Tokyo dining chair by Rodney Kinsman OMK for Bieffeplast Italy 1980s, set of 6

Tokyo dining chair by Rodney Kinsman OMK for Bieffeplast Italy 1980s, set of 6

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About the item 

Set of Rodney Kinsman Tokyo chairs. Beauty and simplicity combined into one design. These Tokyo chairs are a rare design variant with armrests with grey frame and grey skai.

Rodney Kinsman (United Kingdom, 1943)  studied furniture design at the Central School of Art in London. Together with Jurek Olejnik and Bryan Morrison, he founded OMK Design in 1966 to make the furniture they designed. Among the first designs launched by OMK was Rodney Kinsman’s 1966 “F Range” chair, a block of foam plastic covered in vinyl. Later they developed more designs such as the T Range that consisted of chairs, sofa, stool, coffee table and armchairs (T1, T2, T3, T5, T7, T8).

His Tokyo chair was separately designed and clearly inspired by the Japanese Takayama style where elegance and simplicity meet. Moreover, due to the small dimensions of the Tokyo chair, it could be said that it was truly meant for the Japanese market. The chairs feature a steel frame and the backrest is seamlessly integrated in the frame. A sober but elegant detail. The curved horizontal tube forms an interesting contrast in the rectangular frame. The chairs were featured with an upholstered seat and a naked multiplex seat. The chairs in question concern a naked multiplex wooden seat. In our opinion, this seat is much more suitable for the raw’ish design of the Tokyo chair.  As well, you can still see the original wood pattern. The Tokyo chair was licensed to Bieffeplast for production for the Italian and larger European market.

About its condition

The chairs are in very good condition, both the frame (some little wear visible) as well as the seat. The original Bieffeplast production sticker is still visible on the frame, certifying their authenticity.