Skip to main content

Josef Frank Chairs

Austrian, 1885-1967

Austrian architect and furniture and fabric designer Josef Frank was a leading voice for a gentle, humane modernism. His advocacy of warm, comfortable, eclectically styled environments was highly influential in his adopted country of Sweden, and it’s now widely regarded as a harbinger of the backlash against doctrinaire modernism and the embrace of the homespun that occurred in the late 1960s.

The son of a successful Viennese textile manufacturer, Frank studied architecture at Vienna University of Technology, graduating in 1910. From the first years of his practice, he marched counter to the orderly, symmetrical architectural layouts and decors prescribed by contemporaries such as Adolf Loos.

Frank drafted rooms of varying shapes and called for flexible interior-design arrangements. His furniture pieces are light and easy to move — and his chairs are always made of wood, most often with lushly curved steam-bent arms and slatted backs. Frank openly loathed the tubular steel furnishings and “machine for living” aesthetic promoted by Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and other Bauhaus principals. “The home must not be a mere efficient machine,” Frank once said. “It must offer comfort, rest and coziness…. There are no puritan principles in good interior decoration.”

Frank — who was Jewish — sensed the dire implications of the rise of Nazism in Germany and Austria, and in 1933 he moved to Stockholm with his Swedish wife, Anna. He became the design chief for the furnishings maker Svenskt Tenn and found a perfect match culturally for his brand of simple, relaxed and bright creations. Like many modernists — notably Charles and Ray Eames and Alexander Girard — Frank had a deep love of folk art, which influenced his designs for a wide array of colorful, richly patterned upholstery fabrics, many based on the classic “Tree of Life” motif.

In all his designs, Frank took inspiration from a broad variety of sources. In his furniture, one can discern traces of Asian patterns, Rococo, Italian Renaissance, Scandinavian handicrafts and even Chippendale pieces. As such, the work of Frank — the friendly modernist — is at home in any type of décor.

Find vintage Josef Frank pillows, armchairs, floor lamps and other furniture on 1stDibs.

to
1
11
5
16
Height
to
Width
to
Depth
to
5
9
2
4
1
3
2
3
2
5
3
2
1
16
3
11
3
4
3
2
14
7
6
5
4
16
7
7
6
1
16
16
16
224
654
484
302
269
Creator: Josef Frank
Modernist Mahogany and Horsehair Dining Chairs, Josef Frank, Sweden, 1940s
Modernist Mahogany and Horsehair Dining Chairs, Josef Frank, Sweden, 1940s

Modernist Mahogany and Horsehair Dining Chairs, Josef Frank, Sweden, 1940s

By Svenskt Tenn, Josef Frank

Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län

Set of ten dining chairs by Josef Frank, model #815, made from mahogany. Elegant, ribbed backs. Decor of brass nails around the corners of the seats. Original seats made from woven ...

Category

1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Mahogany

Model 811 Side Chair, Josef Frank, Stendig w/ Original Cane, Poland, c. 1960s
Model 811 Side Chair, Josef Frank, Stendig w/ Original Cane, Poland, c. 1960s

Model 811 Side Chair, Josef Frank, Stendig w/ Original Cane, Poland, c. 1960s

By Josef Frank

Located in Deland, FL

Introducing a rare and beautiful single bentwood Prague Model 811 side chair by the renowned designers Josef Frank and Josef Hoffmann for Stendig. Designed in the 1960s, this chair i...

Category

1960s Polish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Cane

Josef Hoffmann Bentwood Beech Prague Model 811 Chairs in Black and Pigskin Weave
Josef Hoffmann Bentwood Beech Prague Model 811 Chairs in Black and Pigskin Weave

Josef Hoffmann Bentwood Beech Prague Model 811 Chairs in Black and Pigskin Weave

By Josef Hoffmann, Josef Frank, Stendig Co.

Located in Los Angeles, CA

In the 1920s, Michael Thonet's company crafted the iconic No. 811 Bentwood Chair. Josef Hoffmann is commonly credited with creating the "Prague chair". This design is also attribut...

