Set of 5 No. 124 Chairs designed by Helena and Jerzy Kurmanowicz, Radomsko, Poland, 1950s

Description

A set of six No. 124 bent beechwood chairs, designed by Helena and Jerzy Kurmanowicz, was produced at the Radomszczańskie Zakłady Przemysłu Drzewnego in the 1950s.
In 1959, this design won first prize in a competition organised by PAGED (Polish Timber Export Agency). The chairs’ colloquial name, “hearts,” derives from the shape of the backrest, made from bent plywood. It is worth noting the consistency of the manufacturing technology used for No. 124. Every wooden element of the chair was bent; even the wooden ring supporting the seat was made from a single bent piece. The legs were also subjected to this process, ensuring a cohesive overall aesthetic for the “hearts.”
The seats and backrests are upholstered in soft orange fabric. Although the chairs come from a single set, the manufacturing technique means that they differ slightly in the width of the leg span or the curvature of the bends.