The canvas and wood pieces plus the leather strap fit, neatly folded, in a long cardboard box. Without complicated things like screws and screwdrivers, the chair is made by assembling the contents in the box. So simple and so functional. And it looks good too. I had been fixated on this being my first chair purchase. The designer, Kaara Klint, is known as the father of modern design in Denmark and was Børge Mogensen’s teacher. The Safari chair is Klint’s take on the portable, assembled Indian Roorkee chairs that the British army generals sat on in their tents during campaigns in India. It’s no wonder the chair looks great outdoors too.
The chair has also been spotted placed elegantly on the veranda at Asaba, a luxury ryokan in Shuzenji.
I have so much trust in the coarse, sturdy canvas that I can lean back without the least bit of fear and recline with my weight. It’s just so comfy. With my past moves and hauls, I have had to reassemble this chair 4 or 5 times. The first time was pretty tough. One part would be in place whereas another would be wobbly—kind of like a newborn pony— and it was frustrating. The second time, I had washed and shrank the canvas so I couldn’t put it back together on my own. I had been terrified of taking it apart since then and avoided it, but the third time came rolling around. Surprisingly, it didn’t take me five minutes to reassemble the chair. I didn’t even have to look at the instructions. I just let my instincts handle it, and it was done. The canvas had broken in, and there was no need to force it onto the pegs. Oh you precious thing!
When I bought the chair, it was priced at $1,125. There is an ottoman to go with the chair, and there is nothing dearer than seeing it as a set. But the ottoman was about $600 and felt a bit too pricey. And now, with the different lapses of time, it could never be a proper pair with the chair, and I cannot bring myself to buy it.

2020-8-5