{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1397078"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1397078/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018KW5119/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018KW5119/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2018KW5119","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KW5113","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KW5114","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KW5115","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KW5116","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KW5117","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KW5118","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KW5120","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1397078","accessionNumber":"W.10-2017","objectType":"Library chair","titles":[{"title":"Bodleian Libraries Chair","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"The Bodleian is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, dating from 1602, and it is the second-largest library in Britain after the British Library in London. This is the third chair specifically designed for the Bodleian Libraries. The  first chair used in the reading rooms, dating from 1756, was a Windsor chair and in 1936 Sir Gilbert Scott designed two versions of a chair upholstered in leather for the Weston Library. Therefore the Bodleian Libraries chair by Barber Osgerby is designed to fit with its historic surroundings and the older furniture already existing in the space. The choice of fairly traditional materials, such as leather and oak, reflects this. Apart from designing a comfotable chair that could withstand long and constant use, Barber Osgerby also identified the rear view of the chair as of special significance in this project, as this is the part most visible to the library visitors. \"Seen in a row from behind, as they will be installed in the library, they appear to form a line of little rooms around the readers, defining a series of individual territories from the floor to the desk,\" wrote Oliver Wainwright in the Guardian (13 September 2013). ","physicalDescription":"The chair in oiled oak has a traditional barrel-shape, but with open sides, making it a lighter and more contemporary interpretation of the form. Its structure is made up of a curved sled-like base and armrest connected by three legs. There is a wider backrest attached to the top back of the armrest. The seat is upholstered in bridle leather and is brown in colour. There is a cut-away underneath at the two front sections of the base, which lets the chair gently tip forward in order to improve the body’s position while reading.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Edward Barber","id":"A23418"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":"Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby set up the design studio Barber Osgerby in 1996, after graduating from the Masters degree in Architecture at the Royal College of Art, London. Since then they have based their practice in London, although their clients are global, ranging from B&B Italia to Vitra and Established & Sons.."},{"name":{"text":"Jay Osgerby","id":"A23419"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":"Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby set up the design studio Barber Osgerby in 1996, after graduating from the Masters desgree in Architecture at the Royal College of Art. Since then they have based their practice in London, although their clients are global, ranging from B&B Italia to Vitra and Established & Sons."}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Isokon Plus","id":"AUTH342090"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":"Isokon was originally known as Isokon Furniture Company and was founded in 1935 by Jack Pritchard. Today Isokon Plus is based in Hackney Wick and it is run by directors Chris McCourt and Mark Smith. McCourt has been the custodian of the Isokon brand since 1982. (source: isokonplus.com) "}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"","id":""},{"text":"western white oak","id":"AAT12327"}],"techniques":[{"text":"","id":""}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Oiled oak for the frame of the chair and bridle leather for the seat. ","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2018KW5119","2018KW5113","2018KW5114","2018KW5115","2018KW5116","2018KW5117","2018KW5118","2018KW5120"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES343393"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"chair","id":"AAT37772"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"East London","id":"THES250229"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"2016","earliest":"2016-01-01","latest":"2016-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":"The Bodleian Libraries chair was first produced by Isokon Plus in 2014. 168 chairs were originally ordered for use in the Weston Library and arrived in September 2014. More chairs have been produced to order since then. This particular chair was ordered in 2016 arrived in late February 2016.  "}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Martin Roth","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"822","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"9 August 2017","earliest":"2017-08-09","latest":"2017-08-09"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"526","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"654","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"In 2013 the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford announced a competition to design a new chair for its Weston Library, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1936. The competition invited six British design studios to participate, each in collaboration with a manufacturer. There were three finalists, they were: Matthew Hilton and SCP; AL_A (Amanda Levete Architects) and Herman Miller; and Barber Osgerby with Isokon Plus. Each finalist developed their initial prototypes further and from these a jury chaired by V&A’s then director Martin Roth unanimously selected Barber Osgerby and Isokon Plus as the winner.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Oak chair designed by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby for the Bodleian Libraries, Oxford, designed 2014, produced to order 2016","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"small batch","id":"THES252237"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[{"text":"Isokon Plus","id":"AUTH342090"}],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.10-2017"],"accessionNumberNum":"10","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":2017,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2017-06-12","availableToBook":true}}