So here's a funny story. If you've been reading along for the past few weeks you know the whole devastation I suffered over losing a perfect, vintage, replica Eames recliner. If you haven't read that tale yet, do so first. We all wait here.
That chair will haunt me for the rest of my days and it's the second thing to haunt me from the Christie Antique show. The first was a painting of a somewhat miserable looking elderly woman on a black background.
It's a lesson in shopping. If you get the butterflies in your belly, just buy it. In a month you won't worry about the money and in a year you won't even remember how much it cost. It's also a lesson in whether or not the saying "It wasn't meant to be" is true or not.
I mean, that's what everyone was saying to me after I went back to buy my chair only to find out it had been sold.
"It wasn't meant to be."
"You'll find a better one."
"It wasn't meant to be yours."
WHERE WAS THIS SUPPOSED CHAIR THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MEANT FOR ME?? I mean, ACK!
I've had alerts on Craiglist, Google, Ebay, Kijiji and Chairish for the past 3 years to notify me if my dream chair surfaces for sale anywhere.
It did once. A Plycraft replica of the Eames chair with a built in footrest. The holy grail of iconic, mid century, moulded plywood, reclining chairs based on the Eames original ... with a twist. It showed up in Rochester, New York for around $400. I called the seller immediately, told her it was worth more than than that and offered her $600. I set up a time the next morning for me to make the roughly 3 hour drive across the border. Then of course there would be 3 hours of driving back.
She called me the next morning and left a message saying she had lots of interest in the chair and she wanted me to give her my highest offer on it. I said no. What if I made my 3 hour drive and she told me someone else had offered even more money? What if I got there and she already sold it? I wasn't getting into some bidding war with someone who had proven they'd go back on their word.
Since then my notifications have only brought in some sad looking fakes and a couple of people who saw my post on wanting the Plycraft recliner with built in footrest thinking I'd be willing to pay anything for it. I am not. I'm willing to pay a fair price.
Then a couple of weeks ago, just a few days after the Christie Antique show situation I got a notification. There was an Eames replica lounge chair and ottoman for sale. It was just in Toronto, an hour away. I clicked on the email to take a closer look a the chair.
It was the same style as the chair I saw at Christie's.
It was the same colour. The same condition. The same price.
It was the same chair. I shit you not.
I looked like I've been drugged. Don't I look like I've been drugged?
It turns out the guy who bought the chair got it home and decided it was too small for him. After a few back and forth emails about the hilarity of him selling the chair from Christie's and me mourning the loss of the chair at Christie's he not only sold it to me, he delivered it.
I am the size of a very large groundhog, so the chair fits me perfectly.
It is easily the most perfect vintage replica I have ever seen. The proportions and size are the exact same as the original Eames (which is much smaller than most replicas). The finishes are the same, as is the construction.
Notice the green crocodile suitcases I bought at the show as a consolation prize for losing my chair. They go well with it.
The only dead giveaway that this is a copy is the fact that it's upholstered in dark brown, not black leather.
There's only one problem with the chair. Now I have to redo my entire living room around it. I wish I could say I'm just joking but I'm not.
These are the things I still like in my living room. My saddle and saddle stand, the white painted canvas, my lucite table with wood under it. The end.
So I don't need to change much else. Just new rugs, a new coffee table, another chair, a new couch, a side table and artwork.
I've already put notifications on Craigslist, Ebay, Chairish and Kijiji.
As he was leaving, Serge, who sold me the chair, looked back at it in my living a room and said, "You know I thought after so many years of searching that this chair was meant for me but now I understand t was meant for you. Enjoy it."
I will. Just as soon as I replace every other piece of furniture in my living room. Ack.
Maybe this chair wasn't meant for me. Double Ack.
TucsonPatty
Whoopee! The end. I’m glad the story has a great ending!
Ellen
NO!! don't do it! go the eclectic look, meld it into your own look of "Karen, this is me" look I have this and now.. this and oh, look this. and I can add a picture of my chickens. and just wish I had some goats. those cute ones, yeah them and oh.... what about a donkey..
Karen
I'm not getting furniture that "matches" the chair, but things have to "go". As in the scale has to be right, the textures, and there has to be a certain amount of room for moving around within the room etc. Don't worry I wouldn't know how to decorate a room that wasn't *me*. :) ~ karen!
Susan T Blake
You totally crack me up.
MrsChrisSA
Fantastic!!
Drugged? No. Happy haze more like it!!
Jennifer
I love, love, love this chair.
Funny story. In January before I bought my new house, I lived in an apartment on the 3rd floor. One day while taking my dog out I fell down an entire flight of stairs and broke my ankle. I layed there crying out in pain, and for help.
I had been stalking my first floor neighbor for months, literally for months. I would take my dog out at night so I could stare into her windows to get a glimpse of her chair, the exact one you have but in black leather.
