Industrial Chairs by James Leonard for Esavian

A British design classic – Esavian school chairs designed by the British designer James Leonard and produced around 1949, featuring the distinctive and highly innovative die-cast aluminium legs with upholstered seat and back rest.

These chairs reflect the manufacturing techniques of the 2nd World War. In common with Ernest Race, English Rose and other ‘modernist’ styled designs, it utilises aluminium casting technology developed for aircraft manufacture: modernism of a kind, strongly linked to necessity as many traditional materials were in short supply in the post-war years. Leonard pioneered pressure-injected aluminum casting for his 1947/8 range and although over 1 million of the chairs were made, not many survive today.

In the post-war years Esavian were prominent exponents of modernism and functional design. Founded in 1917 in Stevenage, Hertfordshire (UK) as a timber manufacturer they quickly utilised modern materials and technologies. Esavian was also the trade name for the Educational Supply Association, which ensured schools had good quality furniture.

Price per chair.