Armchair thumbnail 1
Armchair thumbnail 2
+2
images

This object consists of 2 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Armchair

1936 (designed and made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This armchair was part of a range of furniture designed for a north London flat commissioned by Mrs Dora Ventris in advanced modernist style from the Hungarian-born, former Bauhaus teacher Marcel Breuer. The flat was located in a tall building designed by architect Berthold Lubetkin, and his firm Tecton, known as ‘Highpoint’. Built-in and free-standing furniture was designed by Breuer to organize the space, including a pair of these chairs and a matching sofa. They were made in Bristol from large, cut-out sheets of plywood for the frame and moulded plywood armrests. Their organic, curvilinear geometry represented a departure from the severe rectilinear geometry of Breuer’s earlier work on the Continent. The cut-out elements were simple and relatively inexpensive to cut, also representing a departure from Breuer moulded plywood furniture.

Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Armchair
  • Upholstery
Materials and techniques
sycamore veneered plywood
Brief description
Armchair, designed by Marcel Breuer, made by P.E.Gane Ltd for Isokon, 1935, England
Physical description
Armchair made of sycamore-veneered plywood (9 ply) with rectangular seat and back cushions. Side panels have loop design forming both armrests and shelving.
Dimensions
  • Height: 96.2cm (Note: Dimension from file)
  • Width: 74.6cm (Note: Dimension from file)
HW: 96.2x74.6cm (from file)
Style
Production typeUnique
Gallery label
Armchair 1936 Marcel Breuer (1902–81) England Made by P.E. Gane Ltd for Isokon Furniture Company, Bristol Sycamore veneered plywood (9 ply) Upholstery: sprung under-upholstery (original) with wool top cover (replaced) Designed for the Ventris apartment, Highpoint, Highgate, London Purchased through the Art Fund Museum no. W.22:1-2003 The side panels of this chair are cut, following a template, from pre-purchased, flat sheets of plywood. This is a cheap process that can be done in any workshop and does not require expensive moulds or tooling. The cutting was done using an electric saw, a recessing machine or a spindle moulder. Today it would be done using a standard, lightweight router. (01/12/2012)
Credit line
Purchased with Art Fund support
Production
Reason For Production: Commission
Summary
This armchair was part of a range of furniture designed for a north London flat commissioned by Mrs Dora Ventris in advanced modernist style from the Hungarian-born, former Bauhaus teacher Marcel Breuer. The flat was located in a tall building designed by architect Berthold Lubetkin, and his firm Tecton, known as ‘Highpoint’. Built-in and free-standing furniture was designed by Breuer to organize the space, including a pair of these chairs and a matching sofa. They were made in Bristol from large, cut-out sheets of plywood for the frame and moulded plywood armrests. Their organic, curvilinear geometry represented a departure from the severe rectilinear geometry of Breuer’s earlier work on the Continent. The cut-out elements were simple and relatively inexpensive to cut, also representing a departure from Breuer moulded plywood furniture.
Bibliographic reference
'Flat at Highpoint, Highgate. Furniture and Decoration by Marcel Breuer and F.R.S. Yorke', Architectural Review Supplement, (vol LXXXI), April 1937, pp.192-194.
Collection
Accession number
W.22:1, 2-2003

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJuly 22, 2004
Record URL
Download as: JSON