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Hans Hopfer

German

German designer and artist Hans Hopfer had a profound impact on furniture design that still guides the choices we make about our spaces today. Affectionately dubbed “seating landscapes,” Hopfer’s forward-looking collections of inviting, modular low-profile seating, such as the widely revered Mah Jong sofa for Roche Bobois, allowed for optimal customized arrangements in one’s living room, an innovation that reshaped relaxation at home in a significant and lasting way. 

Hopfer designed modern furniture for a manufacturer in Nuremberg during the 1960s. He met Phillippe Roche in 1970 and began his collaboration with the Roche Bobois company. When the popularity of cable television took hold in more major American cities during the 1970s, sofas and other seating became integral to contemporary living-room decor. Roche Bobois’s newly launched Les Contemporains series positioned its own sofas front and center, and it also offered plush lounge chairs designed by Mario Bellini.

Bold works from Roche Bobois during the decade included one of its most enduring and well-known pieces — the Mah Jong sectional sofa created by Hopfer in 1971. Anchored by few central elements, this modular lounge sofa can be combined or stacked, giving the buyer total freedom over its appearance and the ability to maximize comfort with its plump cushions. Inspired by a tile-based game that originated in China, the Mah Jong has been in production since its debut. It is still handmade in a workshop in Italy today. 

Composed of low seating elements and large cushions, Hopfer’s Mah Jong sofa has seen some high-profile fabric updates by Missoni, Jean Paul Gaultier and Japanese clothing designer Kenzo Takada, who worked with Roche Bobois to craft fabrics emblazoned with geometrically dynamic patterns to be used as upholstery for the firm’s iconic piece of furniture. 

Primarily a sculptor and painter by trade, Hopfer worked and lived between Buenos Aires, Nuremberg and Paris. In addition to the work he did for Roche Bobois — which included his Informel armchairs and sofas — he also created modular furniture for the Wiener Werkstatte, a collective of artists and designers born from the Vienna Secession art movement in Austria during the early 20th century. 

On 1stDibs, find vintage Hans Hopfer lounge chairs, armchairs and sofas.

Average Sold Price
$15,373
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Mah Jong Kenzo Platform Sofa Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois 21st C
Mah Jong Kenzo Platform Sofa Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois 21st C

Mah Jong Kenzo Platform Sofa Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois 21st C

By Hans Hopfer, Kenzo Takada, Roche Bobois

Located in Rio Vista, CA

An iconic and rare 21st century Mah Jong "Composition Natsu-Kenzo Takada" sectional modular sofa with gilt beech wood platforms. The Natsu sofa was commissioned in 2021 to mark the 5...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Hans Hopfer

Materials

Fabric, Foam, Beech

Mah Jong Kenzo Missoni Sectional Sofa by Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois
Mah Jong Kenzo Missoni Sectional Sofa by Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois

Mah Jong Kenzo Missoni Sectional Sofa by Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois

By Roche Bobois, Kenzo Takada, Hans Hopfer, Missoni

Located in Rio Vista, CA

Iconic large Roche Bobois Mah Jong modular 22 piece sectional sofa designed in the mid 20th century by Hans Hopfer (German b. 1931). This special set measures 19 feet wide and featu...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Hans Hopfer

Materials

Fabric, Foam

Hans Hopfer Castell Modular Ottoman Set, Multicolor Upholstery, 1960s
Hans Hopfer Castell Modular Ottoman Set, Multicolor Upholstery, 1960s

Hans Hopfer Castell Modular Ottoman Set, Multicolor Upholstery, 1960s

By Josef Hoffmann and Konrad Schindel for Wiener Werkstatte, Hans Hopfer

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Hans Hopfer's innovative Castell modular ottoman system showcases the designer's revolutionary approach to functional furniture for Wiener Werkstätte. These two interlocking pieces f...

Category

1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Hans Hopfer

Materials

Fabric, Upholstery, Foam

Hans Hopfer for Wiener Werkstätte Castell Sectional Sofa in Cognac Leather
Hans Hopfer for Wiener Werkstätte Castell Sectional Sofa in Cognac Leather

Hans Hopfer for Wiener Werkstätte Castell Sectional Sofa in Cognac Leather

By Hans Hopfer, Wiener Werkstätte

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Hans Hopfer for Wiener Werkstätte 'Castell' modular sofa, leather, Austria, design 1972 Stunning and sizable modular sofa designed by Hans Hopfer for Wiener Werkstätte. This grand ...

