Swag Leg Armchair
Designed by:
Nelson G
Co-Designed by:
Pollock C
Designer:
George Nelson
Co-Designer:
Charles Pollock
Country of Origin (Designer):
USA
Date of Design:
1954-58
Date of Manufacture:
1958
Decade:
1950s
Region:
Americas
Significance:
Fibreglass-reinforced plastic,
Manufacturer:
Herman Miller Furniture Company
Country of Origin (Manufacturer):
USA
Material:
Polyester
Process:
Pressure moulded
Monobloc:
No
Cantilever:
No
Renewable Carbon:
No
ERPR Score:
NA
ERPR Rating:
NA
Weight:
6.4
Note:
This chair is named after the process used to develop the legs; swaging uses pressure to taper and curve the 16-guage steel tube selected for the legs. To reduce costs all four legs were designed to be identical. The design also allowed for the chair to be disassembled to reduce shipping costs.
The shell is made up of two section of fiberglass-reinforced polyester, available in black, white, or grey, glued together. By splitting the shell into two sections of the sitter experiences more flexibility and give, while the space between the seat and the backrest helps to prevent heat build-up. The back section extends to provide wide flat arms offering good support to the forearms. To develop the shell Nelson adapted the patented process developed by Charles and Ray Eames to produce their plastic chairs.
The swag was produced by Herman Miller from 1958 to 1964 with a range of bases for the chairs and tables and a desk to match. The chair was reintroduced in 2006.
Image Credit:
Herman Miller