South African Studio Sculptural Chair

Moving Abroad – Must Sell Collection preferred. Postage available at buyer’s expense (An Post / tracked). Happy to pack securely if small enough. Knysna Yellowwood & Hand-Formed Steel, c. 1990s Signed with maker’s mark A striking sculptural chair produced in South Africa in the early to mid-1990s, combining solid Knysna yellowwood (Ocotea bullata) with a hand-formed steel frame. The chair is signed with a burned maker’s mark, depicting a stylised animal motif, confirming studio authorship rather than mass production. The design balances sculptural presence with functional seating. A tall, vertically articulated yellowwood backrest rises from a twin-panel seat, both carved from solid timber and secured with exposed fixings that emphasise material honesty and construction. The steel structure is hand-worked, heavy in gauge, and structurally robust, giving the piece notable weight and stability. Knysna yellowwood, now a protected indigenous hardwood, was historically reserved for high-quality furniture and architectural joinery in South Africa. Its use here adds both material and cultural significance, particularly given the limited availability of legally harvested examples today. The chair reflects independent South African studio furniture practice of the late twentieth century, where functional objects were conceived as sculptural forms with a strong regional identity. Suitable for use or display in a domestic, architectural, or gallery context. Origin: South Africa Date: Circa 1990s Materials: Solid Knysna yellowwood, hand-formed steel Markings: Signed with burned maker’s mark Condition: Very good vintage condition. Light surface wear consistent with age; structurally sound and stable. Revolut accepted