This chair has been a long time coming. Three years to be precise. We had the concept on our first ever product mood board back in the summer of 2016, but we knew it would take time to get it right.
The Design
We took the feel from a chair you find in and outside every Burmese home. We can learn a thing or two from the Burmese about relaxing; they're very good at it. You can always be sure there'll be a chair to sink into, and more often than not, it will look a bit like this. Sturdy teak frames, comfy cane back and seat, smooth arms at just the right height and length to fit inside your fingers.
It's so good, we didn't want to mess with it too much. We made the dimensions slightly larger as the traditional chairs are quite mini. We made the cane panels easy to whip out and repair in a few decades time, so it can keep going forever. We gave it a hinged back to make them easy to transport and store. Other than that, it's just like the classic.
The Wood
It is made from reclaimed teak salvaged from Yangon. Beautiful old wooden buildings get pulled down every day to be replaced by aluminium-clad horrors. We've given new life to these historical planks, lovingly filled the old nail holes and smoothed the cracks to create this elegant, tactile chair.
The Maker
It has been handcrafted by our friend Lin Tin here in Yangon. Lin Tin's family have been carpenters for years, and he has recently taken over from his father. He and his team have worked on this for over a year, and boy does it show. They don't cut corners. These chairs are thoughtfully and meticulously constructed, down to the last wooden dowel joint.
Why we love it
It's an old Yangon style, and an actual piece of old Yangon, repurposed by somebody from new Yangon, and designed to last into the decades to come. The perfect product.
It is beautiful as an individual occasional chair, and a pair is knockout.
3 comments
I am interested in Rangoon chair. I would like to know more details and prices about this product. It would be good if you send via email. I look forward to your reply. Thank you.
I have 2 of these original chairs, they are cane on the seat and the back. Can you tell me what year the chairs where originally made.
How wonderful to see a real craftsman using handed down skills to such perfection.
To me, this is the only way of making something that you can be truly satisfied with once it sits there in all its glory. I’m so happy for Lin Tin and his team that you recognise his talent. So exciting (and positively in a good way, daunting) that he (and you too) has a full order book for years to come.
I love the video of Lin Tin finishing off a piece of doweling on the Rangoon chair.
At the moment I don’t have space for these beautiful chairs but hopefully in the future. They are true works of art.
Very much luck and admiration for your business and for helping to keep these perfect crafts-makers going into the future.
All best and with love