Pair of Striking Fred Lowen 'T4' Leather Armchairs by Tessa
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Fred Lowen's progressive designs for Tessa defined the contemporary furniture market throughout Australasia in the 1970 and 80's. Many of the ranges won Australian design awards and have since become iconic design classics.
The T4 was designed in 1970, featuring a highly sculptural frame with a hammock style net that supports leather cushions. The design was inspired by the hammock that Lowen slept in on the Dunera, the British passenger ship he escaped Nazi Europe on in 1940.
This striking design was showcased at the Cologne Furniture Fair in 1971 to great acclaim. The T4 also won the Classic Gold Design Award from the Industrial Design Council of Australia (I.D.C.A) in 1985.
Each piece is checked and carefully hand restored at our Kingsland studio workshop. Our focus is preserving the character and patina of the design while ensuring it displays beautifully in a contemporary interior.
Each piece is checked and carefully restored at our Kingsland studio workshop. Our focus is preserving the character and patina of the design while ensuring it displays beautifully in a contemporary interior.
- Joints checked and reglued
- Timber cleaned and stains removed
- Veneer repairs if needed
- Surfaces polished / refinished
The items showcased in our gallery are constantly changing – not all items are on display at once.
Please enquire if there is a specific piece you would like to view and we’ll make sure it’s in the gallery.
All pieces are available for collection in person from our Ponsonby gallery. We are also happy to provide a quote for delivery throughout New Zealand.
Please enquire for delivery options.
Pair of Striking Fred Lowen 'T4' Leather Armchairs by Tessa
Note: We showcase a curated edit from the Mr. Bigglesworthy catalogue. Please contact us to view specific items.
Fred Lowen (Fritz Karl Heinz Loewenstein) was a major influence upon Australian design. As a European Jew born in Germany, Lowen escaped to Belgium just prior to WWII and was evacuated to England in 1940. After being transported to Australia he was reclassified as a friendly enemy alien in 1942 and released to work.
Lowen's manufacturing career began at a lathe when he was asked to make a salad bowl. The bowl was a success and by 1945 he had started a small business as a wood turner selling salad bowls, platters and other items to gift shops.
In 1946, Lowen started a partnership with his close friend Ernest Rodeck, they founded a company called Fler Furniture (a combination of the two partners' initials). The company had a humble beginning, Lowen made turned woodware and Ernest made propelling pencils. Lowen was destined for greater things and by 1948 FLER had entered the furniture market.
Lowen completed a course in Furniture Design & Construction at Melbourne Technical College (RMIT) from 1949-50. He was joint managing director and chief designer of FLER and from mid 1964 took a sabbatical year to undertake Design Studies with Professor Herbert Hirche at Stuttgart Academy.
In 1966 FLER was taken over by Australian Controls. Lowen continued as Design Director of the company for two years but in 1968 he left to start up Twen with good friend Howard Lindsey (later renamed Tessa Furniture). Success came quickly and the company soon received international recognition at the Cologne Furniture Fair and built a strong reputation for well designed high end furniture.
During the 1980s, Lowen was recognised and celebrated for his contribution to Australian design. In 1981 he won the Advance Australia Award for Outstanding Contribution to Furniture Design and in 1987 he was admitted to the Order of Australia for his services to furniture design and manufacture. Today Fred Lowen continues to be remembered for his legacy of well designed, high quality furniture.
