{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1263993"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1263993/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GK3194/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GK3194/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2013GK3194","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1263993","accessionNumber":"W.11:1,2-2013","objectType":"Chair","titles":[{"title":"Antelope","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"The Antelope chair was designed for the 1951 Festival of Britain terraces. Race had previously worked with engineer J. W. Noel Jordan on furniture for the Utility Scheme during the Second World War. With wood rationed, they created designs with materials that were not restricted, namely aluminium and thin steel rods which were used in armaments manufacture, with upholstery often made of parachute silk. One of his styles, the BA3 dining chair, was a great success receiving large government orders and was manufactured well into the 1960s. As recognition for his work on the Utility Furniture scheme during the Second World War, Race was chosen to design the furniture for this prestigious event.\r\n\r\nHis designs incorporated the materials used in the BA3 chair such as die cast aluminium and steel rods. The Antelope bench (also in the V&A’s collections, W.35-2010) and chair incorporated atomic era imagery, as can be seen in the balled feet, evocative of atoms, with a curving top rail reminiscent of the cartoonish style of the graphic illustrators of the 1940s and 1950s. These features reflected the Festival of Britain's intent to liven up grey, post-war Britain. The use of steel rods was not disguised in any way, and reflected the interest in the machine age aesthetic that had developed from pre-war Modernism. The design's visual and technological sophistication contended with that of furniture then emanating from the USA and Scandinavia, leading to the Antelope chair winning a silver medal at the Saloni di  Milano International Furniture Fair, 1955.","physicalDescription":"Chair frame made of white enamelled welded steel rods, back rail extending to form chair arms with four rods forming the chair back. Four steel legs ending in rubber ball feet. Seat of shaped plywood painted and rivited to the rod frame with four drilled holes to facilitate rainwater runoff.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Race, Ernest","id":"A18323"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"HM Government","id":"A24973"},"association":{"text":"commissioned by","id":"x28662"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Race Furniture Ltd","id":"A19317"},"association":{"text":"Made","id":"x30791"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"},{"text":"aluminium","id":"AAT11015"}],"techniques":[{"text":"die cast","id":"AAT53106"},{"text":"painting","id":"AAT161986"},{"text":"enamelling","id":"x37485"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Enamelling. Shaped plywood.","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"},{"text":"Festival","id":"THES274365"},{"text":"Product design","id":"THES49025"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2013GK3194"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES341329"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES341329"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"chair","id":"AAT37772"}],[{"text":"receipt","id":"AAT27573"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1951","earliest":"1951-01-01","latest":"1951-12-31"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"W.35-2010","id":"O1176650"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs May Savage","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Depth","value":"55","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"54","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"80","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"39","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"seat depth"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"48","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"seat height"}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This chair was designed for the 1951 Festival of Britain terraces on the South Bank. It was bought by the donor from the South Bank Festival of Britain offices.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Chair, 'Antelope', designed by Ernest Race, made by Race Furniture Ltd, wood and metal, 1951\n\nReceipt ticket for Ernest Race Antelope chair, from Festival of Britain office, 1951","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Mass produced","id":"THES48863"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[{"text":"South Bank","id":"x36581"}],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[{"text":"Festival of Britain","id":"V94"}],"associatedEvents":[{"text":"Festival of Britain","id":"V94"}],"contentOthers":[{"text":"chairs","id":"AAT37772"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.11:1-2013","W.11:2-2013"],"accessionNumberNum":"11","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":2013,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-01","recordCreationDate":"2013-05-24","availableToBook":false}}