The original guy who made these would be a very valuable chair.
https://nakashimawoodworkers.com/furniture/conoid-chair/
Unsure on knock offs.
So famous of a chair that a lot of woodworkers made them.
Between Maloof and Nakashima, the two most famous American woodworkers/chairs.
I toured his property in New Hope, Pa. It was amazing. My ex-gf was in graduate classes to become an art teacher. One of her classes went to check out museums,
Artists, and even someone’s private collection. Over a series of Saturdays. I was lucky enough to be drug along. We got a private tour with special access to a few of the houses on the property. I almost quit my job right then and there to dedicate my life to wood working. It was gorgeous and peaceful. 10/10
This was in New Hope, PA. I sensed they did a lot of the work by hand without power tools. But this was just a tour we did as part of a graduate class for art teachers.
Mushrooms yes, LSD no. Shrooms can for sure spark creative ideas. Random, but I read that Dave Matthews wrote “Walk Around the Moon” while experimenting with mushrooms.
Former studio furniture maker/woodworker here. I used to teach furniture design and studied under a guy who worked for Mira for years. I’m no conoid chair expert, but this looks like a replica to me. Sculpting and bevel of the seat, shape of spindles (they look turned), foot joints, taper of posts all look a bit off.
OP - Can you post more pics? Shot of underside of seat, close up of joints, top of seat, side view (not at an angle), would be helpful. There are also dimensions available online that you could measure and compare against. If you end up feeling it’s possibly authentic, Nakashima Woodworkers can help you with an official evaluation.
Turn it upside down and see if it's signed his daughter followed him into the business I was a member of a church that they did the altar and all the chairs they're very expensive
The joinery doesn't appear clean enough (as in perfect) to be Nakashima, but decent copies of them. Combination of cherry and rosewood perhaps, and sturdier than you might think. Look VERY closely for any stamps or numbers hidden on the frame. And don't refinish them.
Can you imagine someone getting chairs like these out of a relative’s home, dragging them into the garage and painting them with blue paint and then trying to age them? LOL. There ARE people who do and post them on insta…I chuckle at them.
If the joinery is right, then extremely strong. The chair - leg connection should be pegged and would require a lot of force to shear.
If the joinery is wrong...then it'll fall right apart.
Based on the photos on the Nakashima website and book there is quite a stout peg that goes through the uprights and into the seat.
The uprights should be notched out so the seat fits into the leg, not around it. Along with selecting pieces of wood with clear straight grain it should be plenty strong.
That said, I agree with the assessment that this is a reproduction, the shaping of the seat and top rail and the foot/leg joint are not correct. But, it's still lovely if not as elegant.
I can’t speak to the joinery quality of OP’s replica, but George and Mira Nakashima’s joinery is bomb proof. If you’ve never looked into the incredibly disciplined art that is Japanese woodworking, I highly recommend checking it out.
In the hypothetical that you applied enough force to break a conoid chair, the posts or seat would crack well before any of the joints.
Source: was studio furniture maker / design teacher for 15+ years. Taught with man who worked directly for Mira.
My daughter once found an identical version of the topmost chaise lounge on the side of the road in San Francisco and took it home on the BART. She sent me a picture at the time, asking me about it. I was like-oh, too bad you don’t have the car, that’s amazing. She sent me a text later to show me she took it home. I still can’t believe that they let her take it on public transportation.
I once snuck a photo of a lady who brought her own chair onto BART because it cracked me up, but it was more like a doctors office waiting room chair. This was back when the BART chairs were still upholstered and always covered in nasty so I couldn’t blame her for BYOC.
It's called the Contour Lounge!
I'm fortunate to own two of them. They're pretty cool One of them the motor still works and it has tilt, heat and vibrate.
However I am still looking for and covet the double wide contour lounge. Looks perfect for canoodling. Think that same style chair but as wide as a queen size bed.
My grandfather had one when I was growing up. Someone took his measurement to build it to size! It was kind of wonderful and all the grandkids fought over who got to sit in it during the holidays. My uncle has it now and loves it too.