Ironically she was the one who heard my screams for help and came to my rescue that afternoon. She brought me ice, called 911 and stayed with me, holding my poor broken ankle steady until paramedics arrived. All I could managed to say to her, in all my pain was...I LOVE your Eames chair. She prob thought I was in shock, which I was..but still.
Congratulations, enjoy your chair!
Karen
LOL! I think that's a perfectly normal thing to say. If someone said it to me while I held an ice pack to one of their body parts I wouldn't think a thing of it, lol. ~ karen!
Tina
Oh my gosh, I am drooling with jealousy! Congrats!
Sachi
KAREN. Karen. What. Just. Happened!?! :D I am sitting here grinning like a fool! Best story ever. Thank you for brightening up my Monday morning.
Karen
I know, right? SO strange. :) ~ karen!
Ev Wilcox
I know what you mean. I too got a big smile on my face when I saw her in that chair, and boy did I need that smile! It is beyond great when you can share in another's good fortune! Yay Karen!
karen tomlinson
My most sincere congratulations! I also dream for this chair, except in white.
Seeing you in makes me happy!
Cindy
Karen Tomlinson in San Diego?
Lynn Johanson
Your panache totally matches that chair! It looks like it was made for you. I'm so glad it came your way again.
So about that cane couch..... you're trading it out?
I'd like to buy it........
You may find that your readers are a ready made buying club for your excellent collection. I've been looking for a cane couch ever since I saw yours. I haven't found one here in Seattle yet. I bet shipping would cost as much as the couch. Sigh.
Karen
That's the problem. I've held on that settee for years because I love it so much but have NOwhere logical for it to go. For now it's in my office where it doesn't really fit. ~ karen!
carswell
Hah - I have a 1920s art decoish style hoosier cupboard that I scored at an auction over 30 years ago. I love it - but in the last round of redecorating my living room, I decorated myself right out of a place for it to live.
I have no where else in my house for it to go - and since the winter it is residing in my shed. That's not a great location for it but I haven't had any luck selling it. Sigh.
Bronwyn David
One door closes, another door opens. Or whatever. Have fun with the redecorating and, um, "be careful what you wish for"?
attygreen13
Yay! We have one, and it’s the seat everyone fights over. So happy for you.
Deborah Burns
WoooHOOO! That is a great story!
Now the great recliner hunt has become the hunt for new living room things to show off the chair!
Olga
This is Unreal! You should play lottery. I never wanted chair like that but now I do. Even though I would need to redo my house inside out around it if I owned it lol
I have a question regarding your cowhide... I’m assuming it’s real and not faux. Can it be cleaned (vacuumed)? Does it shed? I really want one, I just don’t want to make a mistake buying dead animal skin and regreting it later.
Karen
Hi Olga. It is real (Ikea), it doesn't shed and just last night my sister told me I had to replace it cause it was looking shabby. I vacuum it all the time and NOTHING stains it. I was just going to look into how I can clean it today. ~ karen!
Olga
Wow I’m sold on it. Your Ikea store has pretty nice cowhide. I only saw brown and black at ours. I will be hunting for one now. Thank you. Maybe I have same luck as you did with your chair. Someone just shows up at my door with cowhide in their hands in perfect size and color haha
Lisa Bostock
I have three cats and a dog who all love to throw up on my IKEA hide rug and I promise you, just like Karen said, NOTHING stains this thing!! You can vacuum it but sweeping it is even easier ... I hosted mine down with a hose and left it in the sun to dry and it was perfect... it doesn’t shed at all!
Dana Hunter
I agree--I have both a faux hide and a real hide and 2 pukey cats. The faux hide looks a hot mess--blotchy with stains, and nappy where it's gotten wet--whereas the real hide still looks new--everything wipes up like it's made of glass, and it suffers no damage from moisture. Authentic hide is the low-maintenance choice.
Robert
Well, it's not like nature would do something that needs to be treated like a baby besides actual babies. Although I did had a beautiful white hide with a gorgeous golden suede back that unfortunately was too old, shed like crazy and could not stand water
Gayle
So, it was meant to be after all. Enjoy your chair, as well as all the shopping you get to do now.
Gayle
So, it was meant to be afterall... Enjoy. The chair and all the shopping you get to do now.
Paula
That is an awesome story! Yay, you got the chair.
bev out west
This is so cool. Yes It was meant for you. The other pieces of furniture, maybe they weren't meant for you... happy replacing ♥
Elaine
Wow! What a helluva story!! I’m SO happy for you, Karen! It looks fabulous and just “meant to be” in your living room ... even though you say you need a new sofa, coffee table, rugs, side table, artwork and so on! You look very chic and sophisticated lounging in it!
virginia ritchey
wow!!!!
virginia ritchey
wonderful!!!!