Nov 08, 2011 when it comes to furniture these things are usually antiques. Design marcel breuer, 1925 seamless chromed or plated tubular steel, cowhide leather made by knoll marcel breuer was an apprentice at the bauhaus in 1925 when he conceived the first tubular steel chair, the wassily chair, based on the tubed frame of a bicycle. Design marcel breuer, 1925 seamless chromed or plated tubular steel, cowhide leather made by knoll marcel breuer was an apprentice at the bauhaus in 1925 when he conceived the first tubular steel chair, the wassily chair. He designed his famous wassily chair for painter wassily kandinsky, breuers colleague on the bauhaus. Made of leather and cantilevered steel, the wassily chair. The most comprehensive book on architect and designer marcel breuer. Thanks to the innovative aluminium, tubular steel and plywood pieces he designed first at the bauhaus in 1920s germany and then as an emigre in 1930s switzerland and england, marcel breuer 19021981 is best known as one of the early 20th centurys. Marcel breuers most recognized furniture design was the first bent tubular steel chair, known as the wassily chair. Perhaps the most widely recognized of breuer s early designs was his design for the first bent tubular steel chair, later known as the wassily chair, which was inspired, in part, by the curved tubular steel handlebars on his adler bicycle. Wholesale supplier for marcel breuer cesca chair parts seats and backs made in italy these beautiful breuer chair replacement cane seats and backs will update the look of your breuer chairs in your home or business.
A champion of the modern movement and protege of bauhaus founder walter gropius, marcel breuer is equally celebrated for his achievements in architecture and furniture. Marcel breuer s tubular steel desk s 285 for thonet is a successful example of the programmatic bauhaus claim to combine art and technology into a new unity. Chair of tubular steel, with seat and back panels of bent beechwood, filled with caning. Model b33 cantilever chair, designed by marcel breuer, 192728. The cantilever chair s 32 and the version s 64 with armrests are the most famous tubular steel classics. The wassily chair is marcel breuers best known chair. Here is how robert mccarter puts it in our new breuer book. Chairs free delivery possible on eligible purchases. He is presently working on a book about the architecture. The chair, based on a 1920s design by marcel breuer, has a tubular steel frame and a caned seat and back. The frame of the chair was made from polished, bent, nickelled tubular steel, which later became chrome plated. With their versatility, they became bestselling cantilever chairs and still are today. Mar 30, 2015 marcel breuer designed and built the chair cesca chair in 1928 working with the steel tubes with the intention of creating a session that would ensure both comfort and elegance.
Marcel breuer design and architecture, vitra design museum,2003, p. Tubular steel was mostly used for bicycle frames until. Marcel breuer, cantilever chair b64, germany, 1928tubular. While at the bauhaus, marcel breuer revolutionized the modern vocabulary with his tubular steel furniture. Marcel lajos breuer, international style and modernism. Marcel breuer eminent bauhaus furniture designer aram store. The wassily chair, was originally known as the model b3 chair, was a club chair designed by marcel breuer, aged only 24, in 19251926 while he. Kandinsky admired breuers finished chair design, and only then did breuer make an additional copy for kandinskys use in his home. Marcel breuer designed the s 32 and s 64 during his time in berlin in 1928. It was designed by marcel breuer and it dates back to, believe it or not, 1929. In this case, he molded the material into a single, snaking outline onto which he attached two beechwood frames covered.
Breuer who introduced the tubular steel chair wassily in 1925 realized the opportunities this material represented and designed model b64 in 1928. About marcel breuer, bauhaus architect and designer. Marcel breuer, experimenting with tubular steel, designed the wassily chair, reducing the form of the classic club chair. Syracuse architecture receives gift of vintage marcel. In 1928, breuer developed the tubular steel, wood and cane side chair, now widely known as the cesca chair, a beautifully patinaed version. The cantilevered form exploits the possibilities unique to the material and gives the chair. Marcel breuer is famous for his tubular steel furniture, yet his real interest was architecture. Vintage marcel breuer tan leather wassily chair chairish. The many lives of a very common chair the new york times. Both the seat and armrests are dramatically cantilevered without vertical supports, emphasizing both the tensile strength and the slenderness of the tubular steel construction. Marcel breuer conceived the first tubular steel chair, in 1925, based on the tubed frame of a bicycle. Designed in 1928, marcel breuer s cesca chair married traditional craftsmanship with industrial methods and materials to help make tubular steel furniture an international sensation and a modern institution. Marcel breuer, tubular steel armchair, design 19251926.
Named after his friend, the painter wassily kandinsky and designed for the dessau bauhaus buildings. Marcel lajos breuer was a hungarianborn modernist architect, and furniture designer. Indeed, breuer went onto design a whole suite of steeltube furniture. Make offer gavina wassily b3 chair marcel breuer 50s 60s design with label.
