Summary

Tessa chair (T4) designed by Fred Lowen,.

German-born Fritz 'Fred' Karl Heinz Lowen arrived in Australia in 1940. He was one of 2542 World War II 'enemy aliens' from Britain, mostly Jewish refugees who had fled Nazi persecution in Germany and Austria. He travelled on the British passenger ship HMT (Hired Military Transport) Dunera, below deck, and behind barbed wire. He slept in a hammock which inspired the design of the Tessa T4 chair in 1973.

The Tessa T4 design won several Australian design awards and was showcased at the Cologne Furniture Fair in the 1970s.

After two years of internment, Lowen established a company with friend and fellow Dunera passenger Ernest Rodeck (1919-2013). By combining their initials, they came up with the company name FLER. They started with a lathe, hand-built from scrap, a finanicial loan, and a small rented stable in Richmond.

FLER became a household word. Mr Lowen's later company, Tessa, exported chairs all over the world. Fred Lowen's chairs were popular because they combined good design with the needs of the market. They were comfortable, lightweight, and beautifully crafted.

Two years of turning Swedish-inspired wooden salad bowls in a garage led Fred Lowen to the idea of chairs made from turned wooden parts. FLER, and later Tessa, became synonymous with modern design.

Physical Description

Curved timber frame with string mesh supporting cushions. 5 tubular cushions with top one strapped to frame. Cushions are upholstered in blue fabric.

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