Category

1960s European Modern Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Bentwood, Leather

Set of 5 Josef Frank Prague Chairs Made in Czechoslovakia, circa 1970s
Set of 5 Josef Frank Prague Chairs Made in Czechoslovakia, circa 1970s

Set of 5 Josef Frank Prague Chairs Made in Czechoslovakia, circa 1970s

By Thonet, Josef Frank

Located in New York, NY

Exceptional set of five bentwood armchairs design attributed to Josef Frank, marked Made in Czechoslovakia. The chairs are constructed of steam bent wood, probably beech, and nylon, circa 1970's. A Mid 20th C version of the early 20th C Frank...

Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Vienna Secession Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Original Josef Frank pair of Windsor Chairs, Modell A 945/2F
Original Josef Frank pair of Windsor Chairs, Modell A 945/2F

Original Josef Frank pair of Windsor Chairs, Modell A 945/2F

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Josef Frank

Located in Vienna, AT

around 1920 for Thonet-Mundus and Jacob & Josef Kohn, four-legged structure made of dark stained beechwood, Height c. 93 cm, width 52 cm, height of seat c. 44 cm. (MHA) Original...

Category

1920s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Beech

Pair of Easy Chairs in Mahogany, Cane and Fabric by Josef Frank, 1939
Pair of Easy Chairs in Mahogany, Cane and Fabric by Josef Frank, 1939

Pair of Easy Chairs in Mahogany, Cane and Fabric by Josef Frank, 1939

By Josef Frank

Located in Limhamn, Skåne län

Pair of Easy Chairs in Mahogany, Cane and Fabric by Josef Frank, 1939 Additional Information: Material: Mahogany, cane and fabric Style: Mid century, Scandinavian Rare pair of easy ...

Category

20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Mahogany

Joseph Frank Classic 'Prague' Bentwood Chair
Joseph Frank Classic 'Prague' Bentwood Chair

Joseph Frank Classic 'Prague' Bentwood Chair

By Josef Frank

Located in Sharon, CT

Nice early example of this famous and perhaps best modern version of the bentwood and woven canning techniques.

Category

1920s Austrian Bauhaus Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Wood

Easy Chair in Beech and Original Fabric by Josef Frank, 1934
Easy Chair in Beech and Original Fabric by Josef Frank, 1934

Easy Chair in Beech and Original Fabric by Josef Frank, 1934

By Josef Frank

Located in Limhamn, Skåne län

Easy Chair in Beech and Original Fabric by Josef Frank, 1934 Additional Information: Material: Beech and original fabric Style: Mid century, Scandinavian Rare easy chair model 336 P...

Category

20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Beech, Fabric

Two Original J.Hoffmann & Oswald Haerdtl Chairs Art Deco New Fabric Josef Frank
Two Original J.Hoffmann & Oswald Haerdtl Chairs Art Deco New Fabric Josef Frank

Two Original J.Hoffmann & Oswald Haerdtl Chairs Art Deco New Fabric Josef Frank

By Oswald Haerdtl, Josef Frank, Josef Hoffmann

Located in Vienna, AT

Created by Josef Hoffmann and Oswald Haerdtl for the Otto Beyer fashion style pattern store in Vienna, Singerstrasse 14 which is shown on one of the images. Fabric "Notturno," design...

Category

1930s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Beech

Two Original J.Hoffmann & Oswald Haerdtl Chairs Art Deco New Fabric Josef Frank
Two Original J.Hoffmann & Oswald Haerdtl Chairs Art Deco New Fabric Josef Frank

Two Original J.Hoffmann & Oswald Haerdtl Chairs Art Deco New Fabric Josef Frank

By Oswald Haerdtl, Josef Hoffmann, Josef Frank

Located in Vienna, AT

Created by Josef Hoffmann and Oswald Haerdtl for the Otto Beyer fashion style pattern store in Vienna, Singerstrasse 14 which is shown on one of the images. Fabric "Notturno," design...

