Where Did Gragg Get the Idea for the Elastic Chair?
The Elastic Chair design reflected not only Gragg's innate genius, but also his past experiences and immediate environment. Gragg grew up on a farm in rural Peterborough, New Hampshire where he may have learned to bend wood for tools and wheels. As a professional artisan in upstate New York and then Boston, Gragg later was exposed to various craft techniques and furniture designs that unmistakably influenced the construction, shape, and decoration of the Elastic Chair.