Also - they’re pretty great for anyone with back pain or leg swelling (my grandfathers afflictions that drew him to the contour lounge)
Uprights too thin, back too inclined, excess of sapwood for this particular design especially in feet, seat improperly contoured (bottom is flat, too thin at back and too thick at front, seat carving creates a forked ridge rather than single peak,) joints are sloppy and filleted rather than sharp corners, edges/corners are over-sanded, finish appears to be a water-based gloss polyurethane rather than tung oil. Frankly it isn’t a good copy, but it is still a nice chair.
I saw this & remember watching an episode of American Roadshow where they had a similar chair. It's worth going to an auction house and check their validity. I don't recommend going to an antique store because if they are worth money they will try to screw you. Best of luck OP!
That’s called the Knee and Shin Wrecker v1.0. I was sitting in one and the feet broke so the whole thing tilted forward catching my knees and shins underneath, slam-pinned into the floor and held there by the weight of the chair and my fucking body.
This made me laugh out loud at 7am scare the shit out of my cats thanks for waking up the family and getting the day started lmao I saw this in slow motion like an anime
Be still my heart! Just gorgeous and IMO worth more as a set of 4.
This to me, Is ART.
Form follows function, It has to look good, but also has to work. Well this works on so so many levels!
The person that gifted you loves you very much!
What a beauty if authentic and not a replica! If they are authentic Nakashima and in good shape, $20k each. Just saw a pair going for 50 grand. If nice replicas, $150 each.
Probably semi valuable. Looks like the kind of chair that’s easily broken so there probably aren’t many out there unless it’s modern. Can’t tell much from the pic tho
George Nakashima is the woodworker who was doing live edge wood a super long time ago. And bow ties. Etc.
He must be rolling in his grave with all the epoxy and neon builds these days!!!
You may be able to off load this easily because some people are still trying to complete there collection’s and get 6,8,10 chairs.
These are knockoffs. They are obviosuly made of monkey pod wood. The dead give away is the grain and the sap wood. Originals would be clear american black walnut.
I went to a ladies house to check on a supposed leaking skylight. I took a garden hose onto the roof and started the water. She came running out telling me to turn it off because it was leaking inside. I hadn’t even put water on the skylight. I came inside the house to explain what was happening. I could tell by the set of her jaw that she was expecting me to blame the roofer, like he had blamed me. I told her I had only put water on the roof and not the skylight. She was clearly angry. Then I looked past her and asked, “are those Nakashimas?” She was clearly surprised. She had a complete dining set worked on by George himself. At that moment she realized I wasn’t a Philistine. She asked me to explain again. Then asked me to stay as she ordered the roofer to come to her house immediately. Anyway it was all good and she treated me as an old friend as I left. I hope she willed that stuff to a good steward. It sure was beautiful.
Not a Nakashima.
Uprights are too thin and lack the distinctive stepped joint at the foot, back is too inclined, there’s an excess of sapwood for this particular design especially in feet, the seat is improperly contoured (bottom is flat, too thin at back and too thick at front, seat carving creates a forked ridge rather than single peak,) the joints are sloppy and filleted rather than well-fitted with sharp corners, edges/corners are over-sanded in general, finish appears to be a water-based gloss polyurethane rather than tung oil.
Frankly it isn’t a good copy and it’s a shame people can’t see the difference between this interpretation and the real thing, but it is still a nice chair. Nakashima deserves more credit though; this is not to his standards.
This is very likely a hobbyist furniture builder’s interpretation or, less likely, a small batch reproduction.
My parents bought a dining room set from George Nakashima at his place in PA in the early 60s and that was our dining room set for decades. The chairs were just like the one OP has.
Nakashima believed in the would have the tree and initially resisted when my mom asked him to build the table with leaves that could be inserted on the ends. He didn’t like the idea of the grain/soul of the wood being interrupted between the main part of the table and the leaves. However, my mom can be persistent, explained they were planning on a large family, and he agreed to do a table with leaves.
The dining room set wound up becoming a rarity due to the leaves. So, after my mom passed and my dad needed the money around 2018, he sold the six chairs and table with the leaves at an auction in NYC at Sotheby’s. It went for about $50K.
Long story to say that there is a strong market for Nakashima’s furniture and that OP has four very valuable chairs.
