You look like a robot (1). If you think you are not, contact us: service@ebay-kleinanzeigen.deDisclosure: This post contains sponsored links from CeCe Caldwell's Paints. All opinions I share about these products are 100% honest and entirely my own. Please see our full disclosure policy here. A couple of weeks ago, I shared all about the awesome, brand new . It's been so much fun seeing all of the "Inspired by Mom" projects rolling in from some of our favorite bloggers, and I'm excited to share mine with you today. Before I do, though, let me tell you a bit about the lady behind my inspiration. I eventually decided to keep the paint colors for the frame of the chair pretty neutral, and went a two-toned look using CeCe Caldwell's Chalk+Clay Paints in Vintage White  and Seattle Mist, both of which I custom mixed with a touch of Young Kansas Wheat. Once the seat and back were upholstered and all the pieces sealed with CeCe's Clear Wax, I put the chair back together.

Here's my piece, inspired by my beautiful mom: It is by far one of my favorite pieces we've ever done. Visit here to see all of the other "Inspired by Mom" creations and to learn more about The Fab Furniture Flippin' Contest! Shared at My Repurposed Life and these wonderful link partiesHow do you explain the (sometimes huge) price gap between vintage and brand new examples of design classics? A client recently approached me about selling a very handsome suite of Florence Knoll furniture that included a pair of cube chairs and a matching 3-seat sofa. The pieces were made in the early 60's and came from an architecturally important building… While the set had been reupholstered at some point, each piece remained in very good condition. The client assumed that because of the age and provenance the trio would be worth upwards of $20,000. He came to this conclusion because a new Florence Knoll sofa starts at $9,000. Unfortunately — whether sold to a generous dealer or at auction — it is unlikely that the entire suite would be sold for much more than $5,000.

How can this be? The 20th century design secondary market is quite unforgiving towards three categories of furniture: Serious collectors of 20th century design are normally interested in the very first examples of iconic manufactured furniture — not the three categories explained above. Examples that were prototypes, from the first year(s) of production, or that were owned by someone crucial to the piece's iconic status are the designs that achieve major prices at auction. Everything else — whether 40 years old or 4 years old — is often just "used furniture". A STRANGE TWIST: THE BARCELONA CHAIR Not to pick on Knoll, but the Barcelona chair — arguably the most famous chair of the last century — is a paradigm of this value hierarchy. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed a pair of steel chairs with tufted leather cushions for the German Pavillion at the World's fair in Barcelona in 1929. Mies would stay in Germany until 1937 when he immigrated to the US. During those 8 years a small unconfirmed number of Barcelona chairs were produced.

Christie's (in London) sold the most expensive example, made circa 1929/30, for $204,832 in October 1997. Amazingly, an example of the same chair from New York City's Seagram building (also designed by Mies) fetched only $9,600 when auctioned in June 2004. outdoor egg chair cushionConsidering that the price of a new (authentic) Barcelona chair — which has been consistent since the late 1980's at around $6,000 — this example from the Seagram building was a bargain as important 20th century design artifacts. chair seat pads ikeaToday, if you are a shrewd shopper, it is possible to purchase a vintage Knoll Barcelona chair for less than $1,000 at auction…round wicker chair cheap But let's hope it is authentic. outdoor chairs for sale perth

As Modernism was rediscovered its greatest hits became heavily sought after. Sadly, this led to a significant and increasing amount of impostors. Companies that produce licensed designs (such as Knoll, Herman Miller and Cassina) have been forced to become more assertive with stamping and labeling their products to distinguish them from their counterfeit cousins.leather desk chair swivel IS IT A KNOCKOFF?hanging ball chair nz It should be pointed out that furniture is considered a functional object in the US and therefore is NOT protected by copyright laws. purple accent chair with ottomanCompanies such as Modernica in California have been manufacturing "Eames" furniture, especially chairs, that are not officially authentic. white plastic chairs for hire

As a result they can't use the Eames name on any of the products and the Eames Estate does not receive any royalties. Herman Miller (or Vitra in Europe) has manufactured most of the official Eames' designs since the late 1940s. There is a good rule of thumb when buying new or vintage design classics: if there is no mention or markings of the manufacturer, the piece was probably not made by the original or licensed manufacturer. portable high chair ebayIn other words — it's a knock-off. Also, if the piece is brand new and priced under $750 (see eBay for a myriad of examples) it's also likely a knock-off. Auction records — even from the major houses — can be vague about period marking. Don't be afraid to contact the original manufacturer for help authenticating vintage examples. Books such as The Furniture of Poul Kjaerholm: Catalogue Raisonné by Michael Sheridan, Knoll: A Modernist Universe by Brian Lutz help both aspiring collectors and designers better understand the details and dates of design icons.

WHY BUY THE REAL THING? Buying fakes, or pieces that are "inspired by the classics" is considered deplorable in design circles. How can one appreciate design while condoning and patronizing the outright plagiarism of successful designers? Sometimes it seems that there is a double-standard in design: while people may consider it ultra-tacky to buy fake designer handbags, buying 20th century furniture is often tolerated because people want "the look" and don't care about authenticity. Knockoffs are easy to find — In New York City, White Furniture specializes in vintage pieces and inexpensive reproductions of popular classics. But not everyone is a fan; as one Apartment Therapy reader wrote in reference to a post of this store "Folks, buying unauthorized reproductions is a cheezy thing to do". New versions (licensed reproductions) of design classics — by designers such as Hans Wegner, Eero Saarinen, Warren Platner etc. — are expensive. But anyone who has owned an authentic example of any of the chairs discussed can attest to the quality of materials, high level of craftsmanship and amazing sculptural and decorative presence of these design icons.