This was designed in 1962 for general use around the R G Menzies Library and the Chancelry, both of which opened in 1963. It is the most graceful chair I have designed and it was used by HM The Queen to sign the Visitors Book when she opened the building on 13 March. It was carefully designed to have slender components with some flexibility and rigid pinned joints for rugged student use and this was inadvertently tested when one fell off the back of the delivery truck and bounced without breaking any member. The joints remained firm – proof of my theory.
There are four models – with and without ‘wings at the top corners and with or without arms. Models without arms and wings can be seen in the Hannan suite now in the possession of Nick Hall and still rigid in 2015 – see 1962.
My full size compound drawing showings wings and arms. Note that the joint under greatest stress is the back leg/seat rail joint and the outside dowels are pinned to ensure rigidity. They are still sound after 53 years and should continue.