Categories / Design and Interiors

Antelope chair by Ernest Race: re-issue in yellow for the V&A

Race chair

It was only last year that Ernest Race's Antelope chair got a re-issue. There's now the opportunity to snap it up with a yellow seat thanks to the V&A – the original colour selected by Race for the chair for its use on the terrace in the Festival of Britain. 

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Categories / Art and Photography

Chase and Wonder Royal Festival Hall print

Chase and wonder

The print by Chase and Wonder celebrates some of the special quirks of the Royal Festival Hall

If the name Chase and Wonder sounds familiar, they're the duo behind the Lady's and Gentleman's A To Zs we featured a little while back which used detailed, retro styled illustrations to decorate each letter of the alphabet. This print uses the same principle but bases its illustration on the name of the building. For example, you get Abram Games's Festival of Britain logo for A, the Festival being the reason the Hall was built in 1951, while the O is illustrated by the Royal Festival Hall's 7866 pipe organ.   

A2-sized, and limited to 100 copies, the print costs £100.

Buy it from the Southbank Centre

Categories / Books, eBay watch

eBay watch: Original Festival of Britain Design in the Festival book

Festival

Do a search for Festival of Britain on eBay, you'll be amazed at what you find. Everything from stamps and coins through to glasses and teapots, most of it for not a lot of cash. Why an I telling you this? Well, this year is the 60th anniversary of the Festival of Britain, a celebration of post-war Britain and all it offered. Lots of reproduction material is likely to hit the market, but something like this original Design In The Festival book is far more interesting – and not too expensive.

It's an original publication produced by the Council of Industrial Design and according to the seller, one of the 'scarcer publications' of the event. Certain to appeal to midcentury fans, it is a fully illustrated review of British goods including sections on furniture, textiles, ceramics, electrical appliances, motor cars and cameras. Also numerous pages of contemporary advertisements, many in full colour.

132 pages including covers and in 'generally very good clean condition', the book is up now at £14.95.

Find out more at the eBay website