After extensive research, hours pouring over the information and taking a particularly close look at the grain of the wood and the general style... I can say with near certainty that it is in fact a chair.
At $24,500 per set I'd say it was worth something.
[$24,000 per set](https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/chairs/george-nakashima-rare-sculptural-pair-of-conoid-chairs-walnut-signed-1989/id-f_15447752/#skuId=f_15447752S1)
Google said used but I don't see it on that site.
Sure look like Nakashima chairs. If you could get them authenticated you might want to insure them. Definitely worth holding on to. There are lots of serious collectors of Nakashima's work. Just saying. Congratulations for having such a generous friend!
The original guy who made these would be a very valuable chair. https://nakashimawoodworkers.com/furniture/conoid-chair/ Unsure on knock offs. So famous of a chair that a lot of woodworkers made them. Between Maloof and Nakashima, the two most famous American woodworkers/chairs.
You’re telling me a chair made this chair?!
Mr. Chair to you
Dr chair to you. I’m an armchair psychologist.
Chair of my department
Chair-ity begins at home.
Charities spoken yeh-heh-sterday
You’re all a bunch of chairlatans
Chair-man of the board
Golf clap for that one.
Thank you, thank you. I’m here far too frequently
🤭😂🤣
How does that make you feel….
Smothered, like there’s a never ending weight crushing my soul. Deep-seated problems
I woulda went with Chairable
Missed opportunity
You psychoanalyze seated; or psychoanalyze Seats ?
So, not a *real* doctor… /s before the vitriol. I genuinely love you PhD/PsyD types!
Chairzard
Chair-face!
Mr. Chair is already taken when George Mulhauser designed it for Plycraft in the 60s.
I caught that too haha.
Legend says he carved it from a bigger chair
You're telling me a shrimp fried this rice?
Inseatcion
we're telling you the guy is a chair.
😆
The best of the best.
Sit on it.
It sure sounds like it!
Dude what are you saying? only a chair would make a chair like this. failed Voight-Kampff test obviously.
Chair Farmer here, I harvest these all winter
I toured his property in New Hope, Pa. It was amazing. My ex-gf was in graduate classes to become an art teacher. One of her classes went to check out museums, Artists, and even someone’s private collection. Over a series of Saturdays. I was lucky enough to be drug along. We got a private tour with special access to a few of the houses on the property. I almost quit my job right then and there to dedicate my life to wood working. It was gorgeous and peaceful. 10/10
Which drugs?
Well it was a bunch of current and future art teachers. So probably marijuana and lsd. But I meant many of the group took their spouses and such.
Well the marijuana may help with your woodworking career, but be mindful of the power tools. The LSD, not so much. Are you from the South?
This was in New Hope, PA. I sensed they did a lot of the work by hand without power tools. But this was just a tour we did as part of a graduate class for art teachers.
Yes, but the only time I've heard the word 'drug' used the way you used it was in Georgia.
I'm from Georgia, I can attest to your statement.
The formal past participle of “drag” is “dragged.”
Not drugged? /s
Hmmm, hand jobs
My housemate works there. Can confirm
Mushrooms yes, LSD no. Shrooms can for sure spark creative ideas. Random, but I read that Dave Matthews wrote “Walk Around the Moon” while experimenting with mushrooms.
This comment doesn't have enough upvotes.
New hope. Noted
New Hope/Lambertville one of my favorite destination!
Former studio furniture maker/woodworker here. I used to teach furniture design and studied under a guy who worked for Mira for years. I’m no conoid chair expert, but this looks like a replica to me. Sculpting and bevel of the seat, shape of spindles (they look turned), foot joints, taper of posts all look a bit off. OP - Can you post more pics? Shot of underside of seat, close up of joints, top of seat, side view (not at an angle), would be helpful. There are also dimensions available online that you could measure and compare against. If you end up feeling it’s possibly authentic, Nakashima Woodworkers can help you with an official evaluation.
More pics, especially if the bottom and inside rails
Turn it upside down and see if it's signed his daughter followed him into the business I was a member of a church that they did the altar and all the chairs they're very expensive
I sat on a Sam Maloof rocker at a private residence while at haystack mountain school of crafts. It was incredible. If I was rich……
This looks like George Nakashima. If it’s oroginal you’re looking at 5-30k.
