Rare Robin Day armchair for Hille, United Kingdom, circa 1951–1953

Very rare period model by British designer Robin Day, produced by Hille in the early 1950s, in line with the research developed for the Royal Festival Hall during the Festival of Britain in 1951. This piece features a particularly sculptural silhouette with its organic moulded plywood armrests and extremely slender black tubular legs, typical of Robin Day's early English modernist productions. The armchair retains its original condition with: — period structure and legs, — wood veneer with a beautiful patina, — original vintage textile upholstery, — Hille self-levelling glides. The fabric has a superb graphic texture in anthracite grey tones. The whole exudes a very architectural and decorative presence. This model remains very poorly documented in public archives and seems to correspond to an early or transitional variant between the experimental seating of the Royal Festival Hall and the more industrialised Hille productions of the early 1950s. Exceptional condition despite some signs of use consistent with age: Slight marks on the black tubular legs, discreet marks on the wood visible in the photos. Seat height: 45cm.