Jan Vanek Seating
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.
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Beech, Fabric, Wood, Lacquer, Upholstery
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Upholstery, Beech
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Wood
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Jan Vanek Seating
Wood, Lacquer, Textile, Cotton, Oak
1940s Art Deco Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Czech Bauhaus Jan Vanek Seating
Canvas, Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Oak
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Bentwood
1960s Czech Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Wood
1940s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Plastic, Wood
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Oak, Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Linen, Oak
Mid-20th Century Czech Bauhaus Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Canvas, Bentwood
1930s Czech Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Metal, Chrome
1930s Czech Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Czech Art Deco Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Wood, Beech, Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Upholstery, Wood, Oak, Lacquer
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Beech
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Cotton, Oak
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Wood, Beech
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Wood, Beech
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Canvas, Oak
1960s Slovenian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Walnut
1940s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Wood
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Beech, Bentwood
1940s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Bentwood
1940s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Wood
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Beech, Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Upholstery, Wood, Lacquer, Oak
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Wood, Beech, Lacquer
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Wood, Ash
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Oak
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Beech
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Beech, Lacquer, Upholstery, Wood
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Beech
1930s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Wood
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Wood
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Beech
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Bentwood
1930s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Beech
1930s Czech Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Wood, Beech, Lacquer, Upholstery
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Wood, Beech
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Beech
1930s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Beech
1930s Czech Other Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Beech
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Fabric, Wool, Beech, Coconut
1940s Czech Art Deco Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Bentwood
1930s Czech Vintage Jan Vanek Seating
Wood
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Wool, Hemp, Oak
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Jan Vanek Seating
Wood