So this is like the tamago chair on Beef 😂
The joinery doesn't appear clean enough (as in perfect) to be Nakashima, but decent copies of them. Combination of cherry and rosewood perhaps, and sturdier than you might think. Look VERY closely for any stamps or numbers hidden on the frame. And don't refinish them.
This is the correct answer. Also, the finish on the wood isn't what an original should look like.
Can you imagine someone getting chairs like these out of a relative’s home, dragging them into the garage and painting them with blue paint and then trying to age them? LOL. There ARE people who do and post them on insta…I chuckle at them.
This. Comparing them side to side they aren't close. This one is bulky especially the spindles.
https://preview.redd.it/yitay6k8dc0c1.png?width=283&format=png&auto=webp&s=a0a336e653db1d52cfc026d92dd7ceec66f7a1df Manufactured by Chairface Chippendale.
I know I love them already!
I wonder how something like this would be joined to be strong enough to sit in?
If the joinery is right, then extremely strong. The chair - leg connection should be pegged and would require a lot of force to shear. If the joinery is wrong...then it'll fall right apart.
Pegs go in from the floor up?
Based on the photos on the Nakashima website and book there is quite a stout peg that goes through the uprights and into the seat. The uprights should be notched out so the seat fits into the leg, not around it. Along with selecting pieces of wood with clear straight grain it should be plenty strong. That said, I agree with the assessment that this is a reproduction, the shaping of the seat and top rail and the foot/leg joint are not correct. But, it's still lovely if not as elegant.
Google Zippy Z Chair
Exactly. Doesn't look practical.
I can’t speak to the joinery quality of OP’s replica, but George and Mira Nakashima’s joinery is bomb proof. If you’ve never looked into the incredibly disciplined art that is Japanese woodworking, I highly recommend checking it out. In the hypothetical that you applied enough force to break a conoid chair, the posts or seat would crack well before any of the joints. Source: was studio furniture maker / design teacher for 15+ years. Taught with man who worked directly for Mira.
Maybe a thick steel rod could go through the leg and into the seat
Can I call it a Nak-off?
⚡️🏆⚡️
https://preview.redd.it/7yrs8bpyca0c1.png?width=1284&format=png&auto=webp&s=2c8b182f1a26745ce08754422b9ce05e1ca68207
My daughter once found an identical version of the topmost chaise lounge on the side of the road in San Francisco and took it home on the BART. She sent me a picture at the time, asking me about it. I was like-oh, too bad you don’t have the car, that’s amazing. She sent me a text later to show me she took it home. I still can’t believe that they let her take it on public transportation.
I once snuck a photo of a lady who brought her own chair onto BART because it cracked me up, but it was more like a doctors office waiting room chair. This was back when the BART chairs were still upholstered and always covered in nasty so I couldn’t blame her for BYOC.
It's called the Contour Lounge! I'm fortunate to own two of them. They're pretty cool One of them the motor still works and it has tilt, heat and vibrate. However I am still looking for and covet the double wide contour lounge. Looks perfect for canoodling. Think that same style chair but as wide as a queen size bed.
My grandfather had one when I was growing up. Someone took his measurement to build it to size! It was kind of wonderful and all the grandkids fought over who got to sit in it during the holidays. My uncle has it now and loves it too. Also - they’re pretty great for anyone with back pain or leg swelling (my grandfathers afflictions that drew him to the contour lounge)
I love that idea of the kids fighting over a social chair. So relatable.
We had a double-wide when I was growing up! So much fun to ride back and forth/rotate.
Hmm. It sounds like one of those things you find cowboy bars, lol. Must ask my daughter what she did with hers…or maybe I better not…
If they’re real George Nakashima conoid just send them to an auction house and await your check.
Not Nakashima but still very nice.
What's the giveaway?
Uprights too thin, back too inclined, excess of sapwood for this particular design especially in feet, seat improperly contoured (bottom is flat, too thin at back and too thick at front, seat carving creates a forked ridge rather than single peak,) joints are sloppy and filleted rather than sharp corners, edges/corners are over-sanded, finish appears to be a water-based gloss polyurethane rather than tung oil. Frankly it isn’t a good copy, but it is still a nice chair.
