If you’re shopping for furniture and walk through your local shopping centre, you’re bound to find an A-Z of designer chairs, and some may be replicas. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? This article is here to confirm upsides to that.
Replica traders argue that they are making good design accessible to all and increasing people’s knowledge of mid-century designers such as Mies Van Der Rohe, Verner Panton and Hans J Wegner. Unlike many countries, Australia’s copyright laws actually allow for faux furniture to be sold as long as the seller/buyer acknowledges that it is a replica.
Danish mid-century furniture expert Jytte Laulund from Sydney’s Vampt Vintage Design is astounded by Australia’s booming replica trade. “In Denmark, reproducing a classic design is considered theft. If you want to buy an Egg chair, there is one manufacturer. When you enter Danish eBay, there is a warning saying that you commit an offence if you try to sell replica goods. The copyright lasts for 70 years after the death of the designer,” says Laulund. She also states that “Every week, people come into the store and ask, ‘Why should we pay $1000 for this when we can buy the replica version for half the price?’ Danish furniture comes with a lifespan of 150-200 years, and can be restored over its lifespan,” says Laulund.
And we have Andrei Meintjes, from Collectika furniture, who makes a good point by stating the following: “From an aesthetic point of view, replicas work for stylists and decorators as they give the look immediately,” Meintjes says. “But vintage designer pieces tell a story – they’ve got that patina, and you can’t buy that history in a reproduction. What separates them is that they’ve been sitting in someone’s Seidler house in Turramurra for the last 30 years, as opposed to fresh off a shipping container from China.”
So if you’re looking to buy good affordable replicas, check out some of our suggestions below (remember, they come in different colours and we have plenty more to browse):
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Light Grey with Natural Ashwood – Hans Wegner Circle Chair – Replica
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Swan Chair – Red Premium Wool – Arne Jacobsen Replica
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Hans Wegner Replica – Papa Bear Chair + Ottoman – Charcoal/Natural
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Grant Featherston Replica – Contour Lounge Chair + Ottoman
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