{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O132494"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O132494/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AX7599/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AX7599/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AX7599","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O132494","accessionNumber":"CIRC.183-1951","objectType":"Armchair","titles":[{"title":"Allegro armchair","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Wartime innovations often found peacetime applications.  In this instance, the Southampton-based manufacturer of helicopters, Cierva Autogiro, had developed techniques of laminating and shaping wood to make strong and light helicopter blades. The same technology was applied to this chair soon after the close of the war.  Over one hundred layers of wood were bonded together under high frequency electrical pressure with phenoformaldehyde, a synthetic resin. It was designed by an eminent Scottish architect, Basil Spence, and made by a firm based in Glasgow, H. Morris & Co. However, new technologies did not come cheap. In 1950 the chair was advertised at £31 18s 3d, at a time when the average British annual income was just £101.","physicalDescription":"Armchair constructed from laminated wood, leather covered seat, flared open arms and square open back, with five narrow vertical spindles.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Spence, Basil (Sir)","id":"A19037"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"H. Morris & Co.","id":"A5719"},"association":{"text":"manufacturer","id":"AAT25230"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"South American mahogany","id":"AAT12225"},{"text":"birch","id":"AAT11973"},{"text":"leather","id":"AAT11845"}],"techniques":[{"text":"laminating","id":"AAT53022"},{"text":"upholstering","id":"AAT231992"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Laminated wood, leather upholstery","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"},{"text":"Scotland","id":"THES262877"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006AX7599"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"VADunScotDesGal","id":"THES281347"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Armchair","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Edinburgh","id":"x28816"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Glasgow","id":"x28891"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1949","earliest":"1949-01-01","latest":"1949-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"ca. 1950","earliest":"1945-01-01","latest":"1954-12-31"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by H. Morris & Co.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"85.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"46.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"50","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"The Allegro dining suite was designed using technology developed by Cierva Autogiro Co., Southampton, for the manufacture of helicopter blades during the second world war. Over one hundred laminations were bonded together under high frequency electrical and hydraulic presure with pheno-formaldehyde resin adhesive.","briefDescription":"Allegro armchair, designed by Basil Spence, manufactured by H. Morris & Co.; laminated wood with leather seat upholstery; Glasgow, 1949","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art</u>, 1949"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Joel, David. <u>The Adventure of British Furniture</u>. 1953."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Design</u>. Vol.1, p.8, 1949"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Goldfinger, Erno. <u>British Furniture Today</u>. 1951"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>House and Garden</u>. April-May 1950"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["CIRC.183-1951"],"accessionNumberNum":"183","accessionNumberPrefix":"CIRC","accessionYear":1951,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN5478","2019LT3674","2019LW4777"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2007-03-01","availableToBook":false}}