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Marcel Breuer Furniture

American, Hungarian, 1902-1981

The architect and designer Marcel Breuer was one the 20th century’s most influential and innovative adherents of modernism. A member of the Bauhaus faculty, Breuer — like such colleagues as the architects Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and the artists and art theoreticians László Moholy-Nagy and Josef Albers — left Europe in the 1930s to champion the new design philosophy and its practice in the United States.

Born in Hungary, Breuer became a Bauhaus student in 1920 and quickly impressed Gropius, the German school’s founder, with his aptitude for furniture design. His early work was influenced by the minimalist Dutch design movement De Stijl — in particular the work of architect Gerrit Rietveld.

In 1925, while he was head of the Bauhaus furniture workshop, Breuer realized his signature innovation: the use of lightweight tubular-steel frames for chairs, tables and sofas — a technique soon adopted by Mies and others. Breuer’s attention gradually shifted from design to architecture, and, at the urging of Gropius, he joined his mentor in 1937 on the faculty of Harvard and in an architectural practice.

In the 1940s, Breuer opened his own architectural office, and there his style evolved from geometric, glass-walled structures toward a kind of hybrid architecture — seen in numerous Breuer houses in New England — that pairs bases of local fieldstone with sleek, wood-framed modernist upper floors. In his later, larger commissions, Breuer worked chiefly with reinforced concrete and stone, as seen in his best-known design, the brutalist inverted ziggurat built in New York in 1966 as the home of the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Breuer’s most famous furniture pieces are those made of tubular steel, which include the Wassily chair — named after Wassily Kandinsky and recognizable for its leather-strap seating supports — and the caned Cesca chair.

Breuer also made several notable designs in molded plywood, including a chaise and nesting table for the British firm Isokon and a student furniture suite commissioned in 1938 for a dormitory at Bryn Mawr College. Whether in metal or wood, Breuer’s design objects are elegant and adaptable examples of classic modernist design — useful and appropriate in any environment.

Find vintage Marcel Breuer seating, storage cabinets and lighting on 1stDibs.

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Color:  Black
Creator: Marcel Breuer
Mid-Century Knoll Spoleto Chairs 1970s Set of 4
By Marcel Breuer, Knoll
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Knoll Spoleto chairs. Marcel Breuer designed the B33 chair in 1927, it is based on the cantilever principle (cantilevered), in the same spirit as t...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Set of 6 Thonet Cesca Chairs by Marcel Breuer
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Pasadena, TX
Set of 6 Thonet Cesca chairs 1980s Set of four armchairs, model Cesca, designed by Marcel Breuer. Manufactured by Thonet circa 1981 Chrome cantile...
Category

1980s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Restored Bauhaus Stool, M. Breuer, Mücke Melder, Chrome, Leather, Czechia, 1930s
By Mücke & Melder, Marcel Breuer
Located in Horomerice, CZ
Restored Bauhaus Stool Designed By Marcel Breuer and Made By Mücke Melder. Designer: Marcel Breuer Maker: Mücke Melder Material: Chrome-plated Steel, High-Quality Leather Source: Cz...
Category

1930s Czech Bauhaus Vintage Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Four (4) NIB Cesca Bar Stools Marcel Breuer Knoll Chromed Steel Upholstery
By Knoll, Marcel Breuer
Located in Philadelphia, PA
At the Bauhaus, Marcel Breuer married traditional craftsmanship with industrial methods and materials to help make tubular steel furniture an international sensation and a modern ins...
Category

2010s American Bauhaus Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Four (4) NIB Cesca Bar Stools Marcel Breuer Knoll Chromed Steel Upholstery
By Knoll, Marcel Breuer
Located in Philadelphia, PA
At the Bauhaus, Marcel Breuer married traditional craftsmanship with industrial methods and materials to help make tubular steel furniture an international sensation and a modern ins...
Category

2010s American Bauhaus Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Pair of Vintage Mid-Century Modern Brown Leather Wassily lounge Chairs for Knoll
By Stendig Co., Marcel Breuer, Knoll
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Pair of Vintage Mid-Century Modern brown leather wassily lounge chairs for Knoll. The Wassily lounge chair was designed by Marcel Breuer in Dark Brown full leather. This vintage Pair...
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Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Set of 6 black leather arm chairs by Marcel Breuer for Thonet model S64
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Houston, TX
Original ICONIC set of 6 chairs by Marcel Breuer for Thonet model S64. With the original tags from the Enron building circa 1986. A part of Houston history. Newly reupholstered in a ...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Marcel Breuer Laccio Side End Table for Knoll Studio Chrome and Black Bauhaus
By Knoll, Marcel Breuer
Located in New York, NY
An authentic Marcel Breuer Laccio side or end table for Knoll Studio, in the German Bauhaus style, circa late-20th century. Table has a black laminate top and tubular chrome frame. M...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Bauhaus Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Set of 5 Cantilever Armchairs in Leather by Matteo Grassi, Model MG15, Italy 70s
By Matteo Grassi, Marcel Breuer
Located in Odense, DK
Set of 5 Vintage cantilever armchairs in patinated red / cognac colored leather by Matteo Grassi, made in Italy, 1970s. Stamped. The chairs are strongly reminiscent of bauhaus works ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Bauhaus Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel

