La Tolix chair has become a hallmark of the vintage. Its easily recognizable design cannot be missing in airy spaces. shabby chic or industrial style But, how is it possible that, after years of oblivion, this design from the 30s was modest and became so successful in its entirety? XXI century? Everything has its explanation.
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The XNUMXst century began in full swing of style shabby chic, mesmerizing the staff with its casual and somewhat ramshackle air. In fact, &#;shabby&#; means worn out, which advances the philosophy of this aesthetic current (born, according to some in Great Britain, and others, in the United States), which finds beauty in the old things and worn. The promoter of this aesthetic was the English interior designer Rachel Ashwell, that he found in the cottage from the British countryside an inspirational vein that he revived with a new prism, at the end of the 80s. Thus, he rescued from the rickety cupboards, the mismatched porcelain tableware, the embroidered thread sheets and tablecloths, the soft velvet sofas, the textiles with Liberty patterns and endless old or vintage designs, that adorned soft, pastel and bright white colors, which gave a much more rejuvenated appearance to the old furniture and outdated decorations. Of course, she was right on target.
The other movement that emerged with force at the end of the XNUMXth century was a renewed industrial style, that introduced into current aesthetics elements typical of the New York factories and offices from the 40s and 50s, with a nostalgic touch due to metal furniture, brick walls, exposed pipes and worn wood. The conjunction of these two currents, the shabby and the industrial, It generated a particularly interesting taste for vintage and old things, because in some way the ultra-modern forms and materials that had reigned in the last quarter of a century were left aside, to turn our eyes towards the aesthetics of the first half of the century, the premodern era.
Without a doubt, this reversal tinged with certainty romanticismo Because of that "all past eras were better", it worked brilliantly in the first decades of the century, hit by the crises of . Innovation and excess, impossible lines and futuristic shapes gave way to a recent classicism, who opted for recuperación of lifelong furniture. Dusting off old cupboards, restoring old chairs, recovering threadbare carpets was a movement that required a lot of work but, in times of crisis, mobilized society in search of decorative solutions that did not involve spending on new objects and furniture.
It is, at this moment, when rediscover the Tolix chair as an iconic piece that materializes vintage, shabby and industrial style. And the chair also has its ancient history.
Xavier Pauchard (Le Morvan, France, -) was the young entrepreneur who designed the first Tolix chair, after years of research on the manufacturing process. galvanization. Despite growing up in a predominantly logging area, his father and grandfather were dedicated to zinc metalworking. From a young age he experimented in search of processes that prevented rust through galvanizing, which consists of submerging iron or steel in molten zinc to create a outer layer very resistant, it is almost totally immune to degradation. From then on, a stage of manufacturing began. metal chairs, stools and tables, with his own company, which he would first call X Pauchard, and shortly after, in Tolix. In he designed the Retro American A o Tolix and, based on its structure, he developed a whole typology of chairs that became a collection.
The success was immediate and sowed restaurants and terraces in Paris of its design. The advantages were obvious: light, resistant and functional for this type of spaces. The orifices of the seat allowed water to evacuate and better resist the elements.
Over time, Pauchard made several modifications, among them, the most important, being able stack up to 25 chairs, making the structure finer. This new design was a boost that went beyond the cafes of Paris, to be installed in offices, factories and schools around the world.
Today he enjoys prestige to be one of the best-selling chairs in the world and to be part of the permanent collection of the MOMA from Nueva Youk or the Museum Pompidou from Paris.
The company remained in the hands of the Pauchard family until , when it was acquired by the designer Chantal Androit. With the collaboration of the designers Jean-François Dingjian and Eloi Chafaï of Normal Studio, its objective has been to maintain the essence of the design, but with new models (tables, benches, stools, etc.), thus achieving the permanence of the Tolix brand and its expansion.
However, Pauchard's design is not free from doubts, since in the 20s, before the appearance of chair A, another Frenchman, Joseph Mathieu, I created a chair, also made of metal and stackable, with a suspiciously similar name. Multipl's, which we show you in the image above. What do you think? The controversy is served.
The Tolix chair is, without a doubt, not a work chair It could be classified as a &#;social&#; chair, to be shared with other people. It has been widely used as dining chair, both interior and exterior. However, in modern offices we frequently find them in social spaces &#;dining areas, meeting points, cafeterias, etc. &#; as well as around meeting tables. Its variety of shapes (high and low stools, chairs with and without arms) and colorful finishes make this chair an icon of design, especially in industrial style offices, where they never fail.
