How to spot a design classic
As a proud Knoll retailer, authenticity and the preservation of design integrity is important to us. A member of the Knoll team shared an article with us from Elle Decoration’s June 2007 issue. Though the article is a few year’s old, there are some GREAT tips on how to ensure you’re getting an authentic Knoll Barcelona Chair or Tulip Chair.
Below is an excerpt from the article. Click here to read the article in its entirety.
Type the words ‘Barcelona chair’ into any search engine and you’ll find websites offering Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s design classic at prices ranging from £300 to £3,000. It’s tempting to buy the cheapest and crow to your friends about the bargain you’ve found. But do that and you’re almost certainly buying an unauthorized copy, made with inferior materials and without the designer’s permission… Daniel Aram says, ‘An authorized version is made by trained, dedicated craftsmen and will last a lifetime. Cheap copies don’t,’. … Peter Younie, of lighting specialist Cameron Peters, says the rise of imitations means there will be fewer classics in the future. So the rule is simple: if you want a design classic, buy authentic.
Comments
Leave a Reply
Welcome to Design Clique
Have feedback or ideas you'd like to share? Click here and let us know what's on your mind.
Share it with us and we will address it in one of our "Design Direction" posts.
On February 19th, 2010 3:25 pm
You guys should have mentioned that the only way to get one of these awesome pieces on sale is during Knoll’s periodic 15% off sales. Also, why don’t you guys carry Herman Miller?
On February 19th, 2010 5:03 pm
Brandon – you are EXACTLY right! Once a year, typically in May, Knoll extends a discount on their portfolio of furniture – including the iconic pieces – of around 15%. We will be sure to share the 2010 sale dates with you.
We are an authorized Knoll retailer, meaning we can sell anything that is part of the Knoll Space portfolio including pieces designed by Mies van der Rohe, Saarinen, Bertoia, Platner, etc. Herman Miller designs aren’t part of the Knoll portfolio, and we currently aren’t an authorized Herman Miller retailer. Hope that helps…
On February 22nd, 2010 9:15 am
Does not currently mean that you are planning to do so? I’ve seen some photos with Herman Miller pieces in your portfolio: http://www.vastudc.com/images/Den_2.jpg
On February 23rd, 2010 1:38 pm
We’re focused on working with just one mid-century modern partner at a time. We’re very proud to be a Knoll retailer, and love that we can mix in some of their mid-century pieces with other warm, modern furnishings.
You may indeed see Herman Miller pieces in our design portfolio and that is because if a design client already owns a piece of furniture or is very interested in acquiring something we don’t sell, we’re happy to design a unique, comfortable space that includes those pieces.