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M+, Hong Kong
Kowloon Rattan Ware Co. 九龍籐器公司
Flying saucer chair 飛碟椅
1954, made 1954–1960s
This chair was likely produced by the Kowloon Rattan Ware Company, an importer of raw rattan and purveyor of rattan wares founded in Hong Kong in 1925. The chair, designed for a child, resembles a large woven basket or bowl mounted on four iron legs. Rattan is a natural material made from the stems of climbing palm vines found primarily in Southeast Asia, and it is most commonly associated with the production of furniture and handicrafts. The rattan poles that radiate from a semi-circular hole at the base of the chair’s seat are coated in coloured PVC, an industrial treatment involving the same extrusion methods used to create insulated electric cords. Rattan is known for its light weight and durability, and the PVC coating enables easy cleaning.
The Kowloon Rattan Ware Company pioneered the rattan PVC coating process in the 1950s, and its chairs became popular in Hong Kong photography studios, featuring in many children’s portraits. The company’s signature Flying Saucer chair, which is similar in form to this child’s seat, makes use of the same production methods. The Flying Saucer chair was exported and became popular both in Hong Kong and abroad.
The Kowloon Rattan Ware Company pioneered the rattan PVC coating process in the 1950s, and its chairs became popular in Hong Kong photography studios, featuring in many children’s portraits. The company’s signature Flying Saucer chair, which is similar in form to this child’s seat, makes use of the same production methods. The Flying Saucer chair was exported and became popular both in Hong Kong and abroad.
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