Sarah-Jane runs the weekly Twitter vintage networking event #vintagefindhour. In her monthly blog for H&A she writes about her most recent finds, vintage-hunting experiences and the stories she discovers along the way. This month she uncovers the story of the Tolix 'Model A' chair, a revived design classic
As a dealer, it&#;s immensely satisfying to steer folk who are yet to discover vintage towards a world of enticing interior bargains. Another joy is witnessing the resurgence of iconic designs from heritage brands, which are an easy way to introduce a vintage aesthetic for those who, between children, work and all the daily chores, struggle to find the time for a good rummage at a flea.
As any issue of Homes & Antiques will testify, real quality and style never fades. Particularly in recent years, companies such as Lloyd Loom and Ercol have been revisiting designs that are as covetable now as they were when they were first produced. New editions of iconic pieces can come with a hefty price tag but, happily, the originals can cost less, depending upon condition and rarity. Take a current favourite: the Tolix chair.
It is likely that you would instantly recognise these metal chairs even if you don&#;t know the maker. Thanks to the trend for industrial vintage, Tolix has become the seat du jour.
Are you interested in learning more about High-Quality Tolix a Chairs? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
It was Xavier Pauchard (-) who created the first Tolix &#;Model A&#; prototype. Following in his family tradition &#; Pauchard came from a line of zinc roofers &#; in he discovered that he could prevent sheet metal rusting by dipping it into molten zinc, thus becoming the first Frenchman to discover galvanising.
Ten years later, Pauchard was in charge of a company making sheet metal domestic goods. He registered the brand name Tolix in and set about creating a range of chairs and stools by hand, hammering and shaping the metal, welding it together then dipping it into molten zinc for the unique galvanised coating. Each chair had a supportive crossbar beneath the seat &#; Pauchard&#;s trademark &#;X&#;, his first name initial.
Production began in Autun, France (still home to the Tolix factory today) and the &#;Model A&#; chair was manufactured more for its functional strength than its appearance. Hospitals, factories and ships were first to be furnished with these stackable chairs due to their robust, workaday nature.
It was their practicality, however, that caught on. By the s, cafes were increasingly using these weatherproof chairs, even though some owners complained that the chairs were too difficult to stack. In response to demand, the design was tweaked to allow easier stacking of 25 chairs at a time and the design remains the same to this day.
Tolix also expanded into a smaller range for children named &#;La Mouette&#;, which was overseen by Pauchard&#;s son Jean and was first introduced in . Jean and his team of 80 workers were producing an incredible 60,000 pieces each year by the end of the s.
Despite a second wave of popularity in the s and early 90s thanks to Terence Conran&#;s discovery of the brand, production tailed towards the end of the s and the company, which had remained in the Pauchard family, went bankrupt in .
The reason you can now find Tolix chairs everywhere from boutique coffee shops to Anthropologie&#;s summer catalogue (pictured above) is thanks to Chantal Andriot. Previously financial director of the company, she and a handful of workers decided to bring Tolix back to life and relaunched the iconic chair in vibrant pops of colour. The resurgence of the industrial look was timely too and, today, Tolix exports all over the world with half of production bound for the USA.
Along with chairs and stools in nearly 50 different shades, Tolix now offers tables, storage cupboards, shelving and desks. A small stool costs £104 while the classic steel chair is yours for £136. For those with a penchant for space-age style, you must take a look at the white 'Cylindres Bi' wardrobe.
Scanning flea markets, as I am wont to do, I have spotted a fair few of these chairs around. Be wary though, as many are Tolix replicas and not the real thing. After browsing eBay, however, I was excited to find originals: one untouched barstool started at only £29.95 and a few stripped and polished chairs from £205. It seems that with a little research you can snap up an original for a song and this is the season to buy them. Thanks to Pauchard&#;s galvanised steel, they make ideal seats for al fresco summer feasts.
I love stories of the turnaround of heritage companies &#; how the fate of fashion plays its hand along with the enduring appeal of quality. It really does seem to me that it's the survival of the fittest or, perhaps, the most stylish.
Tweet Sarah-Jane at @vintagehomeshop or join in the #vintagefindhour live chat on Wednesdays at 8pm. Find new Tolix furniture to buy at madeindesign.co.uk or conranshop.co.uk
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Photograph: Katya de Grunwald
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