Original Malawi Cane
Versailles Traditional Chair
Versailles Traditional Chair
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Black, gold and fit for a palace.
At Versailles, Louis XIV turned a hunting lodge into the most dazzling house in Europe: polished marble floors, gilded balustrades, chandeliers that never seemed to end and a Hall of Mirrors built to make every guest catch their breath. The Sun King believed a room should announce you before you said a word. This chair agrees.
We start with our classic Traditional Malawi cane silhouette and finish the whole chair in a deep black, so the handwoven texture reads like lacquer. A rich tan leather wrap sweeps around the arm rail, and every chair stands on four solid brass feet as standard, the gilt detail that completes the look. Put it in a marble hallway, a dark-walled study or beside a bed dressed in crisp white linen and it holds court.
Each chair is handwoven in Malawi by a single artisan over about a week, fumigated for export, then painted, wrapped and fitted with its brass feet by our own team in Cape Town.
- Painted black throughout, with tan leather-wrapped arm rail
- Solid brass feet included as standard
- Optional foam seat cushion in natural linen-look fabric, made in house
- Handwoven, fumigated, export quality
- Dimensions: 76 x 43 x 80 cm (W x D x H)
- Made to order
Our coloured chairs are handcrafted from natural Malawi cane, a beautifully organic material that varies in tone and texture. Subtle differences in shade and finish are part of its character, and colours may look slightly different depending on your screen.
Materials
Materials
Materials used to make Malawi Cane furniture include a local hardwood, bamboo cane and water reeds.
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Malawi Cane has over a decade’s experience shipping around the world. So whether you need something delivered domestically in South Africa, or a container to Europe, we will take care of the logistics for you.
All our furniture is fumigated. In the unlikely event that you see signs of borer beetle (dust on the floor below the chair) within 6 months of purchase, please let us know and we will exchange the chair.
Dimensions
Dimensions
76 x 43 x 80
Care Instructions
Care Instructions
All Malawi Cane products are made using natural rattan from Malawi. As with any natural product, care should be taken when exposed to the elements. Varnish or paint treatment is recommended for outdoor patio use.
Without care, and if exposed to constant direct UV rays or rain, the chairs will eventually go a silvery / grey colour and deteriorate, offering a rustic, Provençal look.
To prolong the life of your Malawi Cane pieces, we recommend:
- Regularly dusting them with a dry soft cloth.
- For spots a little harder to get to, use a soft bristle brush.
- If it’s raining, keep them undercover. It’s important to keep them dry and avoid a build- up of moisture and mildew. If they do get damp or wet, simply dry them out on a warm, sunny day when you next can.
- If there is heavy or prolonged periods of rain or humidity, we recommend bringing your pieces indoors during that time.
Please note that if a dark ‘mould’ ever forms, this is usually superficial and can be scrubbed off using a spoon of oxalic acid (available at most hardware stores) mixed in 5L of water and then rinsed.
From Malawi to the world
It takes one person one week to make a single Malawi Chair. After that the artisans use bicycles to transport the furniture to our trucks, and then to our warehouse and quality control facility in Cape Town. From there we send out containers to the world.
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National and international shipping
Did you know Malawi Cane handles all shipping for clients throughout South Africa and the world? Get in touch to discuss.
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Hassle-Free Exchanges
All of our furniture is fumigated against beetle. You can rest assured that we will exchange any damaged or infected product.