Category

1930s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Beech

Josef Frank Side Chair Easy Chair Model 2067 for Svenskt Tenn circa 1948 Sweden
Josef Frank Side Chair Easy Chair Model 2067 for Svenskt Tenn circa 1948 Sweden

Josef Frank Side Chair Easy Chair Model 2067 for Svenskt Tenn circa 1948 Sweden

By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn

Located in Vienna, AT

Josef Frank side chair or easy chair model no. 2067 from walnut and fabric for Svenskt Tenn 1947, Sweden. A fabulous side chair or easy chair designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Ten...

Category

1940s Swedish Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Walnut

Set of Six Chairs Model 2025 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn
Set of Six Chairs Model 2025 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn

Set of Six Chairs Model 2025 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn

By Svenskt Tenn, Josef Frank

Located in Stockholm, SE

Set of six chairs model 2025 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s. Lacquered wood frame and a fabric upholstered seat. Marked. Josef Frank designed this chair i...

Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Bentwood, Lacquer

Art Deco Vintage Brown Beech Windsor Chairs Josef Frank, circa 1930, Vienna
Art Deco Vintage Brown Beech Windsor Chairs Josef Frank, circa 1930, Vienna

Art Deco Vintage Brown Beech Windsor Chairs Josef Frank, circa 1930, Vienna

By Josef Frank

Located in Vienna, AT

Art Deco vintage Windsor chairs or dining chairs Josef Frank attributed circa 1930 in Vienna and executed by Thonet-Mundus. It features a company´s branding label. The chairs from br...

Category

1930s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Bentwood, Beech

A Pair of Josef Frank Model 354 Chairs
A Pair of Josef Frank Model 354 Chairs

A Pair of Josef Frank Model 354 Chairs

By Svenskt Tenn, Josef Frank

Located in New York, NY

A pair of Model 354 lounge chairs designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn. Each chair has a sculpted solid mahogany frame with a gently angled back and curved legs. The front legs a...

Category

1930s Swedish Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Mahogany

Pair of Bamboo & Rattan Chairs by Josef Frank
Pair of Bamboo & Rattan Chairs by Josef Frank

Pair of Bamboo & Rattan Chairs by Josef Frank

By Josef Frank

Located in London, Charterhouse Square

A pair of Bamboo & Rattan Chairs designed in 1947 by Josef Frank in Sweden. The Austrian born architect is considered to be one of the most important figures in Swedish design. Fra...

Category

1940s Swedish Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Cane

Related Items
Set of 6 Brutalist Chairs, Solid Oak, Spain, 1970s
Set of 6 Brutalist Chairs, Solid Oak, Spain, 1970s

Set of 6 Brutalist Chairs, Solid Oak, Spain, 1970s

$5,023 / set

H 40.16 in W 17.33 in D 22.45 in

Set of 6 Brutalist Chairs, Solid Oak, Spain, 1970s

Located in Boven Leeuwen, NL

Very typical and exclusive Brutalist design chairs. Bought from the 1st owner who bought it in an exclusive home furnishings store in the Neth...

Category

1970s Spanish Brutalist Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Oak

Six Painted Oak and Rush Dining Chairs, circa 1940s
Six Painted Oak and Rush Dining Chairs, circa 1940s

Six Painted Oak and Rush Dining Chairs, circa 1940s

$3,109 / set

H 105 in W 47 in D 43 in

Six Painted Oak and Rush Dining Chairs, circa 1940s

Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse

Set of six unusual oak dining chairs, with a geometric patterned design carved on the wood, and a criss-cross motif on the backs, flanked on either side by rush detailing. The front ...

Category

Mid-20th Century French Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Rush, Oak

18th Century Balloon Back Original Red Painted Windsor Chairs-Pair
18th Century Balloon Back Original Red Painted Windsor Chairs-Pair

18th Century Balloon Back Original Red Painted Windsor Chairs-Pair

$2,600Sale Price|20% Off

H 36.5 in W 17 in D 16 in

18th Century Balloon Back Original Red Painted Windsor Chairs-Pair

Located in Los Angeles, CA

18th century original red painted bow back Windsor chairs from New England in fine condition. These chairs have a nice deep red painted surface and wonderful patina. Found in Pennsyl...

