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Montis Axel

Customizable Montis Axel Sofa by GIJS PAPAVOINE
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
an aperitif. The AXEL is the ultimate sofa that welcomes you with a distinct sense of luxury. Modular
Category

2010s Dutch Sofas

Materials

Upholstery

Customizable Montis Axel Sofa by GIJS PAPAVOINE
Customizable Montis Axel Sofa by GIJS PAPAVOINE
$6,898 / item
H 31.5 in W 74.81 in D 38.19 in
Customizable Size & Upholstery Montis Axel Sofa by GIJS PAPAVOINE
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
friends. Enjoy a glass of fine wine or an aperitif. The AXEL is the ultimate sofa that welcomes you with a
Category

2010s Dutch Sofas

Materials

Upholstery

Customizable Size & Upholstery Montis Axel Sofa by GIJS PAPAVOINE
Customizable Size & Upholstery Montis Axel Sofa by GIJS PAPAVOINE
$10,619 / item
H 31.5 in W 118.9 in D 38.19 in
Montis Axel XL Sectional Sofa by Gijs Papavoine in STOCK
By Gijs Papavoine, Montis
Located in New York, NY
Monza, Color 00
Category

2010s Dutch Modern Sectional Sofas

Materials

Leather, Fabric

Montis Axel XL Sectional Sofa by Gijs Papavoine in STOCK
Montis Axel XL Sectional Sofa by Gijs Papavoine in STOCK
$17,870 Sale Price
30% Off
H 31.5 in W 114.97 in D 101.19 in

Recent Sales

Montis Axel Sectional Sofa
By Gijs Papavoine, Montis
Located in New York, NY
Montis axel sofa Axel 3-seat sofa right arm, surround upholstered in Kodiak snow Seat and back
Category

2010s Dutch Modern Sectional Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Leather

Montis Axel Sectional Sofa
Montis Axel Sectional Sofa
H 31.5 in W 108.27 in D 64.57 in
Montis Axel 2-Seater Black Leather Sofa
By Montis
Located in Basildon, London
The Montis Axel 2-Seater Black Leather Sofa is a sleek and stylish addition to any home. Montis is
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Sofas

Materials

Leather, Wood

Montis Axel 2-Seater Black Leather Sofa
Montis Axel 2-Seater Black Leather Sofa
H 18.51 in W 74.81 in D 25.2 in
Montis Axel Leather Loveseat
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
Axel 2.5-seat sofa Measures: 62" W x 22" H x 37" D Montis "Rancho Nuboso” leather Original price
Category

Early 2000s Dutch Sofas

Materials

Leather

Montis Axel Leather Loveseat
H 22 in W 62 in D 37 in
Mid-Century Cognac "Axel" Leather Sofa Designed by Gijs Papavoine for Montis
By Gijs Papavoine, Montis
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"Axel" cognac leather sofa by Gijs Papavoine for Montis. Beautiful Mid-Century three seater sofa
Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Chrome

Montis Axel Black Leather Sofa
By Gijs Papavoine, Montis
Located in New York, NY
The AXEL, with its broad seats, is a Dutch seating landscape. This sober design, unrivaled in
Category

2010s Dutch Sofas

Materials

Leather

Montis Axel Black Leather Sofa
Montis Axel Black Leather Sofa
H 24.8 in W 96.9 in D 38.2 in
Montis Axel 3.5 Seater Fabric Sofa
By Gijs Papavoine, Montis
Located in New York, NY
The AXEL, with its broad seats, is a Dutch seating landscape. This sober design, unrivaled in
Category

2010s Dutch Sofas

Materials

Fabric

Montis Axel 3.5 Seater Fabric Sofa
Montis Axel 3.5 Seater Fabric Sofa
H 24.8 in W 85.5 in D 38.2 in
Montis Axel XL Fabric Sectional Sofa with Walnut Table
By Gijs Papavoine, Montis
Located in New York, NY
Axel XL by Montis. It has a walnut table, which can be attached to the sectional, or used as a
Category

2010s Dutch Modern Sectional Sofas

Materials

Fabric

Montis Axel Light Blue Leather Sofa by Gijs Papavoine in Stock
By Gijs Papavoine, Montis
Located in New York, NY
Model: 200 Number/type: Axel XL 200-B Execution: 2 Arms, wide Arm, deep seating The AXEL, with its
Category

2010s Dutch Sofas

Materials

Leather

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Montis for sale on 1stDibs

Modern Dutch design owes a great deal to Gerard van den Berg. While the Netherlands has a rich furniture-making tradition, it took a maverick like Van den Berg to bring it into a new era. 

