H-269 Lounge Chair in Bent Beech & Sheepskin by Jindřich Halabala for Thonet, 1930s

Model · H-269
Designer · Jindřich Halabala
Manufacturer · Thonet
Origin · Czechoslovakia
Period · 1930s
Style · Modernist / Art Deco
Materials · Bent beech, sheepskin
Colour · Warm brown, beige

Object

H-269 seems to be held inside two enormous curves. Bent beech rises from the floor, sweeps around the arms and returns again in one continuous movement, while a generous surface of sheepskin settles between them. Structure becomes silhouette, and the silhouette becomes almost impossible to separate from the chair itself.

Designed in the 1930s, H-269 belongs to a fascinating moment when the elegance of Art Deco was beginning to give way to European modernism. Halabala kept something from both worlds: the drama of a sweeping line, but also the clarity of exposed construction. Wrapped in soft beige sheepskin and surrounded by dark wood, the chair feels less like an object from a particular decade and more like a small world of its own.

Designer

Jindřich Halabala (1903–1978) was born into a family of cabinetmakers in what was then Austria-Hungary, growing up with furniture making before studying design and architecture in Prague. His work emerged at a moment when traditional craftsmanship, industrial production and a radically new European modernism were beginning to meet.

Halabala became one of the defining figures of Czechoslovak furniture design. Bentwood, sweeping curves and generous upholstery gave his furniture a character distinct from the stricter modernism developing elsewhere. His chairs could be rational and theatrical at the same time. H-269 remains one of the clearest expressions of that tension.

Manufacturer

Thonet transformed furniture long before modernism had a name. Beginning with Michael Thonet's experiments in bentwood during the 19th century, the company discovered how solid wood could be softened, curved and repeated through industrial production, creating furniture that was lighter and more fluid than almost anything that had come before.

By the 20th century, that language of bentwood had become part of modern furniture itself. Pieces such as H-269 carried the technique into a new era, where sweeping wooden structures could meet the softer proportions and changing ideas of comfort that defined European interiors between the wars.

Condition

The seating has been completely reupholstered in genuine beige sheepskin, while the original bent beech structure has been professionally polished and refinished in a warm brown tone beneath transparent lacquer. The lounge chair is presented in excellent vintage condition. As with any authentic vintage piece, subtle traces of age and previous use may be present, adding to its history and individual character.

Dimensions

Width · 70 cm / 27.6 in
Depth · 85 cm / 33.5 in
Height · 80 cm / 31.5 in
Seat height · 42 cm / 16.5 in

Included

The lounge chair is accompanied by a Back to the Furniture Certificate of Originality, a Back to the Furniture flyer, a Thank You card and a small gift.

Availability

The lounge chair can be ready to ship within 15-20 workdays.

Shipping

Worldwide shipping is available. Every piece is carefully prepared and packed for international transport. Shipping costs are calculated according to destination at checkout, with tracking provided after dispatch.

Enquiries

For questions about the piece, its condition, shipping, delivery or any other details, please get in touch. Additional information is always available before purchase.

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