George Nelson & Irving Harper for Herman Miller

GEORGE NELSON (1908–1986) & IRVING HARPER (1916–2015) for Herman Miller.
"Marshmallow 5670" Armchair.
Lacquered and patinated steel with synthetic leather upholstery, possibly Naugahyde.
In good overall condition, with slight signs of wear consistent with its age. Original black-and-white leather upholstery. Frame shows slight surface marks.
Measurements: 80 x 130 x 81 cm.
The Marshmallow Sofa, model 5670, was conceived in 1954 and introduced by Herman Miller in 1956. Its origin is almost anecdotal: an inventor presented George Nelson’s studio with a system for manufacturing foam discs economically. Nelson and Irving Harper experimented by placing 18 circular discs on a tubular steel frame, resulting in a look radically different from that of a traditional sofa. Although the intended manufacturing system ultimately proved impractical and costly, Herman Miller decided to produce the design because of its extraordinary visual impact. Although it was long presented as a design by George Nelson, subsequent documentation has revealed the fundamental contribution of Irving Harper, a designer at his studio. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) specifically lists the model as by Irving Harper, George Nelson, and George Nelson and Associates, designed in 1956 and produced by Herman Miller. Designed at George Nelson Associates and produced by Herman Miller, the famous Marshmallow is one of the most unique pieces of mid-20th-century American design. Its distinctive composition—consisting of 18 independent circular cushions arranged on a tubular steel frame—breaks with the traditional concept of a chair and creates a light, modular, and almost sculptural appearance.
Originally conceived by Irving Harper, the design reflects the experimental and “atomistic” language developed by George Nelson’s studio, based on the repetition of autonomous geometric forms. Its playful aesthetic and strong visual impact anticipated some of the formal elements that would characterize Pop Art and the design of the 1960s. The piece was introduced by Herman Miller in 1956, and although for decades its authorship was primarily attributed to George Nelson, major institutions now recognize Harper’s contribution to its design.
George Nelson (1908–1986) and Irving Harper (1916–2015) were two key figures in mid-20th-century American design. Nelson, an architect and designer trained at Yale, founded George Nelson Associates in 1947 and served as design director at Herman Miller, becoming one of the leading proponents of Mid-Century Modern. Harper joined the studio that same year.