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Jan Vanek

Czechoslovakian, 1891-1962

Elegance describes the designs of Jan Vanek.

Influenced by his family’s furniture company, Vandek studied woodworking. Following a stint in Germany, where he advanced his skills at established firms in Munich, Stuttgart and Heilbronn, he returned home to the former Czechoslovakia and took over the family business, which in 1920 became known as Spojené Uměleckoprůmyslové Závody, or UP Závody.

Vanek's early friendships and collaborations with architectural and design greats like Walter Gropius, Le Corbusier, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Adolf Loos and others likely had much to do with his graceful style, best exemplified by his 1930s bentwood chairs, with the arabesque curves of their arms and legs conjoining to form open, dynamic loops.

True to Czech standards for uniformity, Vanek scarcely altered the design over decades of production, though he did gradually modernize his frames: His 1950s models are more angular, industrialized — and very definitely modern.

Find a collection of vintage Jan Vanek furniture today on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$2,028
Styles
Mid-Century Modern
Art Deco
Materials
Wood
Fabric
Related Creators
TON a.s.
Karel Kozelka & Antonin Kropacek
Antonín Šuman
Oswald Haerdtl
Ludvik Volak
Pair of Jan Vaněk Curved Easy Chairs in Ash with Original Upholstery, CZ 1950s
Pair of Jan Vaněk Curved Easy Chairs in Ash with Original Upholstery, CZ 1950s

Pair of Jan Vaněk Curved Easy Chairs in Ash with Original Upholstery, CZ 1950s

$4,850 / set

H 29.93 in W 25.99 in D 35.44 in

Pair of Jan Vaněk Curved Easy Chairs in Ash with Original Upholstery, CZ 1950s

By Jan Vanek

Located in Almelo, NL

Pair of Jan Vaněk Curved Easy Chairs in Ash with Original Upholstery, Czechoslovakia, 1950s A beautifully preserved pair of mid-century modern easy chairs by Jan Vaněk, designed in ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek

Materials

Canvas, Upholstery, Ash

Jan Vanek's curved easy chairs curved oak, canvas and original upholstery 1950s
Jan Vanek's curved easy chairs curved oak, canvas and original upholstery 1950s

Jan Vanek's curved easy chairs curved oak, canvas and original upholstery 1950s

$3,630 / set

H 29.93 in W 24.02 in D 31.5 in

Jan Vanek's curved easy chairs curved oak, canvas and original upholstery 1950s

By Jan Vanek

Located in Almelo, NL

Jan Vanek's pair of two curved easy chairs with curved oak, canvas, and original upholstery, CZ 1960s Jan Vanek's pair of two curved easy chairs, crafted from oak and featuring wove...

Category

1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek

Materials

Canvas, Upholstery, Oak

Rare Pair of Jan Vaněk Sculptural Oak Lounge Chairs, 1940s Czech Modernism
Rare Pair of Jan Vaněk Sculptural Oak Lounge Chairs, 1940s Czech Modernism

Rare Pair of Jan Vaněk Sculptural Oak Lounge Chairs, 1940s Czech Modernism

$4,950 / set

H 33.47 in W 22.84 in D 31.5 in

Rare Pair of Jan Vaněk Sculptural Oak Lounge Chairs, 1940s Czech Modernism

By Jan Vanek

Located in Almelo, NL

Rare Pair of Jan Vaněk Sculptural Oak Lounge Chairs, 1940s Czech Modernism A rare and striking pair of oak lounge chairs designed by renowned Czech architect and designer Jan Vaněk ...

Category

1940s Czech Bauhaus Vintage Jan Vanek

Materials

Canvas, Oak

Jan Vaněk for Krásná Jizba lounge chairs from oak and canvas Czech Republic 1940
Jan Vaněk for Krásná Jizba lounge chairs from oak and canvas Czech Republic 1940

Jan Vaněk for Krásná Jizba lounge chairs from oak and canvas Czech Republic 1940

$4,250 / set

H 31.5 in W 24.41 in D 35.44 in

Jan Vaněk for Krásná Jizba lounge chairs from oak and canvas Czech Republic 1940

By Krasna JIzba, Jan Vanek

Located in Almelo, NL

Jan Vaněk for Krásná Jizba, a pair of lounge chairs constructed from oak and canvas, Czech Republic, 1940s. These armchairs, designed by Jan Vaněk, exemplify a construction characte...

Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek

Materials

Canvas, Oak

Mid Century Armchairs / Easy Chairs by Jan Vanek for ULUV Czechoslovakia, 1950s
Mid Century Armchairs / Easy Chairs by Jan Vanek for ULUV Czechoslovakia, 1950s

Mid Century Armchairs / Easy Chairs by Jan Vanek for ULUV Czechoslovakia, 1950s

$4,328 / set

H 34.26 in W 23.23 in D 31.5 in

Mid Century Armchairs / Easy Chairs by Jan Vanek for ULUV Czechoslovakia, 1950s

By Jan Vanek, ULUV Krásná jizba

Located in Lucenec, SK

The armchairs were designed in the 1950s by the Czech architect Ján Vanek for the ULUV (headquarters of Folk Art) in Czechoslovakia. The armchairs were in the inventory of Czechoslov...

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek

Materials

Beech

Bent Beechwood Armchair, Design Jan Vaněk, 1930's.
Bent Beechwood Armchair, Design Jan Vaněk, 1930's.

Bent Beechwood Armchair, Design Jan Vaněk, 1930's.

$1,791 / item

H 30.71 in W 23.63 in D 29.14 in

Bent Beechwood Armchair, Design Jan Vaněk, 1930's.

By Jan Vanek

Located in Praha, CZ

Made in Czechoslovakia Made of Fabric,Beechwood Two pieces in stock Good Original condition

Category

1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Jan Vanek

Materials

Wood, Beech

Jan Vaněk Attributed Bentwood Lounge Chair, 1940s Czech Functionalism
Jan Vaněk Attributed Bentwood Lounge Chair, 1940s Czech Functionalism

Jan Vaněk Attributed Bentwood Lounge Chair, 1940s Czech Functionalism

$1,975

H 30.32 in W 25.6 in D 29.53 in

Jan Vaněk Attributed Bentwood Lounge Chair, 1940s Czech Functionalism

By Jan Vanek

Located in Almelo, NL

Jan Vaněk Attributed Bentwood Lounge Chair, 1940s Czech Functionalism This sculptural bentwood lounge chair, attributed to influential Czech designer Jan Vaněk, exemplifies the clea...

Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Bauhaus Jan Vanek

Materials

Upholstery, Hardwood

Jan Vanek Bentwood Lounge Chair, Czechoslovakia, 1960s
Jan Vanek Bentwood Lounge Chair, Czechoslovakia, 1960s

Jan Vanek Bentwood Lounge Chair, Czechoslovakia, 1960s

$1,671

H 30.71 in W 24.41 in D 30.71 in

Jan Vanek Bentwood Lounge Chair, Czechoslovakia, 1960s

By Jan Vanek

Located in Praha, CZ

Rare bentwood lounge chair designed by Jan Vanek and produced in Czechoslovakia during the 1960s. This striking piece features a sculptural ebonized beechwood frame with fluid curved...

Category

1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek

Materials

Other

Browse all Furniture from Jan Vanek
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Jan Vanek Sale Prices

Sold DateSold PriceCategoryMaterialCreation Year
2025$1,590ArmchairsCotton, Oak1970
2025$4,100Lounge ChairsCanvas, Upholstery, Oak1940
2025$500StoolsUpholstery, Bentwood1930
2025$880Lounge Chairs, ArmchairsBeech, Bentwood1930s
2025$2,790Lounge Chairs, ArmchairsBeech, Bentwood1930s
2025$1,000Lounge Chairs, ArmchairsBeech, Bentwood1930s
$2,028
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months
$655-$4,100
Sold price range of items in the past 12 months

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Úľuv
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Kovona
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Frantisek Jirak
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Jan Vanek furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Jan Vanek furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Jan Vanek furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Jan Vanek were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by TON a.s., Frantisek Jirak, and Jaroslav Smidek. Prices for Jan Vanek furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $516 and can go as high as $11,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,575.

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