Marcel breuer, experimenting with tubular steel, designed the wassily chair, reducing the form of the classic club chair to its elemental lines and planes. It continues to be among the most widely replicated chairs in the world. The architect and designer marcel breuer was one the 20th centurys most influential and innovative adherents of modernism. The wassily chair was designed in 1925 and inspired by the curved tubular steel handlebars on breuers adler bicycle. Cesca chair definition, a chair, with or without arms, designed by marcel breuer in 1928, having a cantilevered frame of chromiumplated or stainless tubular steel and a seat and back of bentwood. Finally, the patent for the cantilever chair was assigned to mart stam, but in those years, many people worked on the idea of a chair constituted by steel. Buy marcel breuer wassily chair brown leather high quality. Samuel hogaboom marcel breuer wassily chair analysis. Marcel breuer married traditional craftsmanship with industrial methods and materials to help make tubular steel furniture an international sensation and a modern institution. Feb 07, 1991 the chair, based on a 1920s design by marcel breuer, has a tubular steel frame and a caned seat and back. In 19261927, breuer founded the company standard mobel gmbh with kalman lengyel in berlin. Despite popular belief, the chair was not designed specifically for the nonobjective painter wassily kandinsky, who was on the bauhaus faculty at the same time. Armchair, tubular steel with red canvas, designed by marcel breuer 19251926 and manufactured by either standard mobel or thonet mobel in 19271928. Marcel breuer 19021981 thonet fauteuil dit b46 1928 chromeplated steel, upholstery, lacquered wood 33.
The wassily chair, also known as the model b3 chair, was designed by marcel breuer in 19251926 while he was the head of the cabinetmaking workshop at the bauhaus, in dessau, germany. In this case, he molded the material into a single, snaking outline onto which he attached two beechwood frames covered in caning. This chair in particular is the wassily chair by marcel breuer. Still, there are certain designs that are simple and so functional that we still find them beautiful even these days. Wassily chair 1925, cesca chair 1928, isokon long chair.
Wassily chair 1925 by marcel breuer timeless modern furniture profile. Model b32 chair by breuer, marcel lajos, 1928 designed after 1930 manufactured. Mass production, breuer said, made me interested in polished metal, in. The chair does not retain the easily removable manufacturers sticker, which is common with these chairs. In 1928, breuer developed the tubular steel, wood and cane side chair, now widely known. It was the first such chair massproduced, starting in 1928. Breuer was first recognized for inventing a bicyclehandlebarinspired tubular steel furniture. As we explained in an earlier story, having proved to be prodigious student, the schools founder walter gropius invited breuer to rejoin the bauhaus in 1925 at the age of 23, as director of the carpentry workshop. Jul 23, 1981 marcel breuer s chairs are not only modern classics, they have become a symbol of 20thcentury design. The revolutionary in abandoning the traditional construction of a fourlegs chair design, breuer.
You may recognize marcel breuer s wassily chair, but you know breuer s cesca, the bouncy metal tubular dining room chair with the often fake plastic cane seat and back. Despite the widespread popular belief that one of the most famous of breuers tubular steel chairs, the wassily chair was designed for wassily kandinsky, it was not. Marcel breuer attended the bauhaus from 1920 to 1924 and became head of its carpentry workshop in 1925. Marcel breuer cesca chair replacement cane seat and back in black made in italy. The wassily chair was first built by marcel breuer at the bauhaus institution in dessau, germany. Marcel breuer artwork for sale marcel breuer art value. The appealing combination of new and old contribute to their popularity. Chromeplated tubular steel, wood, lacquer arm rests, and canvas.
Sep 25, 2017 tracing the development of marcel breuers iconic wassily chair proves fascinating. Sparked by bicycle handlebars, marcel breuer s tubular steel chairs were a daring departure from traditional wood furniture. In 1937, he was appointed as chairman of harvards graduate school of design. The trained joiner combined his knowledge about tubular steel. Breuer continued to perfect the armchairs design until early 1928, when he arrived at the definitive version we know today. Thonets tradition in the production of bentwood furniture with characteristic vienna wickerwork, in contrast with the revolutionary use of tubular steel. Seat and backrest made of bent solid wood with wickerwork represent tradition, and the frame represents the present and future. Mb118 chair 1928 by marcel breuer marcel breuer designed this famous chair and manufactured it from one piece of tubular steel. Shelf furniture art deco furniture metal furniture furniture sale office furniture famous furniture designers bauhaus interior archives of american art design industrial. How marcel breuer and his bike changed the chair design. Named in tribute to his daughter francesca, the simple design pairs the industrial age aesthetic of tubular steel. The gleaming chromefinished tubular steel frame was inspired by the graceful, curving handlebars of the adler bicycle and is seamless in its. Marcel breuer trained at the bauhaus under walter gropius.
Buy online, view images and see past prices for marcel breuer, cesca b 64 armchair, 1928. Three years after designing his iconic wassily chair, which is believed to be the first bent tubular steel chair design, marcel breuer created the cesca chair 1928. His revolutionary cesca chair, named after his daughter francesca, marries userfriendly caning. Design marcel breuer, 1928 chromed tubular steel, machined cane insert made in usa by knoll marcel breuer conceived the first tubular steel chair, in 1925, based on the tubed frame of a bicycle.