Category

1790s American Country Antique Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Wood

Set of Four Dining Chairs in Walnut in the Style of Scarpa, Italy 1970s
Set of Four Dining Chairs in Walnut in the Style of Scarpa, Italy 1970s

Set of Four Dining Chairs in Walnut in the Style of Scarpa, Italy 1970s

By Afra & Tobia Scarpa

Located in Hellouw, NL

These dining chairs share great similarities with the designs of Afra and Tobia Scarpa and Mobil Girgi. This is a playful design that follows the rule of a dining chair. Meaning that...

Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

1970s Set of Four Beech Dining Chairs by TON, Czechoslovakia
1970s Set of Four Beech Dining Chairs by TON, Czechoslovakia

1970s Set of Four Beech Dining Chairs by TON, Czechoslovakia

$1,052 / set

H 31.89 in W 17.33 in D 21.66 in

1970s Set of Four Beech Dining Chairs by TON, Czechoslovakia

By Thonet

Located in Praha, CZ

- newly reupholstered - wooden parts has been repolished - sturdy and stable

Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Beech

Josef Frank Bench in Mahogany and Brass Nails, Svenskt Tenn, Sweden
Josef Frank Bench in Mahogany and Brass Nails, Svenskt Tenn, Sweden

Josef Frank Bench in Mahogany and Brass Nails, Svenskt Tenn, Sweden

By Svenskt Tenn, Josef Frank

Located in Copenhagen, DK

Josef Frank & SCANDINAVIAN MODERN A beautiful bench by Josef Frank, for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1960s. The frame is made of mahogany, upholstered seat with brass nails. The feet are elegantly sculpted and the bench can also be used as a table, end of bed stool...

Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Mahogany

Josef Hoffmann 'Fledermaus Bat' Chair Model No.728
Josef Hoffmann 'Fledermaus Bat' Chair Model No.728

Josef Hoffmann 'Fledermaus Bat' Chair Model No.728

$1,431Sale Price|20% Off

H 28.25 in W 16.25 in D 18.5 in

Josef Hoffmann 'Fledermaus Bat' Chair Model No.728

By Thonet, Josef Hoffmann

Located in Basel, BS

Designed by the renowned Viennese architect Josef Hoffmann in 1907 for the Fledermaus Cafe in Vienna, this single "Fledermaus" Model number 728, aka "Bat" Cafe chair features black upholstery covering the seat and backrest. The chair is supported by four cylindrical legs with spherical elements, showcasing a tub back with a horseshoe form base. Crafted from bent beech wood, this rare chair was specifically created for the Cabaret Fledermaus in Vienna as one of Hoffmann's iconic designs. Representing a significant moment in design history, the chair is featured in the J. & J. Kohn catalogues as model no. 728. With its sleek bentwood frame, swooping armrests, and curved backrests, the chair exudes elegance and sophistication. The Fledermaus chairs embody Hoffmann's renowned Viennese Secessionist style, known for its simple geometric shapes and use of high-quality materials. Considered a bold departure from traditional European nightclubs, the design quickly gained popularity for its iconic and innovative aesthetic. This is an authentic Hoffmann chair manufactured by Wittman, the authorized manufacturer of the Fledermaus starting in the 1970s. This chair was sold by "Teo Jacob...

Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Vienna Secession Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Leather, Faux Leather, Beech

Swedish stump chair, 1940s
Swedish stump chair, 1940s

Swedish stump chair, 1940s

$3,588

H 30.12 in W 21.66 in D 20.28 in

Swedish stump chair, 1940s

By Axel Einar Hjorth

Located in Stockholm, SE

Pine stump chair. Produced in Sweden, 1940s. Good condition with signs of usage and patina.

Category

1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Pine

Bauhaus chair no.811 by Josef Hoffmann
Bauhaus chair no.811 by Josef Hoffmann

Bauhaus chair no.811 by Josef Hoffmann

$657

H 31.5 in W 17.72 in D 16.15 in

Bauhaus chair no.811 by Josef Hoffmann

By Thonet, Josef Hoffmann

Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK

Bauhaus chair no.811 by Josef Hoffmann for Thonet in very nice original condition with signs of use.

