36/1979

Collection

Furniture

Brief description

Open-arm easy chair with a stained wood frame and brown striped upholstery, model 2, stamped 'CC41 224', manufactured by C & M Davis, Curtain Road, London, under the Utility Scheme 1943-1953.

Title

Object name

armchair

Object number

36/1979

Production person

Edwin Clinch (designer)
Herbert Cutler (designer)

Production organisation

C. & M. Davis (manufacturer)

Production date

1942 (designed)
1943-1953 (manufactured)

Production place

England (designed)

Period

Twentieth century (1900-1999)

Material

wood
cotton
hessian
birch
oak
stain

Technique

joined
turned
upholstered
stained

Physical description

This Utility armchair has a stained oak or birch frame and an upholstered seat and backrest. The frame has four legs of square cross-section, the front two legs extend upwards to from the front of the arm rests. The horizontal part of the arm rest extends backwards and is fixed into the frame of the back rest. The seat and backrest are covered with cotton fabric which has a vertical pattern of alternating light brown and sage green strips with beige diamonds. The backrest has three buttons aligned horizontally. The fabric is attached to the frame with metal studs. The underside of the chair is covered with hessian fabric. The cotton fabric is stained with mould from storage on the front edge.

Dimensions

Height: 100cm
Width: 57.5cm
Depth: 76cm

Website keywords

seating

Label

Caption for Exploring 20th Century London website:
This chair was made in London by the firm of C & M Davis and is stamped with a CC41 mark which means that it was made between 1943 and 1948, in accordance with the government's Utility Scheme. The firm of C & M Davis were based in Shoreditch, one of the centres for furniture manufacturing. During the War, and for the few years afterwards, furniture was rationed under the Utility Scheme and strict rules were enforced for its production. The government divided the country into 11 zones and all furniture had to be made and sold within each zone. This system meant that precious wartime resources were not wasted moving raw materials and furniture around the country. This chair has its original upholstery.