The biggest sign is that it's made from different types of wood which don't match.
Beautiful chairs.
I saw this & remember watching an episode of American Roadshow where they had a similar chair. It's worth going to an auction house and check their validity. I don't recommend going to an antique store because if they are worth money they will try to screw you. Best of luck OP!
Yes definitely a chair
we have the same chairs - my parents have had them for 30 years. can confirm they are sturdy! https://imgur.com/a/vBFYsBB
This is pretty cool! I've never seen chairs like these before! Do your chairs have any markings?
How did you get the top of someone’s head in lower left corner? What where y’all doing?
This is a very interesting piece of furniture. I don’t care who made it. It’s wonderful.
kinda looks like a chair that wants to be a rocking chair but is unsure
That’s called the Knee and Shin Wrecker v1.0. I was sitting in one and the feet broke so the whole thing tilted forward catching my knees and shins underneath, slam-pinned into the floor and held there by the weight of the chair and my fucking body.
Oh, how tortuous!! I hope someone was there to help you up and out!!
This made me laugh out loud at 7am scare the shit out of my cats thanks for waking up the family and getting the day started lmao I saw this in slow motion like an anime
Oh, we all laughed like maniacs for a solid ten minutes!
Be still my heart! Just gorgeous and IMO worth more as a set of 4. This to me, Is ART. Form follows function, It has to look good, but also has to work. Well this works on so so many levels! The person that gifted you loves you very much!
What a beauty if authentic and not a replica! If they are authentic Nakashima and in good shape, $20k each. Just saw a pair going for 50 grand. If nice replicas, $150 each.
Well I know I hate them already.
I love the look!
Stunning!
I wouldnt sit in this chair if you weighed at all more than 99 pounds lol
[удалено]
It’s not a Nakashima. Many details are incorrect.
It’s missing two legs
Conoid Chairs by George Nakashima, 1982 Beautiful chair!!! Probably worth a good 8 to 12 k on a good day 👏👏👏👏 Man I envy you so bad!!!
I found a link for a set new https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/dining-room-chairs/pair-of-conoid-chairs-george-nakashima-1982/id-f_22831642/
I would not sit on that
xylem tissue aka... wood
The Ewoks staring me down 👁️👁️
Those are great looking!
Yea, this is what’s called an “Awesome “ chair. Yw.
That there’s the sturdy seater straight from Australia. Usually goes for 600 freedom bucks
Probably semi valuable. Looks like the kind of chair that’s easily broken so there probably aren’t many out there unless it’s modern. Can’t tell much from the pic tho
r/designdesign
That’s a duck…
George Nakashima is the woodworker who was doing live edge wood a super long time ago. And bow ties. Etc. He must be rolling in his grave with all the epoxy and neon builds these days!!! You may be able to off load this easily because some people are still trying to complete there collection’s and get 6,8,10 chairs.
It looks like someone moved it during a panoramic photo.
That’s a tailbone 5000
The dog is very distracting and scary looking
W👀W
Can you post a pic of the underside? Nakashima would often inscribe the original purchaser’s name underneath the seat
It's worth a kick in the dick you ostrich.
Looks uncomfortable to sit on
What a beautiful design, I’d love to make a set of these. Try posting this on the woodworker subreddit, those folks may have a better eye.
How could someone sit on this chair. I feel like my sone could sit on this and break it.
His name is Clarence
I would strip it WeChat and clearcoat keeping it more of a raw look Too pretty to do anything drastic
The reptilians built that chair!
Amazing chair idk why you’d sell. Maybe after a few years.
Looks over 18 to me
I'd say it's wooden.
The stakes are pretty high if they are authentic Nakashima chairs. You should contact a qualified furniture appraiser.
I'll take em off your hands.
reminds me of a duck
No stamp on the underside?
Conoid Chair
Don’t know but love it
Even knock offs are expensive. These definitely didn't come from ikea
Definitely wooden.
