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.
Art Deco Bentwood Lounge Chairs by Jan Vanek and A. Kropacek, Czech Rep., 1940s
By Jan Vanek
Located in Vienna, AT
Art Deco vintage lounge chairs designed by Jan Vanek (1891-1962) and produced by UP Zavodny. The bentwood beech frame is in good conditio...
Bentwood
$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...
Upholstery, Hardwood
Halabala Art Deco Bentwood Lounge Chair, 1940s, Sheepskin
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Almelo, NL
A sculptural Art Deco lounge chair by Jindřich Halabala, produced in 1940s Czechoslovakia, featuring elegantly curved bentwood arms and newly upholstered in luxurious Tibetan sheepsk...
Sheepskin, Upholstery, Beech, Bentwood
$4,950 / set
H 33.47 in W 26.78 in D 32.29 in
Pair of Jindrich Halabala Bentwood Lounge Chairs, Art Deco, 1940s Praque
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Almelo, NL
An exceptional pair of Czech Art Deco lounge chairs attributed to Jindrich Halabala, dating from the 1940s. These iconic bentwood armchairs embody the refined elegance of European mo...
Upholstery, Beech, Bentwood
$4,820 / set
H 32.29 in W 26.78 in D 31.5 in
Pair of Art Deco Bentwood Lounge Chairs by Jindřich Halabala, Praque 1940s
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Almelo, NL
Pair of Art Deco Bentwood Lounge Chairs by Jindřich Halabala, Czechoslovakia, 1940s A striking and highly sculptural pair of Art Deco lounge chairs by Jindřich Halabala, Czechoslova...
Upholstery, Beech, Bentwood
$3,930 / set
H 35.04 in W 24.81 in D 37.41 in
Pair of Sculptural Ashwood Lounge Chairs by Jan Vaněk, Czech Republic, 1960s
By Jan Vanek
Located in Almelo, NL
Pair of Sculptural Ashwood Lounge Chairs by Jan Vaněk, Czech Republic, 1960s A sculptural pair of ashwood lounge chairs by Jan Vaněk, Czech Republic, 1960s. Strong architectural lin...
Ash
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...
Other
Halabala Art Deco Bentwood Lounge Chair, 1940s, Sheepskin
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Almelo, NL
A sculptural Art Deco lounge chair by Jindřich Halabala, produced in 1940s Czechoslovakia, featuring elegantly curved bentwood arms and newly upholstered in luxurious off-white Tibet...
Sheepskin, Upholstery, Beech, Bentwood
Jan Vaněk Easy Chair in Oak and Canvas, Czechoslovakia, 1930s
By Jan Vanek
Located in Almelo, NL
Jan Vaněk Easy Chair in Oak and Canvas, Czechoslovakia, 1930s A striking and iconic example of early European modernism, this easy chair by Jan Vaněk—an influential figure in Czecho...
Canvas, Oak
$3,555 / set
H 30.71 in W 24.41 in D 26.78 in
Pair of Restored Art Deco Armchairs, Designed by Jan Vaněk, Oak, Czech, 1940s
By Jan Vanek
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Introducing an iconic pair of armchairs in the Art Deco style from the 1940s, originating from Czechoslovakia. These armchairs are the work of the renowned architect Jan Vaněk and ar...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Lacquer, Oak
Lounge Chair by Jan Vaněk, 1930s
By Jan Vanek
Located in Praha, CZ
- made in Czechoslovakia - made of wood - has some signs of use - good condition.
Fabric, Wood
$1,690
H 32.68 in W 22.45 in D 28.35 in
Jan Vanek Easy Chair in Bentwood and Canvas, Praque, the 1930s
By Jan Vanek
Located in Almelo, NL
Jan Vanek easy chair in bentwood and canvas, Praque, the 1930s Czech architect Jan Vanek designed the Bauhaus easy chair in the 1930s, a contempo...
Fabric, Canvas, Bentwood
$3,950 / set
H 31.5 in W 26.78 in D 31.5 in
Karel Koželka & Antonín Kropáček Bentwood and Bouclé Armchairs, 1940s
By Karel Kozelka & Antonin Kropacek
Located in Almelo, NL
Karel Koželka & Antonín Kropácek Bentwood Armchairs. These iconic set chairs from Czechia, circa 1940, designed by By Karel Koželka & Antonín Kropácek, are a benchmark for midcent...
Upholstery, Bentwood