It was created in 1928 while he was teaching at the bauhaus school of art in dessau germany. Marcel breuer s revolutionary 1928 cesca chair marries userfriendly caning and wood with the industrialage aesthetic of cantilevered tubular steel. Marcel breuer headed the furniture workshop at the bauhaus from 1925 to 1928. Tubular steel, chromeplated, beech, wickergermany, 1928designer. Marcel breuers wassily chair is believed to be the first bent tubular steel chair design. From furniture at the bauhaus, to iconic midcentury american architecture. The breuer wood frames are made from beechwood and come in four finishes, natural, honey oak, walnut, black lacquered or white with natural cane inset panel. His revolutionary cesca chair, named after his daughter francesca, marries userfriendly caning and hardwood beech with the industrialage aesthetic of cantilevered tubular steel. Breuer chair, 1926 marcel breuers bauhaus minimalism redefined a household basic. Despite popular belief, the chair was not designed for the nonobjective painter wassily kandinsky, who was on the bauhaus faculty at the same time. Best known for his iconic chair designs, breuer developed a thriving global. During that time, he designed the first tubular steel chair in the history of design.
For our bauhaus 100 series, marking 100 years of the influential school, we profile the. For this chair, he used the newest innovations in bending tubular steel for the. After his appointment by walter gropius as a junior master in 1925, he directed the furniture workshop, also known as the carpentry workshop, until 1928. Marcel breuer architecture, bio, ideas theartstory.
Chair marcel breuer cesca chair mb16 italy classics. Tubular steel chair designed by marcel breuer, photograph, b 24 x 17 cm. Range s 285 thonet chairs, armchairs, sofas, classics. Considered the inventor of tubular steel furniture, the designer and architect marcel breuer 19021981 is one of the most influential designers of. The use of tubular steel was intended to define sleek, polished. Breuer found his inspiration for the chair in the bent form of a bicycle handlebar, available for the first time in steel due to a development in technology. He envisioned tubular furniture made from steel and approached adler with the concept. Designed in 1928, it was the object of a dispute into german courts. With the flexible tubular steel, the first swinging cantilever chair was born. Like the cesca and wassily chairs, the laccio tables sculpted by marcel breuer are an essential part of the tale of midcentury modern design. Originally designed by marcel breuer in 1928, the cesca chair is made using durable tubular steel as its frame which is a newly invented material at that time.
The books and articles below constitute a bibliography of the sources used. Invaluable is the worlds largest marketplace for art, antiques, and collectibles. Yet fewer still shared as productive a relationship as marcel breuer and the steelframed adler bike, which breuer bought upon arriving at the bauhaus in 1925. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. The frame of the chair was made from polished, bent, nickelled tubular steel.
The design of this cesca chair was its cantilever form employing hardwood along with cane seat and the steel. The cesca chair bears the name of breuer s daughter. An original b32 model is in the collection of the museum of modern art in new york city even today, you can buy them, because breuer never took a patent on the design. The wood frame is available in natural, black lacquered, walnut, honey oak and white finish. The 1928 steelandchrome cesca chair named after breuers. Many forms influenced his design but it was primarily the tubular steel on bikes that made him opt for tubular steel. Breuer was a student and subsequently a master carpenter at the bauhaus in the early 1920s. Breuer chair midcentury modernism style antiques for sale. It typifies the bauhaus philosophy simple design, mass produced. View this item and discover similar for sale at 1stdibs original bauhaus tubular steel typewriter table model b 21 designed by marcel breuer and manufactured by thonet, germany, 1928. His first designs inspired by bicycle construction. A member of the bauhaus faculty, breuer like such colleagues as the. The below artworks are the most important by marcel breuer that both overview the major creative periods, and highlight the greatest achievements by the artist.
Marcel breuer 19021981 architect and designerproduction. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Bauhaus tubular steel typewriter table by marcel breuer. During world war ii, the aircraft industry accelerated the development of laminated wood and molded plastic furniture. It was the dutch designer mart stam who was the first to do so in 1926. The book is illustrated with photographs, drawings. Marcel breuer artwork for sale marcel breuer art value price guide. Mid century italian gun steel and plastic stackable chairs marcel breuer style. As one of the bestknown chairs in the world, the marcel breuer s cantilever chair designed in 1927 is another example of his fondness for tubular steel.
Wassily chair by marcel breuer, classic modern designer furniture. He is said to have come up with his bent tubular steel concept while looking at the handle bars of his bicycle. He was a renowned architect and master of modernism who pioneered the design of tubular steel. Breuer was inspired by the shape and form of a bicycle handlebars when he created one of his most famous pieces, the wassily chair no b3 in 1925.
When the chair was rereleased in the 1960s, it was designated wassily by its italian manufacturer, who had learned that kandinsky had been the recipient of one of the earliest postprototype units. Spanning the years 1920 to 1986, the papers include correspondence, interviews, writings, project files, photographs, financial records, and printed material documenting breuer s career as an architect and designer. Created by marcel breuer, who pioneered the use of tubular steel with his 1925 wassily chair, cesca represented his desire to further simplify the design and to reduce the visual noise of the chair. Wholesale supplier for marcel breuer cesca chair parts. He was so impressed by its lightness and strength that he had decided to make furniture from tubular steel.