Iconic High Ingram chair designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and produced by Alivar, dating to the 1980s, a faithful and rigorous reinterpretation of one of the most emblematic seats of the Glasgow School. The High Ingram chair embodies Mackintosh’s architectural approach to furniture, where structure, rhythm and symbolism merge into a powerful sculptural presence. The black lacquered wooden frame enhances the chair’s strict geometry, accentuating its vertical tension and graphic clarity. The seat is upholstered in the celebrated Bicchieri di Boemia fabric by Piero Fornasetti, featuring stylised Bohemian glass vessels rendered in rich, jewel-like tones, a poetic and ironic decorative language that contrasts beautifully with the chair’s austere construction. This combination creates a rare dialogue between Mackintosh’s rational, almost ascetic design language and Fornasetti’s imaginative, narrative universe, resulting in a highly collectible piece at the crossroads of design history, Italian production excellence and artistic expression. Ideal as a statement chair, for refined dining rooms or curated interiors, this High Ingram chair stands as a timeless icon of 20th-century design culture.
Product Name: High Ingram chair by Charles R. Mackintosh for Alivar with Fornasetti Fabric
Designer: Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Year of Design: Original design early 20th century; this production dates to the 1980s
Style: Glasgow School / Early Modernism
Main Materials: Black lacquered wood; upholstered seat with printed fabric
Distinctive Design: Dramatically elongated backrest with vertical slats and square cut-outs, expressing Mackintosh’s architectural and symbolic approach to furniture design, where structure, rhythm and proportion become sculptural elements
Dimensions: Length 45cm | Depth: 47cm | Height: 150cm | Seat Height: 45cm
Comfort: Upholstered seat offering comfortable support, balanced by the chair’s upright and architectural posture
Typical Use: Statement chair for refined dining rooms, studies, libraries or curated interiors
Design Icon: Faithful and rigorous reinterpretation of one of the most emblematic chairs of the Glasgow School, widely regarded as an icon of early modern design
Versatility: Suitable for contemporary, eclectic or historically informed interiors, functioning both as a functional seat and a sculptural accent piece
Current Design Status: Highly collectible vintage production, appreciated for its historical relevance and refined Italian craftsmanship
Additional Notes: Please note that this item is in excellent vintage condition. Minor signs of age may be present, which do not affect its functionality. We kindly invite you to take these characteristics into consideration before purchasing.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868–1928) was a Scottish architect, designer and artist, and a leading figure of the Glasgow School. His work is distinguished by a unique synthesis of architecture, furniture and decorative arts, characterized by rigorous geometry, vertical emphasis and symbolic ornament. Mackintosh played a pivotal role in the development of early modern design, bridging Arts and Crafts ideals with emerging modernist principles, and his furniture designs are today regarded as milestones of 20th-century design history.
Alivar is an Italian furniture manufacturer founded in 1984 in Tuscany, internationally recognized for its rigorous approach to modern and contemporary design. Alivar is known for producing high-quality furnishings that combine advanced industrial techniques with refined craftsmanship, often collaborating with renowned designers and reissuing historically significant designs with great respect for their original proportions, materials and conceptual integrity.
Piero Fornasetti (Milan, 1913–1988) was one of the most original and visionary artists and designers of twentieth-century Italy. A painter, engraver, decorator, and tireless collector of images, he built an unmistakable aesthetic universe where art, craftsmanship, and design coexist in poetic balance. Through recurring motifs such as the enigmatic face of Lina Cavalieri, classical architectures, maps, or musical instruments, Fornasetti transformed everyday objects into works of art, blending graphic rigor and surreal irony. His production, ranging from furniture to plates, from screens to trays, is characterized by artisanal precision and encyclopedic imagination, qualities that still make him an icon of Italian design worldwide today.