{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O70961"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70961/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JJ7766/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JJ7766/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2016JJ7766","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JJ7753","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JJ7754","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JJ7764","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JJ7765","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JJ7767","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JJ7768","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JJ7770","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JJ7771","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JJ7772","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JJ7775","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT2696","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O70961","accessionNumber":"CIRC.80-1975","objectType":"Chair","titles":[{"title":"Short Chair","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"This design was Marcel Breuer's first for the progressive furniture company of Isokon. (Jack and Molly Pritchard had established Isokon in Britain in 1931.) The design was a direct translation into plywood of Breuer's steel and aluminium chairs of 1932-1933. It shows the influence of the plywood furniture of Alvar Aalto (1898-1976), the Finnish architect and designer. Aalto's furniture had a soft, organic aesthetic that was more favourably received in Britain than the tubular steel designs from Germany and France. Breuer's chair came in a 'Short' and 'Long' version. Originally it would have been used with a cushion. Only a few were made, because the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 put an end to Isokon's manufacturing.","physicalDescription":"A reclining chair with a moulded laminated birch structure composed of two vertical posts and a plywood seat.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Breuer, Marcel Lajos","id":"A3027"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Isokon Furniture Company","id":"A6731"},"association":{"text":"manufacturer","id":"x33306"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"birch plywood","id":"x33282"},{"text":"zebrano","id":"x36064"},{"text":"plywood","id":"AAT12849"}],"techniques":[{"text":"moulding","id":"AAT53134"},{"text":"veneering","id":"AAT53878"},{"text":"laminating","id":"AAT53022"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Laminated birch frame, with zebrano veneer, and moulded plywood seat and back. \n\nThe seat is 5 ply, cross-grained. The veneers are between 1.5 and 2 mm thick.\r\n\r\nThe frame is 10 ply, laminated. The veneers are between 1.5 and 2 mm thick.\r\n\r\nThere are two vertical struts that support the arms, and one horizontal strut that braces the legs. These are both 7 ply, cross-grained, the veneers between 1.5 and 2 mm thick.\r\n","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"},{"text":"Household objects","id":"THES48939"},{"text":"Interiors","id":"THES48933"},{"text":"Product design","id":"THES49025"}],"styles":[{"text":"Modernism","id":"AAT21474"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2016JJ7766","2016JJ7753","2016JJ7754","2016JJ7764","2016JJ7765","2016JJ7767","2016JJ7768","2016JJ7770","2016JJ7771","2016JJ7772","2016JJ7775","2006AT2696"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"74","id":"THES49720"},"free":"","case":"4","shelf":"FLOOR","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"chair","id":"AAT37772"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1936","earliest":"1936-01-01","latest":"1936-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"1936","earliest":"1936-01-01","latest":"1936-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mr and Mrs Dennis Young","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"79","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"62.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"99.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"82","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"This is the depth of the feet only - those parts of the chair that are in contact with the floor. Width of bottom of frame (not including overhang of seat)","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Gift of Mr. and Mrs. D. Young, London, 1975.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Short Chair, designed by Marcel Breuer, manufactured by the Isokon Furniture Company, moulded birch plywood and laminated birch faced with zebrano veneer, 1936 (designed)","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Wilk, Christopher, ed. . <font -u>Western Furniture 1350 to the Present Day</font>. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996. 230p., ill. ISBN 085667463X."},{"reference":{"text":"Wilk, Christopher.<u> Plywood: A Material Story.</u> London: Thames & Hudson / V&A, 2017","id":"AUTH345215"},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"Reason For Production: Retail","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"reclining chair","id":"AAT38272"},{"text":"Modernist","id":"AAT21474"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"The new tastemakers\r\n\r\nIn Britain between the wars, businesses sprang up to cater to a middle-class market of homemakers with an interest in modern design. Retailers altered their advertising to fit more progressive tastes. Manufacturers adopted new and sometimes cost-effective techniques of making furniture and products. The armchair and freestanding bookcase are by London-based furniture producer Isokon, using new methods of bending plywood. The tea set, produced by pottery entrepreneur Susie Cooper, is made from earthenware, an affordable alternative to bone china.\r\n\r\nPlywood armchair \r\nShort chair, 1936\r\nDesigned by Marcel Breuer \r\nManufactured by Isokon Furniture Company, UK \r\nLaminated birch and zebrano veneer frame with moulded plywood seat \r\nGiven by Mr and Mrs Dennis Young \r\nMuseum no. CIRC.80-1975\r\n\r\nFreestanding plywood bookcase \r\nPenguin Donkey, 1939\r\nDesigned by Egon Riss \r\nManufactured by Isokon Furniture Company, UK \r\nMoulded and flat plywood \r\nGiven by Mr J.E. Tinkler \r\nMuseum no. W.19:1 to 3-1993\r\n\r\nItems from a tea set, about 1938–39 \r\nDesigned by Susie Cooper \r\nManufactured by Wood & Sons, decorated by Susie Cooper Pottery, UK \r\nEarthenware with aerographed and banded decoration \r\nGiven by Mrs M. Collins  \r\nMuseum no. C.100&A to E-1978\r\n\r\nThe object sits in the 'Housing and Leaving' section of the Design 1900-Now gallery opened in June 2021.","date":{"text":"2021","earliest":"2021-01-01","latest":"2021-12-31"}},{"text":"Text from <i>Plywood: Material of the Modern World</i> (15 July-12 November 2017)\n\nSHORT CHAIR\r\n1936\n\r\nThis chair’s thin and light seat was\r\nmoulded as a single piece of plywood.\r\nThe strength of the material gives the\r\nimpression of a seat floating on air,\r\nsuspended in its frame. Plywood seats\r\nfor Breuer’s Short Chairs were moulded\r\nin batches by the Estonian company\r\nLuterma. They were shipped to Britain\r\nand then attached to locally-made\r\nlaminated wood frames.\n\r\nDesigned by Marcel Breuer (1902–81)\r\nManufactured by the Isokon Furniture Company\r\nLondon, Britain\r\nMoulded 5-ply birch plywood seat/back; 10-ply\r\nlaminated birch frame, with 7-ply birch plywood struts,\r\nfaced with zebrano veneer\n\r\nGiven by Mr and Mrs Dennis Young\r\nV&amp;A: CIRC.80-1975","date":{"text":"2017","earliest":"2017-01-01","latest":"2017-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["CIRC.80-1975"],"accessionNumberNum":"80","accessionNumberPrefix":"CIRC","accessionYear":1975,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-10","recordCreationDate":"2002-11-27","availableToBook":false}}