Lot 253

George Sowden (1942) TWO CHAIRS "PALACE"

 The "Palace" chair by George J. Sowden is a Memphis icon. The chair brings a new concept of rationalist design forms, referring to the clean lines of Bauhaus while emphasizing structural elements with color. George J. Sowden is a designer and product developer with extensive experience in various areas of industrial design: from improving electronic products for the mass market to handmade products in limited quantities, including ceramics and glass, textiles, and carpets. In the 1960s, he studied architecture at Gloucestershire College of Art. In 1970, he moved to Milan, where he began collaborating with Ettore Sottsass and Olivetti. In 1981, he co-founded the Memphis company. Chairs come from the significant collection of artist and collector Ivan Steiger, who purchased it in the 1980s.