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Original Pierre Jeanneret chairs were produced in the 1950’s. All newly produced Pierre Jeanneret chairs are so-called re-editions. However, not all re-editions are created equal. 

We believe our chairs are the best re-editions in the market. Obviously this is our own website and we’re super proud of our product - so you may not take our word for it. Therefore we challenge you to compare our product with others and assess by yourself. 

Below you can find the 4 elements we assess the quality of a Pierre Jeanneret design chair by.

• Wood type
• Rattan / webbing weaving technique
• Resemblance to original design
• Craftsmanship

Wood

We only work with solid durable teak, just like the 1950's designs prescribed. Teak is a hard wood that is resistant to moisture, heat and bugs. By using teak, we're confident our chairs will last for decades. We dry our teak up to 5 weeks in a 'drying oven' to make sure the level of humidity in the wood is at a perfect level.

Some brands offer ‘teak color’ which typically is not teak but a cheaper wood type stained to look like teak. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

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Rattan weaving

The way the rattan (also called webbing) is applied to the seat and backrest is key in assessing a chair's quality.

The original 1950’s design has rattan applied by hand in a so-called 'Square weaving' application. To create this, each string of rattan is carefully woven into the frame by hand. This results in an ‘airy’ mesh of little squares and gives the chair its distinctive 1950's look. It is a labour intensive process that requires skilled weavers. Yet a manually square woven chair can't be compared to any other. 

Less accurate re-editions often use so-called 'Diamond weaving'. These are rattan mats woven by machines into a 'diamond pattern' stapled into the back of the frame.

Resemblance to 1950's design

Developing a well designed chair takes years and we don’t have the illusion we can make this chair look any better than it was designed in the 1950’s. So we have extensively researched the design and history of the chair and we stick to the original design. Simple as that.

However, the one thing we adjusted in that we slightly elevated the seat height as people (and tables and desks) today are taller than the 1950’s. The seating height of our chair is 45cm, which is the modern day standard for any dining/office chair.

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Craftsmanship

We believe working with wood is a labour of love. All our products are made by hand, just like the original chairs in the 1950’s. A tremendous amount of energy and time goes into making this chair. It is like creating art, one piece at a time. We make sure our joints fit seamlessly, all parts are sanded to perfection and a protective matt finish is applied evenly. 

After a chair is finished, it is subject to a 74 point quality check, to make sure each chair is crafted to perfection.

Ergonomics

Since the design is a lovechild of 1950's Modernism and Indian craftsmanship it may look 'brutal' and uncomfortable. However the opposite is true. The chair is actually extremely comfortable.

The webbing seating and backrest provide a flexible 'elastic' soft cushioning and all edges and corners are slightly rounded and sanded so they feel soft and smooth. The backrest is tilted a few degrees to match your natural sitting position. 

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Unique numbering

In the 1950's each chair would get a unique number so it could be tracked in inventory management.

Our chairs are also uniquely numbered. Not with paint, but with state-of-the-art deep wood laser engraving. We do this so we can keep track back each single chair. From our fulfillment center all the way back to the wood source.

And so that you can rest assured you have an original Object Embassy chair.