Description

LOCATION- FOR SALE under consignment from a private seller in Bowral, 117 km South of SYDNEY. I personally travelled to Bowral to inspect this furniture carefully and take all the photos you see in this listing.

Late-1970’s or early-1980’s piece in excellent condition.

This vendor has 2 of these that are exactly the same. If you peer over the photos closely you might notice slight differences in the leather (differences in the texture as an example).

Background Info and Provenance

(Written in 2021 but updated in 2026)

Fred Lowen designed the T8 range of lounge furniture for Tessa in 1976; it remained in production until the early-1980s. It then was re-released much later with different cushions but not for long at all (I think they also changed the name when the cushions changed ?). The T8 range was based on the Norwegian designs of the 1960’s and 70’s, with gorgeous minimalist curves, and vintage FULL-GRAIN leather.

This piece was made in AUSTRALIA. It has exceptional comfort with great back support and plushness- the minimalist look is also stunning plus there’s excellent durability to top off this very astute investment. Just imagine lying on this reading a book, working on your laptop at home or having that sneaky afternoon power-nap (in your office, whilst still “at work” !). Whether in a library, music room, sunroom or lounge room, the relaxing comfort and minimalist design makes this a piece of furniture that will be used and loved for years to come (if not forever).

This lounger is upholstered in FULL-GRAIN VINTAGE leather that has been cleaned and conditioned. The leather is thick, soft and supple and in brilliant condition for leather of this age. The vendor’s parents purchased these back in the late-1970’s and look at them after all these years of use! FULL-GRAIN VINTAGE leather from this era is the best leather you can buy (and the only leather you want). Verification of the quality on offer here is shown in the condition of this piece after almost 50 years! Tessa later went on to use TOP-GRAIN leather in some of their furniture- TOP-GRAIN leather is inferior and often cracks through and rips at the seams within about a decade of use. Don’t be deceived! For more information about leather types find our listing about HOWE leather in our NEWLY LISTED Section. (Type, “howe leather brochure into our SEARCH box to find this listing quickly.)

After a 50-year stint in the Australian Marketplace, making virtually all their furniture in AUSTRALIA, Tessa Furniture closed their doors in 2019. Unfortunately, many Australian businesses are no longer able to compete with cheap inferior imports (mainly from China). Tessa designs are so well-made that vintage second-hand pieces ended up becoming more sought-after than new Tessa Furniture. The investment appeal here is a no-brainer. T8 loungers are VERY rare and these days, this design is more popular than ever. Since COVID-19 lockdowns, the T8 lounger in particular has become highly contested. In 25 years of trading, I’ve had only a handful of these to sell- one of my more recent ones sold in the first DAY it was listed! Tessa T8 loungers had a very limited production run- they virtually never come up.

These Tessa loungers will last the long haul- they have already survived ABOUT 50 years and is still in brilliant condition- just look at the photos! And this is what we love about selling designs such as this- this piece has needed a minor clean-up only. Now it’s ready to be enjoyed by the next generation. Tessa furniture follows our belief of conscious consuming and is perfect for those committed to making purchasing decisions that have a sustainable economic and environmental impact. How is this a “stable-economic decision”? By investing in something like this you’re saying you believe our furniture should be made LOCALLY again (BY PEOPLE!) Vote every time you open your wallet or purse. Vote ONE for- QUALITY FURNITURE made in AUSTRALIA!

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