'Siesta Medizinal' reclining armchair

FROM 1935 ONWARDS, THONET STARTED EXPERIMENTING ON ANATOMICALLY SHAPED, ADJUSTABLE CHAISES LONGUES. FROM 1937, THE LUCKHARDTS' DESIGNS WERE MARKETED UNDER THE NAME OF "SIESTA MEDIZINAL." THEIR MAIN INNOVATION WAS THE SO-CALLED "STEERING MECHANISM." BY A MERE SHIFTING OF BODY WEIGHT, THE THREE SEPARATE SUPPORTS FOR THE BACK, THE UPPER AND THE LOWER THIGHS COULD BE MOVED SIMULTANEOUSLY, HENCE ENSURING ADJUSTMENT TO EACH MOVEMENT AUTOMATICALLY AND KEEPING THE CHAIR BALANCED AT ALL TIMES. AT THIS TIME, THE LUCKHARDTS DEVELOPED THEIR PROTOTYPE FOR THE FIRST AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE AIRPLANE SEAT PROPOSED TO AIR FRANCE.

WOOD, LEATHER
441/2 IN. (113.1 CM) HIGH