Objects

Anonymous

Table

Designed and executed before 1914

Oak stained to black colour, table legs cross covered with hammered metal, table feet covered with metal

This table shows the characteristics of geometric art nouveau design famous for Josef Hoffmann and Vienna in the beginning of the 20ths century. According to Uhlíř tables of that period rarely originate from a well-known architect but often followed the design of popular chairs by contemporary designers.

Literature: Uhlíř, J.: Vom Wiener Stuhl zum Architektenmöbel, Böhlau Verlag, Wien, Köln, Weimar, 2009, S. 69

00013 SJH

Hans Bellmann

Two GA chairs, model 7/060, for Horgen-Glarus, Glarus, Switzerland

Designed in 1955, made before 1970

Two-piece seat shell of moulded plywood, mahogany-veneered, chair legs of chromed tubular steel with rubber cuffs.

The featured pair are early versions of the GA chair. Swiss architect Hans Bellmann was a Bauhaus graduate and teacher at the Kunstgewerbeschule Zürich. In 1956, his iconic GA chair was awarded for its good design by Swiss Werkbund. The parsimonious use of material combined with high artistic standard make its design today more relevant than ever. See Billing & Eberli, p. 8.

Literature: Billing, Joan und Eberli, Samuel: Hans Bellmann - Protagonist der Schweizer Wohnkultur, Design & Design u. Scheidegger & Spiess, Zurich, 2015, 83 - 89

0003121 HBM

Hans Brockhage und Erwin Andrä

Rocking car, Hochschule für Bildende Künste Dresden for Lenz, former German Democratic Republic (GDR)

Designed in 1950, executed presumably at the end of the 1950s - 1960s

Solid beech wood, plywood seat veneered, red lacquered wheels, black hard rubber, iron wheel axles

Icon of GDR design. Part of the collections at MoMA, V&A and Grassi Museum and exhibited at Vitra Design Museum. Designed by H. Brockhage under the supervision of Mart Stam and in cooperation with E. Andrä for the constructive work. The Bauhaus spirit still influenced the design of the rocking car in 1950. The ingenuity lies in the toy's dual function - usable as car and as rocking chair. H. Brockhage received awards from Ulmer Hochschule and XII. Triennale, Milan.

Literature: Deutsches Design 1949-1989 - Zwei Länder, eine Geschichte, Vitra Design Museum; Kunstgewerbemuseum, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Wüstenrot Stiftung, Ausstellungskatalog, Weil am Rhein, 2021, 104, 105

000313 HBR

Hans Brockhage und Erwin Andrä

Rocking car, Hochschule für Bildende Künste Dresden for Lenz, former German Democratic Republic (GDR)

Designed in 1950, executed presumably in the 1950s

Solid beech wood, bent plywood with painted imitation of wood, red lacquered wheels, black hard rubber, iron wheel axles

Icon of GDR design. Part of the collections at MoMA, V&A and Grassi Museum and exhibited at Vitra Design Museum. Designed by H. Brockhage under the supervision of Mart Stam and in cooperation with E. Andrä for the constructive work. The Bauhaus spirit still influenced the design of the rocking car in 1950. The ingenuity lies in the toy's dual function - usable as car and as rocking chair. H. Brockhage received awards from Ulmer Hochschule and XII. Triennale, Milan.

Literature: Deutsches Design 1949-1989 - Zwei Länder, eine Geschichte, Vitra Design Museum; Kunstgewerbemuseum, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Wüstenrot Stiftung, Ausstellungskatalog, Weil am Rhein, 2021, 104, 105

000313 HBR

Bertil Fridhagen

Vanity for Svenska Möbelfabrikerna, Bodafors

Made in 1960

Wooden frame construction with two drawers, one small container and a mirror. Oak, teak, teak veneer and mirror glass.

71 x 95 x 40 cm

000311 BF

Hynek Gottwald

Cantilever chair Ek10 for Gottwald, Vienna

Designed and manufactured around 1930

Chrome plated tubular steel, plywood seat with red lacquer.

This model by Hynek Gottwald (Czechoslovakia) was also produced by Desta (Germany). The model here is a variant of the famous first semi-spherical chair designed by Hans and Wassily Luckhardt (SS 33, ST 14). Czech producers under license often used own names for their models.

Literature: Bosewitz M.: Tschechische Stahlrohrmöbel, Books on Demand, Norderstedt, 2019., Pos. 326, 739
Kries, M., Fehlbaum, R., von Vegesack, A.: Atlas des Möbeldesigns, Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, 2019., S. 137, 301
Von Vegesack, A.: Deutsche Stahlrohrmöbel - 650 Modelle aus Katalogen von 1927 - 1958, Bangert Verlag, München, 1986., S. 47-49

0002 WG

Max E. Haefeli

Inkombi sideboard, Wohnbedarf model 122, Basel, Switzerland

Designed and executed from 1933 onwards

Plywood panels (blockboard), birch veneer

This sideboard belongs to a series of functional furniture named in-kombimöbel, which were advertised in 1933 by Zurich's Wohnbedarf AG for its versatile combinability, construction and durability. Moholy-Nagy invented the name in-kombimöbel. (...) a genuine plywood construction that does not deny itself externally (...), the wood stands in the room as it grows in the forest, and is not covered over with stain or paint, (...) Bayer, H.: Katalog der Wohnbedarf-Möbel, 1933, aus: Schweizer Typenmöbel 1925 - 1935, S. 136.