Knoll International Wassily Chair by Marcel Breuer Black Leather
By Marcel Breuer, Knoll
Located in Munich, Bavaria
This Wassily chair, in chromed tubular steel and black leather, was designed by Marcel Breuer and produced by Knoll International. Knoll International production with the Marcel Breu...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Bauhaus Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Stainless Steel, Chrome

Marcel Breuer B35 Black and Chrome Lounge Chairs
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Weesp, NL
Beautiful pair of B35 Lounge chairs from the first owner who bought them in the early 1970's. The armrests and chrome plated tubular frame has been polished and t...
Category

1970s Hungarian Bauhaus Vintage Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Early Marcel Breuer Long Chaise
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Munich, DE
In good vintage condition. Very nice patinated wood.
Category

Early 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Marcel Breuer Furniture

Customizable Marcel Breuer S 285/1 Tubular Steel Desk
By Marcel Breuer
Located in New York, NY
RANGE S 285 It is as though Marcel Breuer had anticipated today’s home offices and mobile computers: The compact tubular steel desk S 285 that he designed is ...
Category

2010s German Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel

Set of 4 Leather & Chrome Cantilever Directors Style Breuer Chairs Made in Italy
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
Stunning Set of 4 gray leather and chrome directors style Breuer chairs. Made in Italy. In very good condition. Dimensions: 23.5"w x 23.5"d x 31"h Arm Height: 28" Seat Height: 18" Se...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Pair Marcel Breuer Laccio Side Tables Black Laminated Top Tubular Chromed Base
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Pair Marcel Breuer Laccio side tables black laminated top tubular chromed base.
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Marcel Breuer, Laccio Side Table Black Laminated Top with Tubular Chromed Base
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Aramits, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Marcel Breuer 'Laccio' modern side table, the top in black laminate with an MDF core and mounted on a chromed tubular steel frame. The table dates probably from the 1970s or 1980s. ...
Category

Late 20th Century American Bauhaus Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel

Knoll International Wassily Chair Design by Marcel Breuer Brown Saddle Leather
By Knoll, Marcel Breuer
Located in Munich, Bavaria
This Wassily chair, in chromed tubular steel and brown leather, was designed by Marcel Breuer and produced by Knoll International. Knoll International production with the Wassily st...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Bauhaus Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Pair of Marcel Breuer Bauhaus Desta Stahlmobel Beds
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Sharon, CT
Headboards and backboards only for two single beds. Last photo is from a 1931 Desta Stahlmobel catalog show bed in it's entirety.
Category

1920s German Bauhaus Vintage Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel

Marcel Breuer Early Canvas Model B3 "Wassily" Chair, Black Eisengarn
By Marcel Breuer, Standard Möbel
Located in SAINT LOUIS, MO
This is an early edition Wassily from Berlin based manufacturer, Standard-Möbel. It exhibits the original black Eisengarn canvas. A truly iconic design, deserving to be in a museum. The model for this chair is the traditional overstuffed club chair...
Category

1920s German Bauhaus Vintage Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Italian Mid-Century Wassily B3 Brown Leather Armchair by Breuer for Gavina, 1960
By Marcel Breuer, Gavina
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century Wassily B3 brown leather armchair by Breuer for Gavina, 1960s Wassily lounge chair also known as Model B 3, with rectangular seat in da...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel

Marcel Breuer Early Canvas Model B3 "Wassily" Chair, Green Eisengarn
By Standard Möbel, Marcel Breuer
Located in SAINT LOUIS, MO
This is an early edition Wassily from Berlin based manufacturer, Standard-Möbel. It exhibits the original army green Eisengarn canvas. A truly iconic design, deserving to be in a museum. The model for this chair is the traditional overstuffed club chair...
Category

1920s German Bauhaus Vintage Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel, Chrome

3 Breuer Designed Tables Made in Finland by Stendig 1 End Table 2 Coffee Tables
By Stendig Co., Marcel Breuer
Located in New York, NY
Great complete set of Bauhaus School Breuer designed tables (Laccio) manufactured by Stendig, made in Finland. This vintage suite includes 2 rectangular coffee tables (53 W x 19 D x ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Bauhaus Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Customizable Marcel Breuer S 285 Tubular Steel Desk
By Marcel Breuer
Located in New York, NY
RANGE S 285 1 large corpus, 1 small corpus with central lock It is as though Marcel Breuer had anticipated today’s home offices and mobile computers: The compa...
Category

2010s German Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel

Customizable Marcel Breuer S 285/5 Tubular Steel Desk
By Marcel Breuer
Located in New York, NY
Range S 285 It is as though Marcel Breuer had anticipated today’s home offices and mobile computers: The compact tubular steel desk S 285 that he designed is ...
Category

2010s German Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel

Thonet Stool Chrome with Black Original Tissues B9s
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Weiningen, CH
Thonet stool chrome with black original tissues a slight.
Category

