How does the Zig Zag chair work?

Gerrit Rietveld’s iconic minimalist Zig Zag Chair, designed in the 1930s, features a legless design composed of four dovetailed, interlocking wooden panels at mathematically precise angles with very few nuts and bolts. On 1stDibs, shop a wide collection of expertly-vetted Zig Zag chairs from some of the world’s top sellers.

What is the Zig Zag chair made out of?

The Zig Zag chair is made out of wood. Gerrit Rietvel created the first one out of four slabs of elm wood sometime between 1930 and 1934. Metz & Co. in Amsterdam, Netherlands, took over manufacturing and used a variety of hardwood, including pine. On 1stDibs, find a collection of Zig Zag chairs.

What is the zig-zag chair called?

The zig-zag chair is called the Zig Zag Stoel, but the most commonly used name among English speakers is the Zig-Zag chair. Introduced in 1934, the Zig-Zag chair resulted from Dutch department store Metz & Co. having enlisted Gerrit Rietveld to create a chair for mass production. “It is not a chair but a designer joke,” Rietveld famously said of the piece that would, ironically, become perhaps his most recognizable chair design. In the chair’s form, he delivered one of the earliest examples of a cantilevered seat. However, unlike cantilevered models by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer, Rietveld’s didn’t rely on a metal frame. In fact, the Zig-Zag chair is constructed completely from wood, and its graphic shape is a result of exceptionally precise craftsmanship. On 1stDibs, explore a collection of Gerrit Rietveld Zig-Zag chairs.

Zig Zag Stool

English Oak Joint Stool

English Turned Leg Stool

Low stool / Side table made of a singleblock of cedar Riva 1920 J+I Zig+Zag

$1,198 / item

H 15.75 in Dm 13.78 in

Low stool / Side table made of a singleblock of cedar Riva 1920 J+I Zig+Zag

By Riva 1920, Sakura Adachi

Located in Alcamo, IT

price refers to each single stool. Concept: J+I Zig+Zag combines minimal geometry with dynamic incision

Category

2010s Italian Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Wood, Cedar

Recent Sales

Rare 1930s Rationalist Stools

Unavailable

H 17.72 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in

Rare 1930s Rationalist Stools

Located in London, GB

Late 1930's Zig-Zag rationalist stools in tubular metal and wood seat , original painting and

Category

Vintage 1930s Italian Stools

Materials

Metal

Vintage Zig Zag Brass-Colored Upholstered Stool

Sold

H 15 in W 15.5 in D 15.5 in

Vintage Zig Zag Brass-Colored Upholstered Stool

Located in Astoria, NY

Vintage zig zag stool, upholstered in a faux silk flower pattern on a brass-colored metal structure

Category

20th Century Stools

Materials

Metal

Fantastic vintage Coastal low zig zag stools. Beautiful split reed construction

Sold

H 19.5 in W 8 in D 9.5 in

Fantastic vintage Coastal low zig zag stools. Beautiful split reed construction

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Fantastic vintage plaster sculpture of man. A handsome profile with stylish wavy hair. Rests on a plaster plinth. Acquired from a palm beach estate.

Category

Mid-20th Century North American Busts

Materials

Plaster

Pair of lucite zig zag bar stools by Gary Gutterman

Sold

H 35.5 in W 16 in D 21 in

Pair of lucite zig zag bar stools by Gary Gutterman

Located in New York, NY

Pair of lucite zig zag bar stools by Gary Gutterman. View our complete collection at

Category

Vintage 1970s American Stools

Materials

Lucite

Zig-Zag Folding Ottoman with Leather Seat

Sold

H 24 in W 21 in D 44 in

Zig-Zag Folding Ottoman with Leather Seat

Located in Culver City, CA

ZIG-ZAG folding ottoman with original leather seat, unusual form, adjustable.

