Copy of £19m chair made in county

Yves St Laurent's Dragon Chair made £19m at auction

An Oswestry craftsman has been given the task of making a child sized copy of a chair which was sold at a Paris auction for £19m.

The original Dragon Chair belonged to the couturier, Yves St Laurent, and was the work of the Irish designer, Eileen Gray.

It was sold at a Christie's sale at the Grand Palais in February of this year and had been expected to make around £3m.

Yves St Laurent died last year aged 71.

Commission

Peter Vidal is a furniture maker who is based at the Malt House Gallerey in Oswestry and is used to making items for heads of state, princesses and presidents.

Peter Vidal was given two weeks to make the chair

In fact, he has just finished the furniture for the penthouse suite at the Connaught Hotel in London.

He has been asked by a client to make a child's version of the Dragon Chair to raffle for a large national charity.

He did not have much time to complete the task: "We've had two weeks to make this from just concept to what will be a finished chair in a few days time."

Peter said he hoped it would raise a lot of money for charity.

Peter said he was amazed that the chair sold so well at Christie's: "It's the first time that furniture has actually hit the art market. For furniture makers that's so exciting."

Christie's auctions