Roger McClay Kone Chair

The original, pre-Descon, “Kone” chair by post-war design icon Roger McLay.

Further info (drop down):

This fascinating little amoeba may be the granddaddy of all multicellular “Post-War Industrial” things, existing in Australian modern furniture design! Includes cheeky pre-Descon, birth mark on the butt!

Roger McLay was a true Pioneer in Australian post-war design (and construction) and the Kone chair is by far his most iconic invention. It was made of shaped plywood, which was carefully bent into a cone shape and delicately balanced on four black steel rod legs.

The Kone chair was put into limited production by McLay’s own Gloucester Street studio but was so successful it later entered commercial production with the Descon Laminates company, circa 1954. This is one of the early ones, circa 1948-1953. It is stamped with the maker's mark (as only the pre-Descon Kone Design chairs were) and is in fantastic "museum" condition, for both practical use and your viewing pleasure.

Vogue: Post-war, atomic age, 1950s

Origin: Australia

Designer: Roger McClay

Materials: Steam shaped ply, metal

Size: 73cm H x 78cm W x 64cm D (41.5cm seat)

N.B. Some splits in the plywood have formed over time, most notably beside the maker's mark, on the lower left back of the chair. This wear is common to the design, does not effect the piece's functionality and does not detract from the piece visually.