Van den Berg was born in 1947 to a family of designers. His father owned a furniture company in Hellevoetsluis where Van den Berg worked as an apprentice and then designer until he and his brother, Ton, founded their own workshop, in 1974. That company, named Montis, produced mostly upholstered seating for homes and businesses.

At Montis, Van den Berg challenged traditional Dutch furniture forms. Rather than starting with the piece's frame, which he felt was restrictive, he focused on the silhouette. This inspired Van den Berg to create slim and elegant furniture, often featuring angular metal legs and leather upholstery. In 1983, he pioneered the "jacket technique," consisting of a zipped leather cover around a metal frame. Several iconic Montis seats use this technique, including the Chaplin chair, the Butterfly lounge chair and the Rocky sofa.

In 1989, Van den Berg launched his own design studio and began designing for companies like Wittmann, Molteni and Perobell. He left Montis in 1990 to cofound a new company, called Label, with Ton the following year. Today, Van den Berg's son Jasper and Ton's daughter, Marieke, manage Label. Van den Berg's other son, Ivo, is also a designer at the company.

Van den Berg's irreplaceable contributions to furniture design have garnered multiple awards over the years. Some of the most notable include the Kho Liang Prize, the Mobilia Innovation Award and the Prize for Interior Architecture. 

Find vintage Montis seating on 1stDibs.

Finding the Right Sofas for You

Black leather, silk velvet cushions, breathable bouclé fabric — when shopping for antique or vintage sofas, today’s couch connoisseurs have much to choose from in terms of style and shape. But it wasn’t always thus. 

The sofa is typically defined as a long upholstered seat that features a back and arms and is intended for two or more people. While the term “couch” comes from the Old French couche, meaning to lie down, and sofa has Eastern origins, both are forms of divan, a Turkish word that means an elongated cushioned seat. Bench-like seating in Ancient Greece, which was padded with soft blankets, was called klinai. No matter how you spell it, sofa just means comfort, at least it does today.

In the early days of sofa design, upholstery consisted of horsehair or dried moss. Sofas that originated in countries such as France during the 17th century were more integral to decor than they were to comfort. Like most Baroque furnishings from the region, they frequently comprised heavy, gilded mahogany frames and were upholstered in floral Beauvais tapestry. Today, options abound when it comes to style and material, with authentic leather offerings and classy steel settees. Plush, velvet chesterfields represent the platonic ideal of coziness

Vladimir Kagan’s iconic sofa designs, such as the Crescent and the Serpentine — which, like the sectional sofas of the 1960s created by furniture makers such as Harvey Probber, are quite popular among mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts — showcase the spectrum of style available to modern consumers. Those looking to make a statement can turn to Studio 65’s lip-shaped Bocca sofa, which was inspired by the work of Salvador Dalí. Elsewhere, the furniture of the 1970s evokes an era when experimentation ruled, or at least provided a reason to break the rules. Just about every area of society felt a sudden urge to be wayward, to push boundaries — and buttons. Vintage leather sofas of that decade are characterized by a rare blending of the showy and organic.

With so many options, it’s important to explore and find the perfect furniture for your space. Paying attention to the lines of the cushions as well as the flow from the backrest into the arms is crucial to identifying a cohesive new piece for your home or office.

Fortunately, with styles from every era — and even round sofas — there’s a luxurious piece for every space. Deck out your living room with an Art Deco lounge or go retro with a nostalgic '80s design. No matter your sitting vision, the right piece is waiting for you in the expansive collection of unique sofas on 1stDibs.