Category

1930s Czech Bauhaus Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Rattan, Beech, Bentwood

4 Black Bentwood & Cane Josef Hoffman Prague 811 Armchairs for Stendig by Thonet
4 Black Bentwood & Cane Josef Hoffman Prague 811 Armchairs for Stendig by Thonet

4 Black Bentwood & Cane Josef Hoffman Prague 811 Armchairs for Stendig by Thonet

By Josef Hoffmann, Stendig Co., Thonet

Located in Topeka, KS

Iconic vintage Bauhaus black painted bentwood & cane Josef Hoffman Prague 811 armchairs imported by Stendig for Thonet, a set of 4. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that these are vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear even if it has been refinished or restored. Specifically, there have been a few small repairs in the caning of all chairs and one chair seat has been replaced completely. It has been replaced with sheet cane and not individually woven. Please see photos, zoom in for details, and see long description as they are part of the condition report. We attempt to portray any imperfections. Circa, Early to Mid-20th Century. Much like a fine wine or the Mona Lisa, some things just get better with age… That’s just a fact! Including these iconic vintage black painted bentwood & cane Josef Hoffman Prague 811 armchairs by Stendig for Thonet! Talk about the ability to withstand the hands of time!! This Josef Hoffman 811 chair was originally designed in 1925 but remains a current and fabulous design that is highly sought after today. This set of 4 is comprised of beautiful black painted bentwood frames bearing slender rounded arms, slightly flared legs, and marvelous natural cane seats AND backs!! SPECTACULAR!!! Can’t you just SEE these beauties surrounding your kitchen table, breakfast nook, game table, or simply used as extra seating in the family room? We certainly can! Just the right touch of Bauhaus magnificence to any room and they’re sure to complement your home with their classic, historical excellence, whatever your style whether its Bauhaus, Art Deco, Mid-Century Modern, or Modern!! Josef Hoffman was one of Austria's most important architects and designers and was central to the development of art and design in Vienna. He grew up with three sisters and was nicknamed Pepo. His father was the town mayor and a successful businessman. He was a founding member of the Vienna Secession, a radical anti-historicist movement, and together with Koloman Moser created the Wiener Werkstatte cooperative workshop. A highly individualistic architect and designer, Hoffmann's work combined the simplicity of craft production with a refined aesthetic ornament. Between 1901 and 1905, he designed four villas in Vienna and a sanatorium in Brussels that was called “Stoclet House”, for which he developed a “cubistic” language of form, with an emphasis on straight, unadorned lines. In 1905, he established the Kunstschau with painter Gustav Klimt and, two years later, founded the Deutscher Werkbund. Hoffmann worked well into his 80s, continuing to use the geometric motifs that influenced the art deco style of the 1920s. In 1928 his work appeared in the Art in Industry exhibition held at Macy’s in New York City, where it exerted a strong influence on American designer Donald Deskey. Hoffmann is one of the seminal figures in the modern decorative arts movement of the first half of the 20th century. Stendig was totally the brainchild and passion of Charles W. Stendig. You cannot write or talk about Stendig without explaining Charles. He was a pioneer of import goods in the mid-century. After serving in WWII as a paratrooper, he studied business with emphasis on international trade at NYU and City College of New York. Afterward first working for Raymor, another pioneering distribution company, for about two years, departing to start his own business: Stendig. He opened his first showroom in 1956 in midtown Manhattan. He is credited for sparking America’s interest in furniture from Finland, Switzerland, Italy, and Czechoslovakia. He imported from the likes of Thonet, Asko, and De Sede; and from iconic designers including Le Corbusier, Josef Hoffmann, Eero Aarnio, Tapio Wirkkala, Marcel Breuer, Jonathan De Pas, Donato D’Urbino, Paolo Lomazzi, Carlo Mollino, Carlo Scarpa, and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni to name just a few. By the late 1960’s, Stendig had showrooms in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco with a large headquarters in NYC. They were exciting and good times but short lived. The business was a challenge and when an offer was made by Burlington Industries to purchase, Charles agreed. He stayed on till 1976 to oversee and then retired. I have searched the internet to no avail to find out if a Stendig division is still in operation. But I can only find the Stendig Calendar, the only calendar in MoMA’s collection, which was designed for Stendig by Mossimo Vignelli, still offered. But I am having a hard time deciding who is creating and offering it. I do know Burlington Industries was bankrupt by 2001, purchased in 2003, merged with Cone Mills in 2004 and subsequently into ITG or International Textile Group. But the Stendig name reins as an icon of high style mid-century offerings. Thonet was founded by Michael Thonet. Michael was born in 1796 and was apprenticed by his father to a cabinetmaker. Shortly after he married, Michael opened his one-man cabinetmaking shop creating furniture and cabinetry in the traditional manner by carving the needed parts and then joining them together. In 1830 he began experimenting with bending wood into curved shapes and thus began a successful furniture company that has remained continually in operation for nearly 200 years. Thonet’s early work was very Biedermeier in style and not made for the common man. Gradually his designs became more Art Nouveau. In 1951 his chairs for the Crystal Palace at the London World’s Fair won a prize medal and by the late 1950s he began to make his first “consumer” chair. In 1875, a year before Michael’s death, Thonet’s five factories made 620,000 chairs. Then in 1876 after his death the company became Gebruder Thonet. But all was not roses. In 1869 the Thonet patents lapsed and by 1893 there were 52 bentwood companies in Europe. However, Thonet persevered. They branched out. They merged. They added designs by Le Corbusier and Breuer and alternative materials such as tubular chrome in place of bentwood to their offerings. Business boomed and waned through the years and there was even a Thonet revival, so to speak, beginning in the 1940s on into the mid-20th century. Till today, in the 21st century, Thonet is still a furniture company to be reckoned with almost 200 years later. We are in love with this iconic set of 4 Prague 811 chairs...