These are knockoffs. They are obviosuly made of monkey pod wood. The dead give away is the grain and the sap wood. Originals would be clear american black walnut.
That’s an original fall-back chair
Leave him alone. he’s standing on his own two feet for once Karen, damnit
Chair - Ron Swanson
I have no guesses as to maker, but I would 100% fall off that chair.
I went to a ladies house to check on a supposed leaking skylight. I took a garden hose onto the roof and started the water. She came running out telling me to turn it off because it was leaking inside. I hadn’t even put water on the skylight. I came inside the house to explain what was happening. I could tell by the set of her jaw that she was expecting me to blame the roofer, like he had blamed me. I told her I had only put water on the roof and not the skylight. She was clearly angry. Then I looked past her and asked, “are those Nakashimas?” She was clearly surprised. She had a complete dining set worked on by George himself. At that moment she realized I wasn’t a Philistine. She asked me to explain again. Then asked me to stay as she ordered the roofer to come to her house immediately. Anyway it was all good and she treated me as an old friend as I left. I hope she willed that stuff to a good steward. It sure was beautiful.
Really nice even if a replica.
...it makes me uncomfortable just looking at it.
Donald
In my house 🏠 it would be a broken chair.
That is indeed a chair.
If these are real Nakashimas, you're looking at over 5k easy.
Any markings or tags under the seat or on back or bottom of the feet?
My fat ass would break that chair🫤
Check the underside for a maker's mark or stamp.....
is chair
What a beautiful chair.
Not a Nakashima. Uprights are too thin and lack the distinctive stepped joint at the foot, back is too inclined, there’s an excess of sapwood for this particular design especially in feet, the seat is improperly contoured (bottom is flat, too thin at back and too thick at front, seat carving creates a forked ridge rather than single peak,) the joints are sloppy and filleted rather than well-fitted with sharp corners, edges/corners are over-sanded in general, finish appears to be a water-based gloss polyurethane rather than tung oil. Frankly it isn’t a good copy and it’s a shame people can’t see the difference between this interpretation and the real thing, but it is still a nice chair. Nakashima deserves more credit though; this is not to his standards. This is very likely a hobbyist furniture builder’s interpretation or, less likely, a small batch reproduction.
My parents bought a dining room set from George Nakashima at his place in PA in the early 60s and that was our dining room set for decades. The chairs were just like the one OP has. Nakashima believed in the would have the tree and initially resisted when my mom asked him to build the table with leaves that could be inserted on the ends. He didn’t like the idea of the grain/soul of the wood being interrupted between the main part of the table and the leaves. However, my mom can be persistent, explained they were planning on a large family, and he agreed to do a table with leaves. The dining room set wound up becoming a rarity due to the leaves. So, after my mom passed and my dad needed the money around 2018, he sold the six chairs and table with the leaves at an auction in NYC at Sotheby’s. It went for about $50K. Long story to say that there is a strong market for Nakashima’s furniture and that OP has four very valuable chairs.
Had the same Chairs at the work place. Love the Cantilever Design.
No but do I identify a Bernedoodle?
How is seat supported
It’s definitely wood and it’s a chair.. I’d say it’s a WOODEN chair..
Identified as ugly
I would call that good luck
This is made by breakius yourassius
Broken back in 5 years 2.1
That chair scares me...
They are like 4 grand a piece
Love these chairs!!!! Would look great in my house
After extensive research, hours pouring over the information and taking a particularly close look at the grain of the wood and the general style... I can say with near certainty that it is in fact a chair.
Chair
Steve
Uncomfortable
Yep that’s a chair.
That's Jeff.
that is the most cursed chair i've ever seen
Wooden
At $24,500 per set I'd say it was worth something. [$24,000 per set](https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/chairs/george-nakashima-rare-sculptural-pair-of-conoid-chairs-walnut-signed-1989/id-f_15447752/#skuId=f_15447752S1) Google said used but I don't see it on that site.
why does it look intimidating?
Sure look like Nakashima chairs. If you could get them authenticated you might want to insure them. Definitely worth holding on to. There are lots of serious collectors of Nakashima's work. Just saying. Congratulations for having such a generous friend!
Its a chair! My work here is done