{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O21619"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O21619/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FP3881/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FP3881/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2012FP3881","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FP3880","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2009CR2758","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT8019","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FP3879","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FP3888","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FT9891","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014HC8578","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014HC8632","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O21619","accessionNumber":"CIRC.17-1970","objectType":"Chair","titles":[{"title":"Chair Thing","type":"manufacturer's title"}],"summaryDescription":"This chair captures the look and ethos of the Pop art movement of the 1960s. The simple form was created from a single piece of die-cut, folded card but required complex development. In 1967 the designer Peter Murdoch extended the range, which was marketed as Those Things: Fibreboard Furniture for the Young. The range of Chair Things, Stool Things and Table Things emphasised the multi-purpose, play-orientated function and reflected relaxing social attitudes towards children.\r\n\r\nOver 76,000 pieces were sold in six months in 1967, retailing at less than £1 each.  Despite several awards the potential for mass-production in the 1970s was never fully realised. Pop furniture was designed to be disposable so few examples have survived.","physicalDescription":"Chair folded from a single piece of laminated paper. White with green spots.\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Murdoch, Peter","id":"A2953"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Peter Murdoch Inc.","id":"A2954"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":"backed by International Paper Inc., USA (1965 to probably 1966)"},{"name":{"text":"New Merton Board Mills","id":"AUTH316303"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x39721"},"note":"in 1967 Perspective Designs commissioned Murdoch to design a new range, including the 'Chair Thing' which was made by New Merten Board Mills"}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"polyurethane","id":"AAT14495"}],"techniques":[{"text":"laminated","id":"AAT53022"},{"text":"die cut","id":"AAT233399"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Polyurethane-coated laminated paper, die-cut and folded","categories":[{"text":"ELISE","id":"THES48961"},{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2012FP3881","2012FP3880","2009CR2758","2006AT8019","2012FP3879","2012FP3888","2012FT9891","2014HC8578","2014HC8632"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"135","id":"THES49878"},"free":"","case":"BY8","shelf":"WALL","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Child's chair","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"The chair was first manufactured by Peter Murdoch Inc. backed by International Paper Collaboration in the US. "}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1964","earliest":"1964-01-01","latest":"1964-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"1965","earliest":"1965-01-01","latest":"1965-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"Circ.18-1970","id":"O182284"},"association":"Colourway"}],"creditLine":"Given by Peter Murdoch","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"52","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"52.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"46.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This simple form was made from a single piece of folded card but required complex development.\n\nHistorical significance: Winner of Design Centre Award in 1968.\n\nAccording to the magazine 'Design' (May 1968, p.33), the earlier versions of the paper chairs were made in the USA, while Murdoch was still a student. Perspective Designs commissioned him to design a new range in 1967. These were manufactured by New Merton Board Mills for Perspective Designs. Perspective Designs was established by Philip Bidwell in 1966 to promote young British designers, with a particular focus on selling overseas.\r\n","historicalContext":"The range of 'Chair Things', 'Stool Things' and 'Table Things', emphasised the multi-purpose, play-orientated function and reflected relaxing social attitudes towards children. Over 76,000 pieces were sold in six months on 1967, retailing at less than £1 each. Despite several awards, the potential for mass-production in the 1970s was never fully realised and the disposability of Pop furniture means few examples have survived.","briefDescription":"Child's chair, of polyurethane-coated paper, designed by Peter Murdoch 1965","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Francis, Mark, <i>Les Années Pop: 1956-1968</i>, Centre Georges Pompidou, 2001","id":"AUTH357193"},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"‘Child Chair’\r\n1964\r\nPeter Murdoch (born 1940)\r\n\r\nUSA \r\nManufactured 1965 by Peter Murdoch Inc. with International Paper Co., USA\r\nPolyethylene-coated laminate paper, five layers of three different papers, die-cut\r\n\r\nGiven by Peter Murdoch\r\nMuseum nos. Circ.17, 18-1970\r\n\r\nMade entirely of cardboard, this chair was sold flat-packed and assembled at home. A single sheet is bent and folded to form the round base and curved seat, with flaps to stiffen it.\r\n\r\nThe production machinery allowed the parts to be printed, stamped and scored at a rate of one per second. Costing less than £1, the chair was fairly cheap to replace.\r\n","date":{"text":"01/12/2012","earliest":"2012-12-01","latest":"2012-12-01"}}],"partNumbers":["CIRC.17-1970"],"accessionNumberNum":"17","accessionNumberPrefix":"CIRC","accessionYear":1970,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN8456","2019LR1193","2019LU7529","2019LU1537"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-07","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-02","availableToBook":false}}