Literature:
Mehlau-Wiebking, F., Rüegg, A., Tropeano, R.: Schweizer Typenmöbel 1925 - 1935, Sigfried Giedion und die Wohnbedarf AG, gta Verlag, Zürich, 1989, 136
Designsammlung des Museums für Gestaltung, e Museum, Museum für Gestaltung, Zürich, 2020

00028 MH

Josef Hoffmann

Dressing table, executed by J.&J. Kohn, model no. 1135, Vienna

Designed in 1905, executed probably before 1917

Solid beech and beech bentwood, stained and polished, original mirror glass with polished edge in pivoting frame.

The functional form of this dressing table is a key feature of the geometric art-nouveau design famous for Josef Hoffmann and Vienna in the early 20ths century. Its innovative shape - solid beech bent in right angles - could be realized thanks to new production techniques by J. & J. Kohn at that time.

Literature: Uhlíř, J.: Vom Wiener Stuhl zum Architektenmöbel, Böhlau Verlag, Wien, Köln, Weimar, 2009., S. 62
Renzi, G.: Il mobile moderno, Silvana Editoriale, Milano, 2008., S. 192
J.&J. Kohn Katalog 1904 & 1907, Reedition, Editions Volutes 1900, S. 116

00014 JH

Ladislav Žák

Adjustable armchair in nickel plated tubular steel

Designed and manufactured presumably in the 1930s

Cantilever chair, nickel-plated tubular steel with adjustable backrest (three positions), black lacquered armrests. Two seat cushions re-upholstered, red imitation leather with black piping.

Large and very rare adjustable armchair. The sweep of the tubular steel frame suggests that it is a design by the well-known Czech architect Ladislav Žák. Construction and materiality suggest an early model from the 1930s.

00021 DU

Otto Prutscher

Two fauteuils and one settee, executed by Gebrüder Thonet, no. 6544 (fauteuil) and no. 6244 (settee), Vienna

Designed in 1914

Beechwood, stained mahogany colour, re-upholstered. dark blue fabric by Backhausen, Vienna.

Model designed at Thonet's workshop under the direction of O. Prutscher. Its production continued after the First World War, presumably due to its popularity. Uhlíř refers to the Thonet-Mundus catalogue from 1928. Indirect evidence supports the assumption that O. Prutscher himself was the designer of this model.

Literature: Uhlíř, J.: Vom Wiener Stuhl zum Architektenmöbel, Böhlau Verlag, Wien, Köln, Weimar, 2009, S. 170 - 172

00011 OP

Gustav Siegel

Table, extendable, executed by J.&J. Kohn, No 937, Vienna

Designed in 1901

Beachwood and bent beach, stained and lacquered to black colour, brass feet

The table model 937 was first time presentend in 1901 at the winter exhibition of K. u. K. Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie (today's MAK). The attribution to Gustav Siegel is based on the formal similarity with other designs under his leadership as well as interiors drafted by Siegel. Reference is made to the daybed for Paris 1900 (collection of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague).

Literature: Uhlíř, J.: Vom Wiener Stuhl zum Architektenmöbel, Böhlau Verlag, Wien, Köln, Weimar, 2009., S. 79 - 87
Renzi, G.: Il mobile moderno, Silvana Editoriale, Milano, 2008., S. 78,79

00012 GS

André Sornay

Wardrobe, made by André Sornay et Cie, Lyon, France

Designed and executed in the 1930s

Typical A. Sornay, this wardrobe is constructed in the "cloutage" technique. Thin layers of plywood are fixed with fine bands of brass pins on a supporting solid wood frame (technique patented in 1932). Stained dark brown, inside light brown, brass handle and brass key.

The light material and the elegantly curved cabinet doors suggest that A. Sornay was inspired from aircraft design when he designed this wardrobe.

Literature: Marcelpoil, A., Béras Sornay A., Lassalle, O.: signé sornay. Editions Galerie Alain Marcelpoil, 2010, S. 45 f.

0003 AS

Mart Stam

Cantilever chair model Ek2 for Gottwald, Vienna

Designed and executed around the end of the 1920s - 1930s

Chrome plated tubular steel and green lacquered plywood

The Ek2 model originates from the interwar-period of the Hynek Gottwald company, Czechoslovakia. The production was characterized by high quality materials and colourful lacquers. Design and copyright of this model were originally held by Mart Stam (model B43, Thonet). Czech licensees often used their own designations.

