Ernest Race

I was reading an article in Living Etc about Linear designs that included the wonderful Antelope bench designed by Ernest Race for 'The Festival of Britain' and is still produced today by Race Furniture. I might actually love this as much as the the Ercol Love seat.

(Image from Living Etc)

Here is an excerpt from the All Things Considered website published by St Jude's who were previously asked by Liberty to collaborate with Race Furniture to put their fabrics on the re-issued BA3 Chair.

"Ernest Race was one the most important figures in British post-war design. After studying interior design, Race began his career with the lighting manufacturer Troughton & Young. During World War II Race served with the auxiliary fire service, after which he founded Race Furniture Ltd in Clapham, South London. Race realised that redundant wartime materials could be recycled, so he designed his furniture to utilise discarded aluminium and ex-RAF upholstery fabrics. In 1946 Race showed the BA chair at the ‘Britain Can Make It’ exhibition. Made from recast aluminium, this design epitomised the post-war spirit and set new standards within industrial design. Race established himself at the forefront of the modern design movement, producing some of the most innovative furniture of the 1950s."

Other Race designs include the Antelope chair:

(Image from Race Furniture)

The Heron Chair which was re-issued for the 100% Design Exhibition:

(Image from Race Furniture)

The Rocking Chair seen here in a St Judes Fabric:

(Image from All Things Considered)

And last but not least the beautifully simple BA3 Chair. The first mass produced cast aluminium chair in the world,  available to buy from Rockett St George.

(Image from All Things Considered)

In The 1960's Race was also employed by Isokon to redesign the Penguin Donkey storage unit. You can read about this design in a previous post here.