Original Rare 1963 Ernest Race Bottleship Mark 2

If you know you know…
And if you don’t know (because I didn’t) then this is an original and very rare 1963 Ernest Race ‘Bottleship Mark 2’.
This awesome little piece of modernist British design comprises a side table, bookcase, magazine rack and drinks cabinet, with a convenient flip down lid for preparing those G&Ts!
In the early 1960s, Race was commissioned by London-based furniture company, Isokon, to reimagine their ‘Penguin Donkey’ and ‘Bottleship’ designs. I’m more familiar with the Penguin Donkeys, but these Bottleships were produced in far fewer numbers and so originals are extremely hard to find.
Constructed from cherrywood veneered ply, this example comes in good clean vintage condition with only minor wear consistent with age. The cream coloured lid surface has been cleaned but not repainted, and although a little faded it retains its original factory finish.
In 2015 Isokon brought the Bottleship back into production, so you can purchase a nice shiny reissue for around £900, or this original 1960s version for a bit more than that.
I know what my preference would be… but perhaps I’m a little biased 😉

H43.5cm x W55.5cm x D43cm

Please contact me for further information or to arrange a viewing in London SE24.

*Ernest Race (1913-1964) was an English textile and furniture designer and a key figure in twentieth-century British design. A pioneer of post-war furniture production, he embraced new manufacturing processes to craft his designs, often from recycled materials.
Perhaps best known for his iconic 1945 ‘BA3’ chair and ‘Antelope’ chair (which was designed for the Festival of Britain in 1951), he went on to be elected a Royal Designer for Industry in 1953.
The Bottleship Mark 2 came into production in 1963, just a year before Race’s death.