Category

Early 20th Century Czech Bauhaus Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Cane, Bentwood, Paint

Bodafors, Dining Room Chairs, Birch, Fabric, Sweden, 1940s
Bodafors, Dining Room Chairs, Birch, Fabric, Sweden, 1940s

Bodafors, Dining Room Chairs, Birch, Fabric, Sweden, 1940s

By Bodafors

Located in High Point, NC

A set of four dining room or side chairs produced by Bodafors, Sweden, c. 1940s. Vintage fabric, loose trim on seat cushions. Wood frame shows minor to moderate wear. Overall Dime...

Category

1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Birch

Previously Available Items
Pair of CH33 Hans Wegner Chairs
Pair of CH33 Hans Wegner Chairs

Pair of CH33 Hans Wegner Chairs

Sold

H 28.75 in W 18.51 in D 17.72 in

Pair of CH33 Hans Wegner Chairs

By Josef Frank, Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen & Søn

Located in Brescia, IT

Iconic 1950s Danish chairs with oak frame and seat upholstered in signature fabric by Josef Frank. Pair of chairs model CH33 designed by Hans J. Wegner and manufactured by Carl Hans...

Category

1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Oak

Model 811 Side Chair, Josef Frank, Stendig w/ Cane Seat & Back, Poland, c. 1960s
Model 811 Side Chair, Josef Frank, Stendig w/ Cane Seat & Back, Poland, c. 1960s

Model 811 Side Chair, Josef Frank, Stendig w/ Cane Seat & Back, Poland, c. 1960s

By Josef Frank

Located in Deland, FL

Introducing a rare and beautiful single bentwood Prague Model 811 side chair by the renowned designers Josef Frank and Josef Hoffmann for Stendig. Designed in the 1960s, this chair ...

