in leather. It was created and made in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Before it came to be known under its current name, it first appeared as the , the "comfortable armchair". It was given this name to distinguish it from the fauteuil de style, which had straighter lines and was less enveloping.
The craftsmen involved in the design of the chair were unknown.
The origins of the term "club" are unclear, but it may be a reference to the gentlemen's club
Gentlemen's club
A gentlemen's club is a members-only private club of a type originally set up by and for British upper class men in the eighteenth century, and popularised by English upper-middle class men and women in the late nineteenth century. Today, some are more open about the gender and social status of...
.
Shape
While the club chair is undoubtedly a classic feature of interior decor in France, it remains just as relevant as ever today. As time has passed, the chair’s charm, diversity and fame have grown.With great simplicity, the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
era produced armchairs with clean, flexible lines, in contrast to the Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style of the 1910s.
After the Second World War, dozens of different shapes appeared. Some have stood the test of time, such as the "moustache" and the "gendarme’s hat", named after the shape of the backrest.
The round shape has become the club armchair’s most emblematic incarnation.
Manufacture
Design, carpentryCarpentry
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
, fellmonger
Fellmonger
A fellmonger was a dealer in hides or skins, particularly sheepskins, who might also prepare skins for tanning. The name is derived from the Old English ‘fell’ meaning skins and ‘monger’ meaning dealer...
y, upholstery
Upholstery
Upholstery is the work of providing furniture, especially seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The word upholstery comes from the Middle English word upholder, which referred to a tradesman who held up his goods. The term is equally applicable to domestic,...
and colouring are the main crafts involved in the manufacture of a club armchair. Each chair is a product of all this combined expertise.
The club armchair first appeared at the start of the 20th century, with the application of a new padding technique, using double conical springs not only in the seat cushion but also in the backrest and armrests. The suppleness of these springs was combined with a coir
Coir
Coir is a natural fibre extracted from the husk of coconut and used in products such as floor mats, doormats, brushes, mattresses etc. Technically coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. Other uses of brown coir are in upholstery...
filling.
Industrial progress led to the replacement of this padding method with no-sag springs or elastic webbing, together with synthetic foam.
Covering
Coverings have changed as industrial techniques have developed, and have included Mercerised cotton, velvet, calfskinCalfskin
Calfskin is a leather or membrane produced from the hide of a calf. Calfskin is particularly valuable because of its softness, and non fine grain. It is commonly used for high-quality shoes, wallets and similar products, as well as traditional leather bookbindings...
and, most recently, bicast leather
Bicast leather
Bicast leather is a split leather with a layer of polyurethane applied to the surface and then embossed. Bycast was originally made for the shoe industry for glossy shoes, and recently was adopted by the furniture industry...
. However, sheep's leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
is still considered the authentic material for the chairs.
With a vegetable-tanned sheep's leather covering, the marks and defects in the skin are visible through the dye, making each chair unique. Furthermore, the incredibly fine grain gives the armchair a unique patina over time. French leather was renowned for its quality in the 19th century.
Between six and eight skins of approximately 0.8 square metres (8.6 sq ft) each are required to cover an armchair. They are applied wet, stretched as tightly as possible, and contract as they dry. They will last around 40 years.