Know Your Chairs: The 1006 Chair (The Navy Chair) by Emeco

Chances are you have sat in or at least our chair for this episode of Know Your Chairs. it is the classis 1006 Chair by Emeco, which has come to be known simply as The Navy Chair. And for good reason.

The Emeco site explains the history of the chair:

"In the throes of WWII, the US Navy needed a place to sit. They commissioned a chair that was light weight, non-corrosive, fire resistant and torpedo proof. Emeco took on the challenge. The 1006 Navy chair was born.

Wilton C. Dinges founded Emeco (Electric Machine and Equipment Company) in 1940 in Hanover, Pennsylvania. During WWII the U.S government gave him a big assignment - make chairs that could withstand water, salt air and sailors. Make chairs lightweight and make them strong, build them for a lifetime. Aluminum was the obvious choice, engineered for practical purposes, designed to last.

Together with Alcoa experts, Wilton C. Dinges created the 1006 Navy Chair made of recycled aluminum, using 77 steps to create a seamless one-piece look. Forming, welding, grinding, heat-treating, hand brushing and anodizing are just a few of the steps it takes to build an Emeco chair. No one else makes chairs this way. No one can. It takes a human eye to know when the process is done right, and it takes human hands to get it that way.

The Navy Chair was a chair so durable, it had an estimated life cycle of 150 years and far exceeded the Navy’s specifications. A humble but proud four-legged chair, weighing only seven pounds but ranked right up there alongside such unimpeachable symbols of no-nonsense American ingenuity as rag-top Jeeps, Converse high-tops and button fly Levi’s."

Its classic no-nonsense look lends itself to commercial (restaurant) use but it can look fantastic in a residential interior setting too. I know people use it in modern and loft-like settings but I personally think one or two with some other mismatched chairs at a traditional dining table would look amazing.

Emeco chairs in Tracey Holt and Rob Marshall's Toronto condo

The chair, along with a stool version, comes with or without arms, as well as the option to have it with a padded seat.

The chair and stool is still available from Emeco or from Design Within Reach.

Happy designing!