A particularly handsome set of six Model 3208 Lily or Seagull armchairs, designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1970 and produced by Fritz Hansen in 1973.

The Model 3208 was developed from Jacobsen's celebrated Lily chair and was originally conceived for the new Danish National Bank in Copenhagen, one of his final major architectural projects. The chair is distinguished by its extraordinarily fluid form, with the broad back narrowing dramatically towards the waist before opening into the seat, while the separate upholstered armrests appear almost to float within the slender metal frame.

This set of six was acquired in London directly from the original owner and has remained together since new.

When we acquired the chairs, the original upholstery was no longer suitable for continued use and we made the decision to have it completely replaced. In 2016, we sent the entire set to Denmark, where the chairs were professionally reupholstered by a craftsman who had previously worked for Fritz Hansen. Vegetable-tanned leather was chosen for the upholstery, a material we selected specifically for the way in which it develops with age and use.

When the chairs returned from Denmark, the new leather was considerably lighter, with an almost pinkish light-brown colour. Over the following ten years we have carefully treated the leather with a specialist neutral leather cream approximately three or four times a year. No coloured cream, dye or artificial colouring has been applied. The warm cognac tone visible today has developed gradually and naturally as the vegetable-tanned leather has matured.

This natural ageing process was one of the principal reasons we chose vegetable-tanned leather. Much like a well-used leather belt or wallet, the material becomes richer and more individual through handling and use. Natural oils from the hands, together with regular contact and gentle rubbing, will gradually deepen the colour and develop the surface further. Since being reupholstered these chairs have not been used, so the patina visible today is really only the beginning of this process. With future use, we expect the leather to continue becoming deeper, warmer and more nuanced.

Importantly, the chairs have not been artificially distressed or coloured in an attempt to make new leather appear old. What we see today is the result of ten years of natural maturation and careful maintenance. For us, this is one of the great attractions of vegetable-tanned leather: rather than remaining static, a good hide develops character and becomes increasingly individual over time.

Structurally, all six chairs are particularly good. The backs remain strong and firm, without the weakness or excessive movement that can sometimes develop in examples of this model after decades of use. This was particularly important to us when deciding to undertake the considerable work involved in restoring the complete set.

The original nickel-plated steel frames remain in good vintage condition. There is pitting around the feet and to areas beneath the chairs, but the plating remains solid with no significant flaking. We have deliberately retained these signs of age, which provide an 

attractive contrast to the beautifully matured leather and ensure that the chairs still retain 

the character of vintage examples rather than appearing newly restored.

The original rubber supports between the seats and metal frames also remain present on all six chairs. Some have developed cracks with age, but they remain functional and continue to sit firmly between the upholstered shells and frames.

The Model 3208 was designed to be stackable. We have deliberately never stacked this set since it was reupholstered, as doing so would unnecessarily mark or indent the leather. In fact, the chairs have not been used since the upholstery was completed.

This set has been something of a labour of love for us. We can think of very few pieces of furniture we have owned that have taken quite so long to bring to market. What began in 2016 with newly upholstered chairs in very pale vegetable-tanned leather has gradually developed into the set we wanted them to become. Ten years later, the leather has developed a rich cognac colour with the warmth and character to sit naturally alongside the original metal frames, while remaining ready to develop considerably further with future use.

For us, the final result is exactly what we had hoped to achieve: a coherent set of six original 1973 Seagull chairs, structurally excellent and professionally reupholstered, but with leather that has now matured sufficiently that the chairs retain the character and warmth expected of a vintage set.

Viewing is warmly welcomed at our West London showroom.

High-resolution photographs, detailed condition reports and video inspections are available upon request.

We offer local, national and international shipping.

Please contact us for further information or to arrange a private viewing.