Category

1970s Austrian Post-Modern Vintage Hans Hopfer

Materials

Leather

Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobios Post-Modern Croissant Sofa in Off-White Fabric
Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobios Post-Modern Croissant Sofa in Off-White Fabric

Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobios Post-Modern Croissant Sofa in Off-White Fabric

By Hans Hopfer, Roche Bobois

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois, sofa, reupholstered fabric, France, late 1970s The Croissant sofa, designed by Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois, epitomizes the organic and fluid design ...

Category

1970s French Post-Modern Vintage Hans Hopfer

Materials

Fabric

Mah Jong 17-piece sectional sofa in Kenzo Takada fabric, Roche Bobois
Mah Jong 17-piece sectional sofa in Kenzo Takada fabric, Roche Bobois

Mah Jong 17-piece sectional sofa in Kenzo Takada fabric, Roche Bobois

$22,404 / set

H 27.56 in W 159.45 in D 84.65 in

Mah Jong 17-piece sectional sofa in Kenzo Takada fabric, Roche Bobois

By Hans Hopfer, Kenzo Takada, Roche Bobois

Located in amstelveen, NL

Mah Jong modular sofa set by Hans Hopfer, designed in 1971 for Roche Bobois and in a customized mix of textiles by Kenzo Takada. It features multiple cushions that can be arranged ...

Category

2010s French Mid-Century Modern Hans Hopfer

Materials

Cotton, Silk, Velvet

Mah Jong Sofa, Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois
Mah Jong Sofa, Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois

Mah Jong Sofa, Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois

$20,000

H 26 in W 112.5 in D 75 in

Mah Jong Sofa, Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois

By Hans Hopfer

Located in Las Vegas, NV

Mah Jong Sofa by Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois. Fully modular design allows for sofa to be set up as a sectional, a long sofa, or a conversation pit. A rare example in a textured, k...

Category

Late 20th Century French Modern Hans Hopfer

Materials

Foam, Fabric

Mah Jong Modular Sofa by Kenzo Takada & Missoni for Roche Bobois, Set of 18
Mah Jong Modular Sofa by Kenzo Takada & Missoni for Roche Bobois, Set of 18

Mah Jong Modular Sofa by Kenzo Takada & Missoni for Roche Bobois, Set of 18

By Roche Bobois, Kenzo Takada, Missoni, Hans Hopfer

Located in Buccinasco, MI

An iconic and highly decorative Mah Jong modular sofa, originally designed by Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois, presented here in a rare and sophisticated configuration upholstered with ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Hans Hopfer

Materials

Fabric, Cotton, Upholstery, Foam

Browse all Furniture from Hans Hopfer
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Hans Hopfer Sale Prices

Sold DateSold PriceCategoryMaterialCreation Year
2026$21,304Sectional SofasCotton, Satin, Velvet2000 circa
2026$8,100Sectional SofasFabric1990
2026$13,050Sectional SofasFabricCirca 1970
2026$25,478SofasFabric, FoamEarly 21st Century
2026$2,385Lounge ChairsFabric1971
2025$2,777Living Room SetsWoolCirca 21st Century
2025$11,900Sectional SofasCotton, Silk, Velvetcirca 2017
2025$25,000SofasFabric21st Century
2025$7,000SofasFabric20th Century
2025$12,500SofasUpholstery2000s
2025$6,069Sectional SofasFabric, Velvetcirca 1980-90
2025$16,250Sectional SofasFabric, FoamMid 20th century
2025$33,000SofasFabric20th Century
$15,373
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months
$2,777-$34,000
Sold price range of items in the past 12 months

Creators Similar to Hans Hopfer

Hans Hopfer furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Hans Hopfer furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of fabric and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Hans Hopfer furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Hans Hopfer were created in the modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Studio Simon, Guglielmo Veronesi, and Adriano Piazzesi. Prices for Hans Hopfer furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,450 and can go as high as $61,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $24,112.
Questions About Hans Hopfer
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 16, 2024
    Roche Bobois is famous for producing luxury furniture. During the 1960s, the furniture maker became well known for pieces that captured the essence of minimal and modernist Scandinavian design. The brand is also famous for its collaborations. Since its inception, Roche Bobois has worked with many internationally renowned architects and designers on its collections, among them Paola Navone and Vladimir Kagan, as well as fashion designers such as Missoni and Emanuel Ungaro. Find a selection of Roche Bobois furniture on 1stDibs.