Literature: Bosewitz M.: Tschechische Stahlrohrmöbel, Books on Demand, Norderstedt, 2019., Pos. 326
Von Vegesack, A.: Deutsche Stahlrohrmöbel - 650 Modelle aus Katalogen von 1927 - 1958, Bangert Verlag, München, 1986, 131

00025 MS

Mart Stam

Cantilever chair model Ek2 for Gottwald, Vienna

Designed and executed around the end of the 1920s - 1930s

Chrome plated tubular steel and plywood with dark stained walnut veneer

The Ek2 model originates from the interwar-period of the Hynek Gottwald company, Czechoslovakia. The production was characterized by high quality materials and colourful lacquers. Design and copyright of this model were originally held by Mart Stam (model B43, Thonet). Czech licensees often used their own designations.

Literature: Bosewitz M.: Tschechische Stahlrohrmöbel, Books on Demand, Norderstedt, 2019., Pos. 326
Von Vegesack, A.: Deutsche Stahlrohrmöbel - 650 Modelle aus Katalogen von 1927 - 1958, Bangert Verlag, München, 1986., S. 131

00026 MS

Gebrüder Thonet

Cantilever chair, Thonet model S 411

Design 1932, produced in later years

Chrome-plated tubular steel, slotted screws, seat reupholstered with leather in off-white colour.

A classic among cantilever chairs. Inhouse-design by Thonet from 1932.

Literature: Thonet S 411 Monografie, Thonet GmbH, Frankenberg, ohne Jahr

000296 S

Gebrüder Thonet

Side table, executed by Gebrüder Thonet, no. 9232, Vienna

Designed between 1900 and 1905, executed before 1922

Beechwood, stained to mahogany colour and polished, table feet covered with brass, brass rods, upper shelf with handles on the long and narrow sides.

A rare model from the Viennese Secession period. A similar side table is part of the collection of Musée d'Orsay, Paris.

Literature: Bascou, Marc; Massé, Marie-Madeleine; Thiébaut, Philippe: Musée d'Orsay - Catalogue sommaire illustré des arts décoratifs, Musée d'Orsay, Editions de la Réunion des musées nationaux, Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication, Paris, 1988, 211
Thonet Katalog von 1910, Reedition, Peter Ellenberg collection, Editions Volutes 1900, 94

S

Michael Thonet

Bentwood chair manufactured by Gebrüder Thonet, No 14 1/2, Vienna

Designed in 1859, executed between 1881 and 1919

Solid and bent beechwood, caned seat, wooden parts stained and polished

This model presents the small variant of the famous bentwood chair no 14 by Michael Thonet. Already around 1900, millions of chairs no 14 were produced and exported worldwide. No 14 is the first chair ever designed for industrial mass production and an icon of early design history. The model 14 1/2 presented here with a seat diameter of 37 cm is the smaller space-saving variant of No 14 with its 42 cm seat.

Literature: Thillmann, W.: Perfektes Design - Thonet Nr. 14, Kerber Verlag, Bielefeld, Berlin, 2015, S. 74
Bangert, A. und Ellenberg, P.: Thonet Möbel, Bugholz-Klassiker von 1830 - 1930, W. Heyne Verlag, München, 1997, S. 48 ff.

00015 GT

Kurt Thut

Six chairs with extending table, model no 042 and 041, executed by Thut Möbel AG, Möriken, Schweiz

Designed 1955

Chairs with seat and swinging backrest in cane, solid wood frame in mahogany. Extending table in solid mahogany, tabletop coated with black textolite.

The Swiss cabinet maker, designer and architect Kurt Thut designed this light and functional chair in 1955 for his diploma work at Kunstgewerbeschule Zürich under the guidance of Willy Guhl. Among Thut's professors were Johannes Itten and Hans Bellmann.

Literature: eMuseum, Museum für Gestaltung, Zürich, 2020, https://www.emuseum.ch/objects/39612/modell-042
Billing, Joan und Eberli, Samuel: Kurt Thut - Protagonist der Schweizer Wohnkultur, Scheidegger & Spiess, Hrsg. Design & Design, Zürich, 2017, 67-69, 84-89

00031 KT

Otto Wagner

Two armchairs and one settee, executed by J.&J. Kohn, no. 721, Vienna

Designed in 1902

Bent beech wood, back and seat in plywood, stained to mahogany and polished

This chair by O. Wagner is a variant of the chair that he created for the dispatch office DIE ZEIT, Vienna. The design of evenly perforated holes in the back became very popular in modern chair design: a famous example is the Landi-chair by Hans Coray for the Swiss Federal Exhibition in 1939.

Literature:
Hackenschmidt, S. and Thillmann, W.: Bugholz, vielschichtig - Thonet und das moderne Möbeldesign, Birkhäuser Verlag GmbH, 2019, 222, 258

0001 OW