After attending the 2016 Hukilau, I’m again OBSESSED with tiki. So much so that my living room is now all torn up, pending a step-by-step transformation into my own tropical oasis. It will be EPIC. One thing it will include: A Peacock chair, already in my possession. But, while shopping around for other stuff, I discovered that these rattan beauties come in several very birds-of-a-feather styles. The rarest of them all, it seems: A double peacock chair! The proud owner sitting pretty in this beauty, above, is Vanessa Dingwell of Honeywood Vintage. The photo was taken by Bridget Pizzo for a story she did for Apartment Therapy featuring a tour of Vanessa’s home — “Vanessa’s Vintage Bohemian Hilltop Home. Thanks, AT, for permission to show this photo — so rare to see this double peacock. I am green-plumed with ENVY!
Disclosure: Some of the ebay links in this story are affiliate links; but then I lost my mojo and they’re just plain links.
Dialing backward in krazeeness, above is a typical example of a basic, classic “fan-back Peacock chair.” It can also come with a matching ottoman – nice to have! Exact details of the weave may vary by design, but basically, this is the style you see a lot of. Mine is similar to this. This chair: For sale on ebay from clother_wares_by_amber
Now we get even more interesting: A Balloon-back Peacock chair, above. Want it? Run don’t walk to Balloon-back Peacock chair from holfeltzcoffee on ebay.
And here is another very rare bird: A Cobra-back Peacock chair. 64″ tall. It’s for sale on etsy from KimSpearsInteriors.
Here’s another cobra peacock chair from ebay seller 808lp.
Above: And one more from cobra peacock chair from 8081p.
Above: Finally, while I refuse to call this one a Peacock chair. It is an egg chair in the style of a Peacock chair. Hey: When it hatches it becomes a baby peacock! From Rus In Urbe Home on etsy.
More about Peacock Chairs:
- Scholars believe the design hails dates to 1876 and was embraced by Victorians enchanted with Asian design. I’ll guess that with all those holes in weaves, the chair helped keep you cool from all directions in an era sans air conditioning.
- Sometimes I see them called King Chairs… and sometimes I see them called Princess Chairs… and sometimes I see them called Hospitality Lounge Seats. But I don’t see a real difference. Am I missing something?
- You see a lot of doll-sized peacock chairs. I have one of those, too, they are very easy to pick up at estate sales.
- You see dollhouse-sized peacock chairs.
- And sometimes you see kid-sized.
- Planters too!
- Domed settees are pretty rockin’ awesome, but I don’t think you should rightly call them peacock chairs.
- Twisted wrought iron hanging peacock chair: Coolio. HANGING!
- And, in aluminum (although I don’t think I’d really call these peacocks.) I surmise that once the form was established, the variations commenced.
- Fun: “The hardest-working chair in Hollywood” slide show.
Peacock chairs are HOT right now!
Golly, a bunch of these chairs and such sold before I could even get this post ready and published. Peacock chairs are HOT right now — they are being eagerly snapped up as “statement pieces” by designers and homeowners doing midcentury, bohemian, “jungalow”, desert modern, tiki (of course!) — and just plain eclectic interior designs. P.S. I’ll declare: Don’t lacquer them! Let the wood shine through!
Susan Halla says
I just finished reading “Life of the Party: The Remarkable Story of How Brownie Wise Built, and Lost, a Tupperware Party Empire”.
As VP of Tupperware Party Sales in their Florida headquarters, Brownie’s chair in her executive office was a Peacock Chair – and people called her the Queen of Tupperware and thought that it was a fitting choice for a chair. (Although I would think it would be an awfully awkward chair for working at your desk?!?)
Here’s a photo of Brownie in her chair:
http://tinyurl.com/zufyh2o
And I highly recommend the book – it’s a great read.
pam kueber says
Thanks, Susan!
DJ says
Karin- I have those cheesy senior pictures! Complete with me cheesily resting my chin on my hands. All that was missing to complete the cheesiness was a long-stem rose in my mouth. 🙂
Just my luck, right after I graduated, the still-going trend of doing outdoor senior pictures started. My little sister’s pictures were awesome (of course!)
Laney says
I definitely had my senior picture taken in one of these chairs (1985)! <3
charlene says
Not ashamed to be a dumpster diver, my former neighborhood was a treasure trove of unique items, including a fan-back peacock chair, and a wicker elephant plant stand. Both are proudly displayed in my family room to this day.
Question, one of my cats used to rub against two of the legs and some of the wicker unravelled a few inches. Any repair suggestions?
Karin says
I have actually seen these occasionally in my local Value Village. Does anyone else remember that iconic black and white 1970s photo of Huey Newton posing in one of these? He knew how striking someone looks sitting majestically in one these.
Jessie says
This chairs remind me of sort of cheesy senior pictures from the 1980’s.
Mr Kim says
Yes, that’s why in coutries around France we still call it «Emmanuelle chair» 😉
Heidi Evans says
Used to be one in my grandparents house. IIRC, at the time, wicker furniture was extremely inexpensive. Nowadays, not so at all!
pam kueber says
I agree — circa 1986 I was in love with a wicker/rattan set at a local furniture store. Even then, it was expensive. I really wanted to buy it, but my roommate at the time was having none of it. I still think about that set. It was really well made. I bet I would still have it. Regrets!
Debbie in Portland says
One of my first big-girl-on-my-own purchases was a peacock chair, which I’d been lusting after since watching “The Addams Family” at age 5. I still have it, but nobody’s been allowed to sit in it since a 6’2″, 300+ pound biker friend sat in it 30 years ago and we heard several loud, ominous cracking noises. It’s now the jazziest boho cat bed in town!
Penne says
All through my high school years (1978-82) our Homecoming Queen sat in one of these chairs as she “reigned” over the second half of the basketball game. Football was fairly new to my school so Homecoming was during basketball season. I’m having lunch today with a group of classmates and our “Queen” will be there. This will definitely be part of the conversation. I always wondered who that chair belonged to. I really love the bamboo egg chair.
pam kueber says
Hilarious!