Essentially dubbed the Frank Llyoyd Wright of Europe by Wright himself, Adolf Loos possessed a talent for architecture and interior design as potent as his outspoken criticism of Art Nouveau and excessive ornamentation. A forerunner of the International Style, Loos exercised immense restraint in his building projects as well as his designs for chairs, tables, storage pieces and other furniture, and wrote prolifically on his disdain for taking a decorative approach to architecture.
The son of a stonemason and sculptor, Loos was born in 1870 in what is now Brno in the Czech Republic. He studied architecture in Dresden in 1889, completed a year of military service and moved to the United States by 1893. He visited the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago and came to appreciate the American approach to design over his three-year stay before returning to Vienna.
An avid proponent of simplicity, Loos hated fluff above all else. In his best known essay, “Ornament and Crime,” he states “the evolution of culture is synonymous with the removal of ornamentation from objects of everyday use” — a principle evident in both his architectural work and furniture. His writing was profoundly influential for practitioners of the International Style that would emerge later as well as the likes of prolific Swiss-born French architect and modernist prophet Le Corbusier.
Loos challenged the prevailing architecture and decorating styles of his time, and disliked the ornate work associated with the Vienna Secession and Gesamtkunstwerk — the concept of a house as total work of art — an ideal pursued by a collective born from the Secession called the Wiener Werkstätte. To Loos, design should prioritize function, and any ornamentation devoid of a structural purpose was childish and unnecessary.
Loos’s furniture — alongside the work of fellow Austrian architect Josef Hoffman — was the subject of an exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts in 2014. His architecture projects, including the Viennese Goldman and Salatsch building, the Austrian Steiner House and the Villa Müller in Prague, are celebrated by design enthusiasts all over the world.
Find vintage Adolf Loos seating, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Set of 6 shot glasses by Adolf Loos for Bakalowits & Söhne
By Bakalowits & Söhne, Adolf Loos
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Set of 6 shot glasses by Adolf Loos for Bakalowits & Söhne with brass edge. Alpaca tray. Original vintage condition with signs of use.
Alpaca, Glass
Black Clay Mezcal Shot Glasses
Located in Napa, CA
4 pack.
Clay
$215 / set
H 2.56 in Dm 1.58 in
fferrone Set of 2 Czech Contemporary Dearborn Mini Shot Liqueur Glasses Handmade
By Felicia Ferrone
Located in Chicago, IL
Dearborn shot liqueur mini glasses, set of two. A pair of Czech contemporary glass handcrafted is the perfect modern shot glass or liqueur glass for after dinner libations. Also t...
Glass
$450Sale Price / set|30% Off
H 3 in Dm 2.13 in
Set of Six 1950s Shot or Cocktail Glasses with Whimsical "Say When" Graphics
By Anchor Hocking
Located in Ferndale, MI
Fun graphics in pink and black on this set of six aperitif or shot glasses. Say When for 1 to 4 ounces of hooch. I believe made by Anchor Hocking glass...
Glass
$165 / set
H 3.75 in Dm 2.5 in
Moroccan Royal Blue Shot Glasses with Gold Moorish Design Set of 6 Barware
By Culver Ltd., Carl Moser 1
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Moroccan Royal Blue Shot Glasses with Gold Moorish Design Set of 6. Set of six royal cobalt blue shot drinking glasses barware with gold Moorish desi...
Glass
$421 / set
H 7.88 in W 14.57 in D 9.45 in
Murano Liqueur Set 8 Shot Glasses and Decanter, with Serving Tray, circa 1938
Located in Verviers, BE
Murano liqueur set 8 shot glasses and decanter, with serving tray, circa 1938 Art Glass Murano Italie Colored decoration. Set with a decanter a...
Brass
$521Sale Price / set|25% Off
H 2.25 in Dm 1.75 in
Set 21 Blown Glass Multi Color Small Cocktail Snifters Cordials or Shot Glasses
Located in Topeka, KS
Fabulous vintage set of 21 blown glass multi-colored small cocktail snifters, cordials, or shot glasses in three different sizes. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that these are vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear. There is a chip on the rim of one of the purple etched glasses...
Glass
Set of Six Handblown Italian Moorish Green with Gold Shot Glasses
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Set of six green and gold handblown Moorish shot glasses. Use them for Moroccan tea, or any hot or cold drink. Shot glasses very light finely decorated ...
Glass
Moroccan Clear and Silver Overlay Shot Glasses Set of 6
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Moroccan Set of six clear and silver overlay Moorish style glasses. Decorated with a classical silver pattern overlay frieze. Use these elegant glasses for Moroccan tea, or any hot or cold drink. In fantastic condition, perfect for the holidays and gorgeous on display in a cabinet or bar while not in use. handmade Czech Bohemia...
Glass
$701
H 2.56 in W 9.65 in D 6.3 in
W&G silver-plated alpaca bowl attributed to Kolo Moser or Adolf Loos
By Adolf Loos, Koloman Moser
Located in Lugo, IT
Alpaca silver bowl by W&G attributed to Kolo Moser or Adolf Loos Good condition. Thank you
Alpaca
$383Sale Price|50% Off
H 11 in W 18 in D 10 in
Lucite Custom Cocktail Set Shot Glasses Mid Century Modern Hollywood Regency
Located in Toronto, CA
his vintage Lucite cocktail set was handcrafted by the original owner's grandfather. This unique set seamlessly combines form and function. He worked molding acrylic for industrial a...
Glass, Lucite
$584 / set
H 2.37 in Dm 2.56 in
Set of 6 Cocktail Glasses by Kaj Franck for Nuutajärvi, Finland, 1950s
By Nuutajärvi Notsjõ, Kaj Franck
Located in Karis, Nyland
A rare and highly collectible set of six cocktail glasses designed by Kaj Franck for Nuutajärvi, manufactured between 1956–61. Model 1119 is a brilliant expression of Franck’s design...
Glass
Set of 4 Italian Murano Glasses by Salviati
By Salviati
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Set of 4 hand etched amethyst Murano glasses by Salviati / Made in Italy in the 2000s. Original "SALVIATI" mark on the base. Height: 5.5 inches / d...
Murano Glass
Adolf Loos Wine Bottle, after 1931
By Adolf Loos
Located in Sofia, BG
Drinking service No. 248 LOOS Design: Adolf Loos, 1931 for the Weiner workshop Manufacturer: Lobmeyr, Vienna Measures: Ø 8.3cm, H 29.5cm Mouth-bl...
Glass