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Bauhaus Shelves and Wall Cabinets

BAUHAUS STYLE

The Bauhaus was a progressive German art and design school founded by the architect Walter Gropius that operated from 1919 to 1933. Authentic Bauhaus furnituresofas, dining chairs, tables and more — and the school’s followers married industrial and natural materials in simple, geometric forms. The goal of the Bauhaus was to erase the distinction between art and craft while embracing the use of new technologies and materials.

ORIGINS OF BAUHAUS FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF BAUHAUS FURNITURE DESIGN

  • Emphasis on craft
  • Simplicity, order, clarity and a prioritization of functionalism
  • Incorporation of geometric shapes
  • Minimalist and refined, little to no ornamentation
  • Use of industrial materials such as tubular chrome, steel and plastic as well as leather, cane and molded plywood in furniture and other products

BAUHAUS FURNITURE DESIGNERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

AUTHENTIC BAUHAUS FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

The name Bauhaus is derived from the German verb bauen, “to build.” Under the school’s innovative curriculum, students were taught the fine arts, such as painting and sculpture, as well as practical skills like carpentry and metalworking. 

The school moved from Weimar in 1925 to the city of Dessau, where it enjoyed its heyday under Gropius, then Hannes Meyer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The period from 1932 to 1933 when it operated in Berlin under Mies was its final chapter. Despite its brief existence, the Bauhaus has had an enduring impact on art and design in the United States and elsewhere, and is regarded by many as the 20th century’s chief crucible of modernism

The faculty roster at the Bauhaus reads like a who’s who of modernist creative genius — it included such artists as Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and László Moholy-Nagy along with architects and designers like Mies and Marcel Breuer, who became known for his muscular brutalist-style concrete buildings in the postwar years. In 1925, while he was head of the Bauhaus carpentry workshop, Breuer gave form to his signature innovation: the use of lightweight tubular-steel frames for chairs, side tables and sofas — a technique soon adopted by Mies and others. Breuer’s Cesca chair was the first-ever tubular steel frame chair with a caned seat to be mass produced, while the inspiration for his legendary Wassily chair, a timeless design and part of the collection crafted to furnish the Dessau school, was the bike he rode around campus.

Bauhaus design style reflects the tenets by which these creators worked: simplicity, clarity and function. They disdained superfluous ornament in favor of precise construction. Seating pieces such as side chairs, armchairs or club chairs for example, were made with tubular metal or molded plywood frames, and upholstery was made from leather or cane. Above all, designs in the Bauhaus style offer aesthetic flexibility. They can be the elements of a wholly spare, minimalist space, the quiet foundation of an environment in which color and pattern come from one’s own collection of art and artifacts.

Today, from textiles to typefaces, architecture, furniture and decorative objects for the home, Bauhaus creations continue to have an outsize influence on modern design.

Find a collection of authentic Bauhaus furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Bauhaus
Ernst Dieter Hilker, Fine Mid Century Modern 'Omnia' Wall Unit For Hilker Möbel.
Located in Sittingbourne, GB
A Fabulous German design classic ‘Omnia’ Modular Wall Unit by Ernst Dieter Hilker. Highly decorative minimalist design with black lacquered metal uprights and high quality walnut fi...
Category

1960s German Vintage Bauhaus Shelves and Wall Cabinets

Materials

Metal, Brass

Ernst Dieter Hilker, Fine Mid Century Modern 'Omnia' Wall Unit For Hilker Möbel.
Located in Sittingbourne, GB
A Fabulous German design classic ‘Omnia’ Modular Wall Unit by Ernst Dieter Hilker. Highly decorative minimalist design with black lacquered metal uprights and high quality walnut fi...
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1960s German Vintage Bauhaus Shelves and Wall Cabinets

Materials

Metal, Brass

Functionalist wall shelf, Bauhaus period, 1930s, Czechoslovakia
Located in Prague 8, CZ
This functionalist wall shelf was made during the Bauhaus period in the 1930s in the former Czechoslovakia. It is known that Czechoslovakia was one of the leading producers of chrome...
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Mid-20th Century Czech Bauhaus Shelves and Wall Cabinets

Materials

Chrome

Bauhaus Office Cabinet, Black Lacquer, Mahogany, Germany circa 1930
Located in Regensburg, DE
Elegant, cleanlined Bauhaus office wall cabinet or cupboard. Two available. Fully restored, from Germany circa 1930. Black high gloss piano lacquer...
Category

1930s German Vintage Bauhaus Shelves and Wall Cabinets

Materials

Metal

Large Vintage Pine Wall Unit Coat Rack
Located in Dorchester, GB
A large pine vintage wall mounted coat rack. Great proportions. Peg joints. A stylish piece, circa 1970. Dimensions H- 190cm W- 103cm D...
Category

1970s British Vintage Bauhaus Shelves and Wall Cabinets

Materials

Pine

Wall-mounted metal Console "Sardina" by Nobe Italia Gold Finish
Located in piacenza, IT
Sardina console are more than just a wall fitting, these practical console are an elegant interior design feature enhancing wall surfaces. These stunning shelves have a multitude of...
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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Bauhaus Shelves and Wall Cabinets

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Large Size and Hand Carved Art Deco Wall Coat Rack with Bull Elephant in Relief
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Erik Buch Style Mid Century Danish Teak Freestanding Wall Unit
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Deep 2G Wall-Mounted Shelf Console in Waxed Aluminum Plate by Jonathan Nesci
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Metal Wall Mounted Shelving Unit by NVF, the Netherlands 1960's
Located in Steenwijk, NL
This stunning metal shelving unit was made by the Dutch manufacturer NVF in the 1960's. It is made out of 2 grey lacquered metal wall fixtures and 3 adjustable metal shelves in red, ...
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A Large Wall Hanging Pine Plate Rack
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Poul Cadovius Mid- Century Modern Modular Teak Wall Unit Shelving for Cado, 1960
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1 Rosewood Poul Hundevad Wall Unit for Jensen & Herning
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Bauhaus Étagère, Black Lacquer and Metal Parts, Germany, circa 1930
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Bauhaus Hanger by Mucke-Melder, 1930s, Bohemia
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A beautiful example of Bohemian pre-war functionalism represents this model of entrance clothes stand with mirror. It was made in the 1930s by Mucke-Melder company. The rack features...
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Bauhaus Hanger by Mucke-Melder, 1930s, Bohemia
Bauhaus Hanger by Mucke-Melder, 1930s, Bohemia
H 70.87 in W 35.83 in D 11.82 in

Bauhaus shelves and wall cabinets for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Bauhaus shelves and wall cabinets for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage shelves and wall cabinets created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include wall decorations, case pieces and storage cabinets and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Bauhaus shelves and wall cabinets made in a specific country, there are Europe, Czech Republic, and Germany pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original shelves and wall cabinets, popular names associated with this style include and Dario Cipelletti. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for shelves and wall cabinets differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $642 and tops out at $9,902 while the average work can sell for $1,542.

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