Description
LOCATION- being sold under consignment by a private seller in Waterfall, SYDNEY. I personally worked with these chairs and took all the photos for the listing. It’d cost about $260 to get one of these chairs to Melbourne or Brisbane. (Maybe about $320 for both.)
PRICE is $2,095 for the recliner in excellent condition and $1,850 for the recliner with minor wear to the seat leather. We may be open to selling just one chair- it depends on a couple of factors.
Provenance and Background Info
(Written in 2026)
A swivel designer chair (THAT RECLINES), made in Norway and Denmark, designed by Soda Galvano for Lied Mobler. There’s a designer label on the base of each chair. This design is virtually impossible to find in Australia and in fact worldwide (I’ve come across a handful of these in Australia after 25 years of being in this business). I can tell you first-hand how incredible these chairs are. I had a pair of these at home for 6 months in a house I renovated (and have since sold). These chairs were virtually the only seating I moved into there. This is the most comfortable chair I’ve ever experienced. The ergonomic angles and luxurious cushioning are perfectly matched by the exceptionally soft, supple FULL-GRAIN leather. Its effortless recline feature– smoothly operated by a discreet side lever- offers 5 or 6 distinct positions to deliver unrivalled comfort. The addition of a swivel function elevates the luxury even further. Visually, the chair boasts a bold, sophisticated designer aesthetic that draws the eye while maintaining a light, fluid silhouette.
This chair looks similar to the Tessa T21 chair designed by highly-celebrated Australian designer, Fred Lowen … or should I say Lowen’s T21 chairs look a lot like this. This design came first (in the 1960’s)- I say these two chairs are 1970’s productions though. The Tessa T21 is hugely popular and the popularity of T21 furniture hit a whole new level during COVID-19 lock-downs (but the Tessa T21 DOESN’T recline. Plus, I actually think this design looks better than the T21 too because there’s more exposed timber). The construction of this chair is also better than a Tessa T21. This is a loose cushion sitting on the frame- this makes reupholstery of this design much cheaper than a Tessa T21 chair- you don’t need to get the chair itself to and from the upholsterer and the upholsterer doesn’t need to pull the chair apart to re-upholster it if that ever becomes needed. It’s cost-effective to get loose cushions re-upholstered- not that re-upholstery would be on the cards anytime soon with either of these chairs. After about 50 years of use, BOTH chairs are still in great condition. My vendor loves these chairs so much he has FOUR of them. He finally admitted to himself that he has no need for 4 swivel chairs so has chosen iNVISeDGE to sell the 2 chairs in this listing. He got the other 2 chairs he has at his home professionally reupholstered. Because they’re loose cushions, the upholsterer charged $600 for the sewing job (and the leather was a couple of hundred additional). This makes these chairs a lifetime investment. If you ever need to reupholster them I can’t see anyone in their right mind getting rid of them and replacing them with something cheap from the likes of Harvey Norman or Freedom.
The interesting thing about this pair is that they are actually not 100% identical- they match really well and look great as a pair but are two different productions. I’d say the chair with extra slats across the back and the extra prong in the base is a slightly earlier release. This design changed various times during its production history. The era of each of these chairs is very similar as these are very minor differences. I personally like the slightly different look- it’s not jarring at all and adds a quirky element- extra character.
Tessa T21 swivel chairs sold for $4,400 EACH new just before Tessa went out of business in 2019. This vintage original by Norwegian designer Soda Galvano is worth at least that in my eyes.
This Lied Møbler leather lounge chair was used by Don Draper in the hit TV series, Mad Men. It is featured in the Manhattan apartment he shares with Megan in later seasons of the show. It was his “go-to” chair which is not surprising! While many viewers frequently mistake it for the famous Herman Miller Eames swivel lounge chair, Mad Men set decorators intentionally sourced this vintage Lied Møbler piece to give Don’s new home a distinct, upscale aesthetic.
The investment appeal is a no-brainer, the comfort is up there with the very best on a worldwide platform, which leaves with us looks- in my mind this design is stunning (but you’re the one who needs to make that call!) Plus there’s also durability to consider. I’m probably wasting space going into the durability. Look at these chairs after about 50 years of use! EXTREMELY well built (as shown in our photos of the underside), HEAVY, Galvano used only the very best elements- beautiful European timber supported with an EXTENSIVE steel sub-structure to make these chairs last a lifetime (and beyond- these chairs will surely be passed onto future generations if you handle them with any sense). The leather is also VINTAGE FULL-GRAIN leather- the best leather money can buy. Leathers aint leathers anymore- this leather is the real deal. (It hasn’t been wrecked from over-processing like many modern leathers are.)
You don’t need to spend $10,000 or more at SPACE Furniture on a designer swivel chair and wonder what quality you’re getting. These chairs are about 50 years old- the photos are irrefutable proof of the quality you’re getting. You can buy furniture in a similar price bracket that’s been mass-produced with NO regard for our environment or the people used to produce it (modern-day slaves). I personally would never put any new furniture into my home- there’s no need to. Items like this are a great financial and environmental investment for your home. NOTE- the leather on one chair is dark brown and the leather on the other is very slightly darker.
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