Ironrite Chair! Only $495.00!!!! Get it before it's too late!

[d-jones]

I seldom ever rant about anything, but this is something that just makes my blood boil. I am sick and tired of idiots trying to sell these stupid little chairs for ungodly sums of money to people that just plain don't know any better! Herman Sperlich?!!!!! Who the hell is he?...........The answer is Nobody! He's just a clever man that worked for Ironrite and designed these little chairs for use with the Ironrite press. So why on earth does nearly every single fool of a seller bring up his name in their ad as if he's Rembrandt or Picasso? It makes absolutely no sense unless the goal is to trick people into thinking his association somehow adds value to the product. Well it doesn't, so give it a rest already! What sellers like this are trying to get away with is fraud, plain and simple. Yes, it's true that the chair was displayed at The Museum of Modern Art as an example of clever industrial design using pressed steel, but considering that this is Mr. Sperlich's one and only accolade for creativity it is rendered utterly meaningless. These little chairs are worth about $25.00 and that's it. Some will argue that if the chairs sell for hundreds of dollars then the market has determined that that's what they're worth, but the way I see it, if the market is based on distortions and lies, then the supposed value of the chair is also a lie, and therefor a fraud.

 

At the moment there are seventeen people watching this listing, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least to learn that every one of them has an Ironrite Health Chair just like this and they're watching to see if this one sells at this crazy price. Meanwhile, our intrepid seller is probably thinking that out of this pool of seventeen watchers there are at least a dozen potential buyers, and "it's in the bag" so to speak. The ultimate irony in all of this is that in casually looking over the current listings for Ironrites I quickly found several for the machine and the chair together offered for one hundred dollars or less. Those listings reflect the legitimate value of things far more accurately than this sellers delusional fantasy.

 

Wow. Sorry about that everyone, but I do feel much better now that I was able to vent my frustration. Thanks for putting up with me, and I'll try not to let it happen again.

[this post was last edited: 8/25/2014-13:21]

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Gee David, don't hold back now, why don't you tell us how you REALLY feel?   

 

  

  

 

Kevin

 

P.S... maybe I should be ducking & running?

 

[d-jones]

Well gee wiz Kevin, I thought I was pretty clear about how I really feel on this subject.

 

As far as the ducking and running, no worries. I won't even be upset if someone thinks I'm totally full of beans. LOL......And thanks for posting the picture of the chair that inspired my brief rant.

 

[ovrphil]

$25 is about right - here's a site that identifies one for $75:

http://www.remodelista.com/posts/antiques-vintage-ironrite-health-chair

Good rant, I actually laughed, as it reminds me of someone I know.

(me)

 

[d-jones]

Thanks Phil!

I'm glad to hear you got a chuckle out of it at least, and it's also nice to know I'm not the only one who sees things this way on this issue.

 

[bluejay]

David, you're definitely not alone. I think many of us feel the same way. For me, it's the Modern Maid built in toaster. They always seem to go for a mint.

 

[tolivac]

$495 for the Ironrite seat---Where is the Ironrite machine that goes with that chair????For my $495 I should get BOTH--or a fleet of Ironrites with their seats!!!

 

[countryford]

I can understand that $495 is a bit much for a chair, but am curious why the rant? Reading the ad, it appears to be a decent ad. The seller isn't trying to mislead anyone. So he mentions the guy who designed the chair? Is that a crime?

 

[d-jones]

Yes, I believe in this case it is. As I stated in the above rant, the only reason he and many others could possibly have for mentioning his name is to imply that it somehow adds value to the chair the way the name Picasso would naturally add value to a work of art. Herman Sperlich is no one of consequence (except perhaps to his wife and family) yet many of these types of listings will boldly proclaim "Herman Sperlich Health Chair!" as if he is someone important or significant. This simple act in and of itself is very misleading. As for why the rant, I see that people are being blatantly mislead and ripped off by this type of seller and I happen to find it irritating. Now as it happens this issue surrounding these little chairs is a pet peeve of mine, and I've seen so many of these overpriced listings recently that I simply needed to vent. If you find that you disagree and think I'm being unfair, that's fine. This is, after all, my pet peeve, and I can't expect everyone to feel the same way about it. With that in mind, please feel free to re-read the last sentence in the above rant.

 

As for myself, I have every intention of owning an Ironrite at some point in the not too distant future, and when I do find the one I'm looking for, due to the large number of them that always seem to be available, I expect I'll end up paying around one hundred dollars or less for both the chair and the machine.

 

[whirlcool]

Well, someone out there could just call them "Eames Era Chair" and ask for even more!

 

[ovrphil]

Eames Era chair

Exactly! There's a name to help push the higher priced garage sale items.

 

[circlew]

I don't even find the chair to be particularly attractive. It reminds me of chairs that go with old school desks.

I have a couple Troy Sunshade Co. chrome frame chairs that are designed by Gilbert Rohde; they are far better looking to me. (Note: Troy Sunshade was once a division of Hobart).