Daylesford crafting its way into Milan Furniture Fair 2012

Who would have thought? Daylesford sculptor and furniture maker, Miriam Porter is in the international spotlight following the recent Milan Furniture Fair 2012. It was inevitable. Miriam is an Australian treasure, her iconic craftsmanship as coveted as anything out of the Prada workroom. Now Miriam’s Bodger Ladder-back Chairs have caught the world’s attention, after the showcase exhibition “Bodging Milano” at Milan Furniture Fair became the talk of Milan. London. New York. Even Japan. CRAFTED is the new furniture couture.

 I’ve had Furniture Royalty living next door and never knew. An audience and history lesson was immediately set up. Miriam kindly obliged, but not before organising a basket of freshly picked vegetables from her garden, to take home later. Cup of tea in hand. Notebook at the ready. Let chair history unfold.

 Originating in Buckinghamshire, England back in the late 1800’s, Bodging is one of the most recognised traditional chair-making in history. Influencing the Windsor Chair, and inspiring Arts and Crafts designers well into the 20th Century. One of the most famous Bodgers is Ernest Gimson (1892-1904), whose ash wood ladder-back chair with rush seat sits in London’s V&A museum.

These days, there’s only a handful of authentic Bodgers around the world. Miriam Porter being one of them.

Miriam has been bodging ladder-back chairs for over 20 years, becoming internationally recognised for her museum quality skills. Her 6-foot high Ladder-Backs are rare works of arts, selling through the prestigious auction house, Christie’s for up to A$8000. I've never seen anything quite like a Miriam Porter chair. As well as being hand constructed and whittled in true Bodger style using willow and rush from Daylesford Lake, each chair has exquisite hand sculptured, wooden cockatoos (or kookaburras) perched on a carved ledge. Birds so vividly life-size and life-like, they could have just flown down to rest for a moment.

Against the ubiquitous mass produced chair, Miriam Porter chairs are a masterpiece of economy and simplicity, of comfort, strength and beauty. They don’t wriggle loose over time, look dated within a year, or break when you tip back after one too many after-dinner digestifs. Does this mean craftsmanship may finally be pushing mass production to the sidelines? According to trend analysts in Milan, the answer is a resounding YES. Meanwhile over in Paris, HANDMADE was one of the three key trends coming out of the prestigious Maison & Objet Trade Fair in Paris, February 2012. All signs seem to be pointing to a more bespoke personal world.

Hallelujah. Or as Miriam says, “About bloody time.”

Aside: Miriam Porter’s chairs can be purchased for $3750. Enquiries through Tweed Tea & Wellies. Additionally Chairs are on display and available for purchase at Hepburn Bathhouse.