Artifort - Theo Ruth - Armchair - Penguin - Beech - Theo Ruth Armchairs

Important pair of chairs by Dutch designer Theo Ruth edited by Artifort “Art and Comfort” between 1948 and 1950. This model is the very first, very rare edition of the Congo Arm Chair. Indeed, it has been very rarely put on the market, and even less so with the version of the armrests. They probably produced it in a limited edition over a very short period.

It is very different from the standard “Congo” or “Penguin” in that the backrest is removable and can be positioned as a chaise longue or as an armchair. Its base has two legs that stretch backward in a curved shape, reminiscent of Carlo Molina’s productions from the same period.

The woods have been sanded and varnished, and the chair reupholstered in a light brown heathered fabric.

The Dutch designer Theo Ruth was born in 1915 in Maastricht. He studied furniture and interior design at the Middelbare Kunstnijverheidsschool of Maastricht (today known as the Maastricht Academy of Arts). In 1936, he joined Artifort, specializing in living room furniture design. Three years later, in 1939, he became Director of Design and Development, a position he held until his death in 1971.

Theo Ruth was the first permanent designer at Artifort, and had a significant impact on the design that followed. Among his most famous pieces are the Congo Chair (1952) and the Penguin Chair (1957), both composed of two parts that assemble without screws or nails. The latest version of the Penguin Chair features a black backrest and a white cushion, echoing the colors of a penguin. Designers Pierre Paulin and Geoffrey Harcourt also collaborated with Artifort’s design department while Theo Ruth was still in charge.