Egg Chair With Ottoman – Arne Jacobsen

Egg chair with ottoman (model 3316) designed by Arne Jacobsen and produced by Fritz Hansen in 1958 for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. This icon of Danish design is distinguished by its enveloping and organic silhouette offering remarkable comfort and natural ergonomics. The entire piece is upholstered in cognac/honey natural leather and rests on a swiveling aluminum base. Armchair: H 100 cm x W 69 cm x D 87 cm x Seat height 39 cm. Ottoman (fixed, non-swivel): W 53 cm x W 39 cm x H 35 cm. Signs of normal wear (see photos). Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair – History and Design of the Model: First presented in November 1958 at the Scandinavian Forms exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the Egg chair was quickly added to the catalog of the Danish manufacturer Fritz Hansen in January 1959, marking the official entry of this model into the history of design. The very first version was upholstered in chocolate brown leather. Its shell was then made of injected polystyrene, molded in one piece and then covered with foam. From the mid-1950s, Arne Jacobsen explored the possibilities offered by this innovative material, which opened up new formal and technical perspectives for modern design. Over time, the chair underwent several evolutions: the introduction of new upholstery, particularly textiles, sometimes offered in vibrant colors like red, as well as structural improvements aimed at increasing comfort. The aluminum base appeared in 1963 and was modified again in 1975, while the internal structure evolved to include fiberglass combined with polyurethane foam. Various mechanical elements and manufacturing details were also refined over the decades. With its slender base, the chair appears to float in space when viewed from a distance. Although widely known as model number 3317 or simply "Egg," its official designation at Fritz Hansen has varied over time: initially referenced as number 3315 in 1958, then 3317, it definitively adopted the name 3316 in 1973. The Egg chair was originally designed for the lobby of the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, which opened in July 1960. Arne Jacobsen was responsible for the entire interior design. The chair's enveloping, fully curved silhouette was conceived as a counterpoint to the strict, orthogonal lines of the hotel's architecture. Swivels on its base, the seat offers a 360° view of the vast lobby space, while simultaneously providing a sense of privacy and comfort. The SAS Royal Hotel is also furnished with other iconic creations by the designer, such as the Drop chair and the Swan chair. A true icon of 20th-century design, the Egg chair is now part of the permanent collections of major institutions, notably the Vitra Design Museum, cementing its status as a key piece of Scandinavian modernism. See this Egg chair with Arne Jacobsen ottoman in full screen on Vintage Addict.