Details
About this piece
Expo Mark II Sound Chair designed by Grant Featherston for Aristoc, developed from the “talking chair” concept commissioned by Robin Boyd for Australia’s pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal. The pavilion presented 240 sound chairs by Grant and Mary Featherston to deliver recorded information to visitors via integrated speakers.
Adapted for the domestic market by Aristoc Industries and produced between 1967 and 1970. The shell was moulded in expanded rigid polystyrene, then upholstered in polyurethane foam and wool. The headrest, back and base form a continuous circular shell with a winged back; a circular polyurethane seat is set into the base. Two speakers are fitted within the head bolster, wired to the internal shell.
- Materials and construction:
- Expanded rigid polystyrene shell
- Polyurethane foam and wool upholstery
- Continuous circular headrest–back–base with winged back
- Circular polyurethane seat inset to base
- Two integrated speakers in the head bolster
Condition: Original condition.
Dimensions: 73.5 cm W x 82 cm D x 114.5 cm H.
Adapted for the domestic market by Aristoc Industries and produced between 1967 and 1970. The shell was moulded in expanded rigid polystyrene, then upholstered in polyurethane foam and wool. The headrest, back and base form a continuous circular shell with a winged back; a circular polyurethane seat is set into the base. Two speakers are fitted within the head bolster, wired to the internal shell.
- Materials and construction:
- Expanded rigid polystyrene shell
- Polyurethane foam and wool upholstery
- Continuous circular headrest–back–base with winged back
- Circular polyurethane seat inset to base
- Two integrated speakers in the head bolster
Condition: Original condition.
Dimensions: 73.5 cm W x 82 cm D x 114.5 cm H.
- Brand & Designer
- Featherston
- Color
- Blue
- Style
- Vintage
- Material
- Other Fabric and Textiles
- Condition
- Good
- Dimensions (cm)
- W 74D 82H 115
Design Story
Grant Featherston is one of the defining figures of Australian modernist furniture design, known for creating pieces that combined sculptural elegance with a distinctly relaxed Australian sensibility.
Beginning his career in Melbourne during the 1940s, Featherston initially worked in commercial art and illustration before moving into furniture design. At a time when Australia still relied heavily on traditional European styles, his work introduced softer organic forms inspired by modernism and postwar experimentation.
His breakthrough came with the release of the Contour Chair series, which used molded plywood techniques to create flowing, human centered shapes that felt both futuristic and comfortable. Unlike many rigid modernist designs of the era, Featherston’s furniture had warmth and personality, helping define a more approachable version of mid century design.
Over the following decades, Featherston collaborated with manufacturers across Australia and became especially influential in educational and public seating. His designs balanced functionality with visual lightness, often using minimal materials to create strong sculptural identities.
Today, original Featherston pieces are highly collectible and remain deeply associated with Australian design history. Whether in vintage homes, galleries, or contemporary interiors, his work continues to represent a uniquely Australian interpretation of modernism: refined, innovative, and effortlessly relaxed.
Beginning his career in Melbourne during the 1940s, Featherston initially worked in commercial art and illustration before moving into furniture design. At a time when Australia still relied heavily on traditional European styles, his work introduced softer organic forms inspired by modernism and postwar experimentation.
His breakthrough came with the release of the Contour Chair series, which used molded plywood techniques to create flowing, human centered shapes that felt both futuristic and comfortable. Unlike many rigid modernist designs of the era, Featherston’s furniture had warmth and personality, helping define a more approachable version of mid century design.
Over the following decades, Featherston collaborated with manufacturers across Australia and became especially influential in educational and public seating. His designs balanced functionality with visual lightness, often using minimal materials to create strong sculptural identities.
Today, original Featherston pieces are highly collectible and remain deeply associated with Australian design history. Whether in vintage homes, galleries, or contemporary interiors, his work continues to represent a uniquely Australian interpretation of modernism: refined, innovative, and effortlessly relaxed.
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