Category

Vintage 1930s French Stools

Materials

Leather, Wood

Pair of Sculpted Art Burl Wood Zig-Zag Bar Stools, circa 1940s

Sold

H 33 in W 13.5 in D 13.5 in

Pair of Sculpted Art Burl Wood Zig-Zag Bar Stools, circa 1940s

By Frank Lloyd Wright

Located in Las Vegas, NV

Sculpted/chip carved burl wood bar stools from the 1940s. Gorgeous golden wood, all hand formed

Category

Vintage 1940s Mid-Century Modern Stools

English 1880s Oak Joint Stool with Inlaid Apron, Carved Legs and Side Stretchers

Sold

H 19.75 in W 24 in D 11 in

English 1880s Oak Joint Stool with Inlaid Apron, Carved Legs and Side Stretchers

Located in Atlanta, GA

stool features a rectangular seat with beveled edges, resting upon an apron inlaid with zig-zag patterns

Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Stools

Materials

Oak

Vintage Brass over Steel and White Upholstered Zig Zag Stool

Sold

H 16 in W 19 in D 17 in

Vintage Brass over Steel and White Upholstered Zig Zag Stool

Located in North Miami, FL

This vintage zig zag stool is brass toned in color over steel. It is not brass but looks like brass

Category

Vintage 1970s American Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Vintage Coastal Split Reed Zig Zag Stools, a Pair

Sold

H 17.25 in W 13.25 in D 13.25 in

Vintage Coastal Split Reed Zig Zag Stools, a Pair

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Fantastic vintage Coastal low zig zag stools. Beautiful split reed construction in a chic

Category

Late 20th Century Philippine Side Tables

Materials

Reed

Pair of Zig Zag Lucite Bar Stools

Sold

H 42 in W 16 in D 22 in

Pair of Zig Zag Lucite Bar Stools

By Gary Gutterman

Located in East Hampton, NY

Fabulous pair of zig zag barstools with swivel seats upholstered in grey suede....comfortable and

Category

Vintage 1970s American Stools

Materials

Lucite, Suede

Lucite Zig Zag Stool with Silk Upholstery

Sold

H 22 in W 15 in D 17 in

Lucite Zig Zag Stool with Silk Upholstery

Located in San Francisco, CA

Chic!

Category

Vintage 1970s American Stools

Lucite Zig Zag Stool with Tussah Silk Top

Sold

H 21 in W 16 in D 17 in

Lucite Zig Zag Stool with Tussah Silk Top

Located in Palm Springs, CA

This very cool stool is a great modern complement to any room.

Category

20th Century American Stools

Materials

Lucite, Silk

Lucite "Zig-Zag" Barstools-Set of 3

Sold

H 39 in W 15 in D 21 in

Lucite "Zig-Zag" Barstools-Set of 3

Located in Palm Springs, CA

Very well made.

Category

20th Century American Stools

Miniature Gerrit T. Rietveld Zig Zag Stool

Sold

H 4.75 in W 2.5 in D 2.75 in

Miniature Gerrit T. Rietveld Zig Zag Stool

By Gerrit Rietveld

Located in San Antonio, TX

Vitro Design Museum miniature model from the original Gerrit T. Rietveld zig zag Stool manufactured

Category

20th Century Polish Mid-Century Modern Models and Miniatures

Materials

Wood

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Zig Zag Stool For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the zig zag stool you’re looking for. Frequently made of metal, stainless steel and steel, every zig zag stool was constructed with great care. If you’re shopping for a zig zag stool, we have 5 options in-stock, while there are 10 modern editions to choose from as well. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer zig zag stool, there are earlier versions available from the 20th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. When you’re browsing for the right zig zag stool, those designed in Mid-Century Modern and Modern styles are of considerable interest. A well-made zig zag stool has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Sumer Singh, Gerrit Thomas Rietveld and Very Wood Ideas are consistently popular.

How Much is a Zig Zag Stool?

A zig zag stool can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $1,325, while the lowest priced sells for $125 and the highest can go for as much as $5,200.

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