Decorating
Iconic Designs: The Cherner Chair and Armchair by Norman Cherner
With its waspish shape and elegant simplicity, the Cherner chair is a design classic from a great midcentury innovator
This series takes a look at some of the most famous and cherished designs of the past century. From classic chairs to statement lighting, discover the backstory to some of the design world’s most recognisable pieces and browse ways to use them in modern settings.
American architect and designer Norman Cherner (1920-1987) is one of the unsung heroes of midcentury design. Cherner was an innovator in plywood and affordable design and, like many of his contemporaries, fascinated by the idea of creating mass-market pieces that would fit into the small-scale, low-cost dwellings that were a feature of post-war life.
Despite his work in prefab architecture, Cherner is best known for one piece – the simply named Cherner chair, designed in 1958. Made from moulded plywood, the chair and armchair are now icons, found in design collections worldwide. The story of their creation and development involves innovation, but also controversy and betrayal. Fortunately for design fans around the world, it’s a tale that has a happy ending.
American architect and designer Norman Cherner (1920-1987) is one of the unsung heroes of midcentury design. Cherner was an innovator in plywood and affordable design and, like many of his contemporaries, fascinated by the idea of creating mass-market pieces that would fit into the small-scale, low-cost dwellings that were a feature of post-war life.
Despite his work in prefab architecture, Cherner is best known for one piece – the simply named Cherner chair, designed in 1958. Made from moulded plywood, the chair and armchair are now icons, found in design collections worldwide. The story of their creation and development involves innovation, but also controversy and betrayal. Fortunately for design fans around the world, it’s a tale that has a happy ending.
Early plywood designs
In the 1950s, the Herman Miller company, led by George Nelson, was working on creating lightweight chairs out of plywood. They designed the Pretzel chair in 1952 and it was produced by a Massachusetts-based company called Plycraft.
The Pretzel proved too fragile and expensive to manufacture, though, so Herman Miller stopped production in 1957. By then, though, Plycraft had the materials and techniques for constructing plywood furniture in place, and did not want to see them go to waste.
In the 1950s, the Herman Miller company, led by George Nelson, was working on creating lightweight chairs out of plywood. They designed the Pretzel chair in 1952 and it was produced by a Massachusetts-based company called Plycraft.
The Pretzel proved too fragile and expensive to manufacture, though, so Herman Miller stopped production in 1957. By then, though, Plycraft had the materials and techniques for constructing plywood furniture in place, and did not want to see them go to waste.
The birth of an iconic chair
George Nelson recommended that Norman Cherner design a sturdier and more affordable Pretzel-type chair that could be produced on Plycraft’s equipment. The owner of Plycraft, Paul Goldman, hired Cherner under contract to produce a new chair design, but when Cherner presented his plywood design to Plycraft in 1958, he was told the project had been scrapped.
George Nelson recommended that Norman Cherner design a sturdier and more affordable Pretzel-type chair that could be produced on Plycraft’s equipment. The owner of Plycraft, Paul Goldman, hired Cherner under contract to produce a new chair design, but when Cherner presented his plywood design to Plycraft in 1958, he was told the project had been scrapped.
Growing controversy
Not long after his design had been rejected by Plycraft, Cherner was in a furniture showroom in New York and saw his chair for sale! The label said the piece was from Plycraft and was attributed to someone named Bernardo.
Cherner sued Plycraft in 1961 and won, with the owner, Paul Goldman, admitting that Bernardo was a fabricated name. Plycraft continued to produce Cherner’s chair, with Cherner receiving royalties and proper credit, until the early 1970s.
Not long after his design had been rejected by Plycraft, Cherner was in a furniture showroom in New York and saw his chair for sale! The label said the piece was from Plycraft and was attributed to someone named Bernardo.
Cherner sued Plycraft in 1961 and won, with the owner, Paul Goldman, admitting that Bernardo was a fabricated name. Plycraft continued to produce Cherner’s chair, with Cherner receiving royalties and proper credit, until the early 1970s.
In production again
For almost 20 years, Cherner’s seating was rarely seen outside of galleries, museums and the living rooms of a few wealthy collectors. That changed in 1999, when Norman Cherner’s sons, Benjamin and Thomas, joined forces to form The Cherner Chair Company.
Today, they are the sole licensor of Cherner’s designs. They have reissued their father’s original and most popular chair designs, using his original drawings and specifications, as well as various tables.
For almost 20 years, Cherner’s seating was rarely seen outside of galleries, museums and the living rooms of a few wealthy collectors. That changed in 1999, when Norman Cherner’s sons, Benjamin and Thomas, joined forces to form The Cherner Chair Company.
Today, they are the sole licensor of Cherner’s designs. They have reissued their father’s original and most popular chair designs, using his original drawings and specifications, as well as various tables.
Make and manufacture
Still made in the USA, the classic Cherner chair is made from walnut-veneered laminated plywood of graduated thickness. It is strong and durable, and guarantees that the chairs last for a lifetime and can be passed down through families.
Without arms, the chair is the perfect dining seat or, with arms, makes an elegant office chair. The design is also available as a bar stool.
How to choose the perfect dining chair
Still made in the USA, the classic Cherner chair is made from walnut-veneered laminated plywood of graduated thickness. It is strong and durable, and guarantees that the chairs last for a lifetime and can be passed down through families.
Without arms, the chair is the perfect dining seat or, with arms, makes an elegant office chair. The design is also available as a bar stool.
How to choose the perfect dining chair
Appearance and finish
While Cherner’s contemporary, Arne Jacobsen, designed the Ant chair in the 1950s, Cherner’s classic design is more wasp-like, with its thin waist and curving back.
Today, it is available in 10 different finishes, including classic natural walnut, and also in wood combinations, such as ebony and beech. The white and ebony lacquered chairs look rather different in finish, as no wood grain is visible and the colour is uniform.
Read about Arne Jacobsen’s beautiful Egg chair
While Cherner’s contemporary, Arne Jacobsen, designed the Ant chair in the 1950s, Cherner’s classic design is more wasp-like, with its thin waist and curving back.
Today, it is available in 10 different finishes, including classic natural walnut, and also in wood combinations, such as ebony and beech. The white and ebony lacquered chairs look rather different in finish, as no wood grain is visible and the colour is uniform.
Read about Arne Jacobsen’s beautiful Egg chair
What’s in a name?
Despite generally being known simply as the Cherner chair, the design is also sometimes called the Rockwell chair. It featured in Norman Rockwell’s painting The Artist at Work, which was on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post in 1961.
TELL US…
What do you think of Norman Cherner’s iconic chair? Add your thoughts in the Comments section below.
Despite generally being known simply as the Cherner chair, the design is also sometimes called the Rockwell chair. It featured in Norman Rockwell’s painting The Artist at Work, which was on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post in 1961.
TELL US…
What do you think of Norman Cherner’s iconic chair? Add your thoughts in the Comments section below.
Norman Cherner was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1920 and studied and taught at the Columbia University Fine Arts Department. He was also an instructor at the Museum of Modern Art in New York from 1947 to 1949.
Throughout his career, Cherner worked across a range of disciplines, from pioneering work in low-cost prefabricated housing to designing furniture, glassware, lighting and even toys.