{"title":"K556 I-II Domestication","description":"\u003cp\u003eThese chairs were designed and built for cafés, but they ended up in a home.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"domestication-acquired","title":"Domestication Acquired","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003eAcquired from Lotar in Azusa, in December 2025. He had bought the chairs 9 years before in Santa Barbara and used them in secondary residence in Santa Paula.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003eAlthough produced on a large scale, the chairs reveal the presence of individual workers throughout their construction. On one chair, the leg screws were installed slightly too high, causing the wood to fail and the seat to move downward when occupied. A side screw was inserted at an angle, splitting the surrounding wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003eAt some point, the original seats were replaced with upholstered inserts. A tensioning mechanism was added beneath the seat, pulling the rear legs backward and gradually deforming the seat ring. The chairs were sanded, removing their original dark finish. Prolonged exposure to moisture darkened the wood at the bottom of the legs. One of the screws securing a leg had broken, allowing movement in the joint and causing the chair to wobble.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TheKarst","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52494988411192,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1002\/2086\/2776\/files\/DSC_5461_896e245f-e3c2-4ef4-946b-126e3a0964f0.jpg?v=1781235801"},{"product_id":"domestication-research","title":"Domestication Research","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003eThe chairs belong to the bentwood tradition established by Michael Thonet in the nineteenth century. Their exact manufacturer remains unknown, but a surviving \"Made in Czechoslovakia\" label places their production between 1918 and 1992. The chairs retain numerous traces of manual production, including hand-drilled holes, irregular assembly, and small dimensional differences between matching components. These details suggest manufacture before the widespread adoption of modern power tools and point toward a pre-Second World War origin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003eThe chairs were originally intended for public interiors such as cafés and restaurants. Their uncommon interwoven backrest pattern differs from more utilitarian bentwood models and reflects a willingness to experiment within a highly standardized manufacturing system. Unlike Thonet's famous No. 14, which became an icon of industrial efficiency by allowing 36 chairs to be packed into a single cubic meter, this design pushes bentwood construction beyond pure utility. The elaborate backrest sacrifices some structural robustness in favor of visual expression, producing a chair that is both elegant and unusually delicate.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TheKarst","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52494989295928,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1002\/2086\/2776\/files\/No._18_chairs_unassembled-cafe-chairs-product-design.jpg?v=1781222491"},{"product_id":"domestication-revived","title":"Domestication Revived","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe broken leg screw was replaced because it was causing structural instability. Since part of the original screw remained embedded in the leg, a new hole was drilled. The vertical movement caused by the deformed seat ring was not corrected, as the chairs remain structurally sound despite it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA new acrylic seat was designed using the geometric average of both chair ring profiles, replacing the upholstered wooden seat inserts. Existing mounting holes were reused to secure the seat, avoiding further modifications to the chairs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe tensioning mechanism was retained, but its tension was reduced. The deformation of the seat ring remains visible when viewed from the side. This can be seen in the front acrylic spacer, which is larger than the others in order to accommodate the distortion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAll wear marks, repairs, and modifications were retained as evidence of the chairs' transformation and use.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TheKarst","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52494990541112,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1002\/2086\/2776\/files\/DSC_6310_01.jpg?v=1781222601"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1002\/2086\/2776\/collections\/DSC_6318_cb43533e-41f7-41f6-886a-2f8b6a8788fc.jpg?v=1781222755","url":"https:\/\/thekarst.com\/collections\/k556-i-ii-domestication.oembed","provider":"TheKarst","version":"1.0","type":"link"}