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Sergio Rodrigues, "Mole" Armchair, ca. 1958, manufactured by Oca as part of the Tacape line; rose...

Currency:USD Category:Everything Else / Other Start Price:NA Estimated At:8,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
Sergio Rodrigues,  Mole  Armchair, ca. 1958, manufactured by Oca as part of the Tacape line; rose...
Sergio Rodrigues
"Mole" Armchair, ca. 1958
manufactured by Oca as part of the Tacape line; rosewood and leather with artist's stamp
29 in. (73.6 cm) high
Estimate: $8,000-12,000
Literature
Mario Dal Fabbro, Upholstered Furniture, New York, 1969, p. 130
Maria Cecilia Loschiavo dos Santos, Móvel Moderno no Brasil, São Paolo, 1995, cover and p. 129
Maria Cecilia Loschiavo dos Santos, Sergio Rodrigues, Rio de Janeiro, 2000, pp. 50, 134-135, 228, 231, 268 and 277
Designed in 1957, the "Mole" (or "floppy") armchair is among Rodrigues's most famous designs. The chair's individual elements reflect the very Brazilian nature of the piece: the massive rosewood is a local wood and the leather straps supporting the seat are reminiscent of indigenous Brazilian hammocks and cots. The overall design is one in which the sitter necessarily lounges, and thus even the user's posture is tied in to the local casual and informal environment.
The model was exhibited in the 1958 "Móveis como Objeto de Arte" organized by Oca. In 1961, the chair underwent a few changes in order to be eligible for the IV Concorso Internazionale del Mobile in Cantu, Italy, and the new model, which won the first prize, became known as the "Sheriff" chair.