The recliner chair, sideboard and set of four dining chairs were designed by prominent British furniture designer Robin Day for the furniture maker Hille in the early 1950s.
They were acquired in 1954 from Hemming Brothers, Northampton and the chair and sideboard come with receipts dated November 10th. Up until the 1970s Hemming Brothers was a popular furniture store on Abington Square and well known as the go-to destination in the town for modern and fashionable furniture.
The striking recliner chair is expected to fetch £600 - £800 at the Christmas Art & Antiques auction at Gildings Auctioneers in Market Harborough on December 3rd. The ‘Hilleplan’ unit B sideboard, which comes with a receipt for £26, is estimated at £700 - £1,000. The set of four ‘Hillestak’ chairs purchased for £14 will go under the hammer with a guide price of £300 - £400.
“This is a rare opportunity to buy period furnishings by Robin Day. As with many iconic pieces by influential designers, there are many late 20th century and early 21st century imitations out there, but this is a chance to acquire some fantastic original 1950s furniture,” comments Gildings Director and 20th Century Decorative Art Specialist Will Gilding. "The condition of all three is very good considering they have been used in a home for the past 70 years. Of course, they have some wear and tear, but on the whole they have survived remarkably well.”
Robin Day, who was born in 1915 and died in 2010, rose to prominence in 1951 when he designed the seating in the Royal Festival Hall in London, which is still in use today. That year he also won plaudits for two open plan living and dining room settings he designed for the Festival of Britain, marking a total departure from the dark and cumbersome pre-war furniture people were used to. To mark the centenary of Day’s birth in 2015, ten leading designers designed upholstery for the recliner chair to celebrate what many, including Day himself, considered to be one of his most iconic creations.
“We see a fair amount of sought-after mid-century furniture in our saleroom, but it’s particularly nice to offer these design classics from what in its time was Northampton’s furniture store on the pulse of modern design, which is fondly remembered by many, including for its evening events hosted in conjunction with other local businesses such as Michael Jones Jeweller,” adds Will Gilding. “And after 70 years in our vendor’s home, it will be interesting to see what the next chapter has in store for these much-loved examples of 20th century design.”
The specialist Christmas Art & Antiques auction takes place at 10am on Tuesday 3rd December and can be viewed here https://www.gildings.co.uk/auction/details/-christmas-art--antiques/?au=312. The sale features a wide range of art, collectibles and furniture, with bidding available online and in the room.