Category

1960s Polish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Josef Frank, chair model 695, Svenskt Tenn, 1970s
Josef Frank, chair model 695, Svenskt Tenn, 1970s

Josef Frank, chair model 695, Svenskt Tenn, 1970s

Sold

H 33.08 in W 19.69 in D 23.63 in

Josef Frank, chair model 695, Svenskt Tenn, 1970s

By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn

Located in Uppsala, SE

Semi early production of Josef Frank chair, model 695 produced by Svenskt Tenn. Frank came to Sweden from Austria in the early 1930s and was employed by Svenskt Tenn in 1934 so this ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Brass

Stool Model 927 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s
Stool Model 927 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s

Stool Model 927 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s

By Josef Frank

Located in Stockholm, SE

Stool model 927 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s. Mahogany and rattan. Measures: H: 43 cm W: 43 cm D: 28 cm Josef Frank was a true European, he was also a pioneer of what would become classic 20th century Swedish design and the “Scandinavian Design Style”. Austrian- born Frank started his design career as an architect after having trained at the Technische Hochschule in Vienna between 1903 and 1910. After his training he went on to teach at Kunstgewerbeschule (The Viennese School of Arts and crafts) where he developed and espoused the new school of modernist thinking towards Architecture and Design that was coming to fruition in Vienna at the time. He also went on to lead the Vienna Werkbund throughout the 1920s. This was a truly progressive group of Architects and Designers who set about improving the daily lives of Austrian people through modernist design and architecture in partnership with Arts and Crafts ideals and construction. Frank’s leadership of the Werkbund had already cemented his place at the forefront of European design. Frank’s time in Vienna was typified by his design for the “Die Wohnung” exhibition of the Deutscher Werkbund in Stuttgart, 1927 where he exhibited along side his contemporaries at the forefront of design, such as the likes of Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius. Here he showed a specially designed pair of flat-roofed reinforced concrete houses in what is now seen as a typical modernist style. What separated Frank’s house from the other 32 houses of the exhibition was the interior and furniture inside the building. It was described as “Neo-Classical” and filled with an eclectic mix of period pieces, modern design and pieces designed by Frank himself that seemed to cross the two worlds. This was a complete opposite direction to that which his fellow Architects were travelling in with their pared back and angular aesthetics. Frank said of his own work: “The house is not a work of art, simply a place where one lives,” and by this reasoning Frank rejected the regimental mechanisation of the living space that his contemporaries believed in, instead he set about creating congenial and spontaneous interiors. Frank’s practice saw him placing the bright colours and the soft forms of nature back into the furnishings and interiors that he thought modernism sorely mist. Frank, along with Oskar Walch set up Haus und Garten in Vienna in 1925. This was Frank’s first commercial foray into furniture and home furnishings and the company went on to become the most influential furnishing house in Vienna with a riotous depth of colour and interesting shapes becoming the trademark of their design. However this success was to come to an end with rise of Nazism in Vienna in the early 1930’s. Frank was Jewish, and he and his wife Anna decided they would leave Vienna for her motherland: Sweden, in 1933. Frank continued to design for Haus and Garten, visiting Vienna occasionally and designing the pieces that would continue to be the company’s best sellers long after Frank was forced to hand the company over in 1938 after the Third Reich annexation of Austria. When Josef and Anna had moved to Sweden Frank had struck up a working relationship with Design shop owner Estrid Ericson. Ericson was the proprietor of Svenskt Tenn that at this point was a successful interiors shop in Stockholm with the royal warrant of appointment to the Swedish Royal Household. In 1935 Frank had become the chief designer for Svenskt Tenn and had set about putting all of his creative effort into his designs for the company. At the World Expositions in Paris in 1937 and New York in 1939 the world saw for the first time the wealth of products that Frank had been working on, ranging from candlesticks to cabinets, there was not a domestic object that Frank had not subjected to his colourful, comfortable and organic style of Modernism. Frank’s new school of Modernism championed ideas such as chairs having a freeing, open back and that “If one desires the room to be comfortable…all pieces of furniture should allow for a free view of the separating line between the floor and the wall. A cabinet without legs breaks this line and thus reduces the feeling of space.” A world-wide audience tired of classic Modernism’s furniture with solid planes and aggressive forms leapt upon these ideas and Franks natural and bright designs for Svenskt Tenn became internationally desired. Frank created over 2000 designs for Svenskt Tenn and his products continue to be the core of their brand. Frank’s rejections of tubular metal and heavy lacquers within his furniture have insured his unique light form of Modernism continues to influence and flourish today. His natural toned mahogany and walnut pieces along with his tactile leather covered and brightly shaded lighting still bring the forms of nature back into the home. Original Frank pieces are now increasingly rare, highly desirable and are the epitome of “Scandinavian Design”. Renowned Designer and Academic Isle Crawford...

Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Rattan, Mahogany

Set of Six Dining Chairs Model 2027 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn
Set of Six Dining Chairs Model 2027 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn

Set of Six Dining Chairs Model 2027 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn

By Josef Frank

Located in Stockholm, SE

Set of six dining chairs model 2027 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s. Mahogany, leather and brass. Josef Frank developed his characteristic style combining e...

Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Brass

Set of Four Dining Chairs Model 2027 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn
Set of Four Dining Chairs Model 2027 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn

Set of Four Dining Chairs Model 2027 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn

By Josef Frank

Located in Stockholm, SE

Set of four dining chairs model 2027 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn. Sweden, 1950s. Mahogany and leather. Together with Estrid Ericson and her furnishing company, Svenskt...

Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

Set of Four No.811 Josef Frank and Josef Hoffmann
Set of Four No.811 Josef Frank and Josef Hoffmann

Set of Four No.811 Josef Frank and Josef Hoffmann

Sold

H 31.89 in W 20.08 in D 20.87 in

Set of Four No.811 Josef Frank and Josef Hoffmann

By Josef Hoffmann, Josef Frank

Located in London, GB

A set of 4 birch model 811 chairs designed in the mid- to late-1920s. The chairs feature handwoven cane seats and backs which provide comfort and give lightness to the design. The No.811 is attributed to Austrian architects Josef Hoffman and Josef Frank. All chairs...

Category

1920s Polish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Cane, Birch

Pair of armchairs model 652 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn
Pair of armchairs model 652 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn

Pair of armchairs model 652 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn

By Josef Frank

Located in Stockholm, SE

Pair of armchairs model 652 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1936. Oak and leather. H: 106.5 cm / 3' 6'' W: 53.5 cm / 21'' D: 60 cm / 23 1/2'' SH: 45 cm /...

Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Leather, Oak

Stool Model 686 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s
Stool Model 686 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s

Stool Model 686 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s

By Josef Frank

Located in Stockholm, SE

Stool model 686 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden. 1950s. Mahogany, leather and brass. Measures: H: 38 cm / 15'' W: 50 cm / 19 3/4'' D: 14 cm / 5 1/2''.

Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Brass

Set of Eight Dining Chairs Model 2027 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn
Set of Eight Dining Chairs Model 2027 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn

Set of Eight Dining Chairs Model 2027 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn

By Josef Frank

Located in Stockholm, SE

Set of eight dining chairs model 2027 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden. 1950s. Mahogany and horsehair upholstery. Together with Estrid Ericson and her furnishing co...

Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Mahogany

Pair of Armchairs Model 789b ‘Captain’s Chair’ Designed by Josef Frank
Pair of Armchairs Model 789b ‘Captain’s Chair’ Designed by Josef Frank

Pair of Armchairs Model 789b ‘Captain’s Chair’ Designed by Josef Frank

By Josef Frank

Located in Stockholm, SE

Pair of armchairs model 789B ‘Captain’s Chair’ designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden. 1930s. Mahogany, leather and brass. Measures: H: 76.5 cm W: 58 cm D: 65 cm SH: 48 ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Brass

Pair of armchairs model 789B ‘Captain’s Chair’ designed by Josef Frank
Pair of armchairs model 789B ‘Captain’s Chair’ designed by Josef Frank

Pair of armchairs model 789B ‘Captain’s Chair’ designed by Josef Frank

By Josef Frank

Located in Stockholm, SE

Pair of armchairs model 789B ‘Captain’s Chair’ designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden. 1938. Mahogany, leather and brass. Dimensions: H: 76.5 cm / 2' 6" W: 58 cm / 1' 10 ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Chairs

Materials

Brass

Josef Frank chairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Josef Frank chairs 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 Josef Frank chairs, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original chairs by Josef Frank 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 chairs by Carl Malmsten, Bruno Mathsson, and Yngve Ekström. Prices for Josef Frank chairs can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,600 and can go as high as $32,732, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $6,500.