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an image of a chair with wheels in a white rooman empty room with a grey chair in the middle of itan empty room with a gray chair and a white wall
FRANCOIS EPIN ART & DESIGN CONSULTING

58 - J.A. van ’t Leven (1948–2018)
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Estimate €900 - €1,300
Sale commission
Description
J.A. van ’t Leven (1948–2018) Armchair with removable castors Curved plywood, paint, white leather Netherlands, 1992 Original design: 1985 One-off piece H85 W60 D50 cm Signed and dated 1992. In good original vintage condition, showing visible signs of age and wear on the painted surfaces, the leather cushion and the castors. These marks are consistent with the armchair’s age and history. Please refer to the photographs for further details. A remarkable one-off armchair, designed by the Dutch interior architect and furniture designer J.A. van ’t Leven. Van ’t Leven originally designed this armchair in 1985, the year in which he created a unique purple example. In 1992, he revisited the design to produce this second, grey version. Both armchairs are one-off pieces and are offered individually in this sale. The armchair is crafted from plywood with elegant curves, forming an enveloping backrest and integrated armrests. The high backrest features an intricate pattern of teardrop-shaped cut-outs, arranged in a decorative cascade. This openwork detail lends a sense of visual lightness to the otherwise architectural structure and allows light to pass through the curved shell. A loose cushion in white leather provides a refined contrast to the grey-painted plywood. The armchair is fitted with four small castors, lending this sculptural design an unexpected sense of mobility and whimsy. The castors are removable, allowing the armchair to be used with or without wheels. J.A. van ’t Leven (1948–2018) was a Dutch interior architect, furniture designer and environmental designer. He studied architectural design and environmental design at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, where he subsequently taught from 1981 to 2013. Alongside his teaching, he worked as a freelance designer from 1983 onwards. In 1991, one of his dining chairs was awarded the prize for best classic Dutch furniture design at the Utrecht Furniture Fair. A unique example of independent Dutch furniture design, combining an expressive plywood structure, decorative openwork and a playful, movable base.
See original version (French)
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About the sale Sculptural furniture and functional art
Auction location
Auction time 09/27/2026 at 2:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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