1930s German Bauhaus Vintage Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Pair of Early Wassily Chairs by Marcel Breuer for Knoll, Leather and Chrome
By Marcel Breuer, Knoll
Located in Buffalo, NY
Marcel Breuer's 1925 design is a widely recognized masterpiece of modern furniture, having long ago achieved iconic status. This pair of Wassily chairs date to the 1960s. The chrome...
Category

1960s American Bauhaus Vintage Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel

Marcel Breuer Bauhaus Club Armchair B3, 1927 Made by Standart Möbel
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Berlin, DE
Club armchair, 1927. Model B3. Designer: Marcel Breuer, Manufactured by Standart-Möbel. First series production. Upholstered with black, renewed Eisengarn ( iron yarn ). Very rare. V...
Category

Early 20th Century German Bauhaus Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel

Marcel Breuer Tubular Steel Chair, 1927
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Berlin, DE
Tubular steel chair, 1927. Model B5. Designer: Marcel Breuer, Manufactured by Standart-Möbel. Steel tube, nickel-plated. Upholstered with black, reneved Eisengarn ( iron yarn ). Very...
Category

Early 20th Century German Bauhaus Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel

Marcel Breuer B21 Thonet Bauhaus Tubular Steel Typewriter Table
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Sharon, CT
Important early piece (1928) of Breuer's revolutionary tubular furniture.
Category

1930s German Bauhaus Vintage Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Steel

W80 Pecs Black Desk designed by Marcel Breuer for Simon by Cassina
By Cassina, Marcel Breuer
Located in Traversetolo, IT
The Pecs desk, designed in 1964 by Marcel Breuer for Simon by Cassina, is crafted from black stained ash and is available in a single size. It features two drawers, with three drawer...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Ash

Great and Big Matching Set of Wassily B3 & B9 by Marcel Breuer for Gavina Italy
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Buggenhout, Oost-Vlaanderen
The Wassily- or Model B3 chair was designed in 1925 in Germany by Marcel Breuer. Black leather straps on a chrome tubular base & inspired by the frame of a bicycle. Great matchin...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Leather

Knoll International Wassily Chair by Marcel Breuer Brown Leather Set of 2
By Knoll, Marcel Breuer
Located in Munich, Bavaria
This 2 Wassily chairs, in chromed tubular steel and brown leather, was designed by Marcel Breuer and produced by Knoll International. Knoll International production with the Wassily...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Bauhaus Marcel Breuer Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Marcel Breuer furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Marcel Breuer furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Marcel Breuer furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 267 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 11 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Marcel Breuer 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 Franco Albini, Arflex, and Marco Zanuso. Prices for Marcel Breuer furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $296 and can go as high as $107,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,560.
Questions About Marcel Breuer Furniture
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Marcel Breuer was an architect and furniture designer who made a major impact on modern design by introducing new materials and emphasizing the importance of form matching function. He was born in Pécs, Hungary, in 1902, and was a part of the Bauhaus school. You’ll find a collection of Marcel Breuer furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To pronounce Marcel Breuer, say "mar-SELL BROO-ur." The artist's first and last name both originate from the Hungarian language. Breuer was born in Pécs, Hungary, on May 21, 1902. You can shop a variety of Marcel Breuer furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    The Dutch art movement De Stijl inspired Marcel Breuer's early work. Artists in the movement like Piet Mondrian created art that adhered to the principles of geometry. This idea resonated with Breuer and informed his designs. Shop a selection of Marcel Breuer furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Marcel Breuer was born in Pécs, Hungary, on May 21, 1902. He attended the Bauhaus design school in Weimar, Germany, and eventually became a part of the faculty. After the Nazis shut the school down, Breuer moved to the U.S. He died in New York City on July 1, 1981. On 1stDibs, find a variety of Marcel Breuer furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Marcel Breuer is known for his work as an architect and furniture designer during the 20th century. During his life, he created many famous chairs that remain popular today, including the Wassily lounge chair, the Cesca chair and the D40 cantilever chair. You’ll find a range of Marcel Breuer furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Over the course of his life, Marcel Breuer designed many things. Furniture was one of his main focuses, and he created many influential pieces, including the Wassily lounge chair, the Cesca chair and the Laccio side table. Shop a collection of Marcel Breuer furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 12, 2024
    Marcel Breuer is famous for being one of 20th-century modernism’s most influential innovators. His most well-known furniture pieces were crafted of tubular steel, including the Wassily chair and the caned Cesca chair. Breuer also made several notable designs in molded plywood, including a chaise longue and nesting table for the British firm Isokon and a student furniture suite commissioned in 1938 for a dormitory at Bryn Mawr College. Breuer’s designs are elegant and adaptable examples of modernism, useful and appropriate in any environment. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Marcel Breuer furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Yes, Marcel Breuer taught at the Bauhaus design school in Weimar, Germany. He arrived at the institution in 1920 as a student. By 1925, his duties expanded to include teaching classes of his own and running the school's furniture shop. On 1stDibs, find a selection of Marcel Breuer furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Today, Marcel Breuer chairs are made in the factory locations of the furniture manufacturer Knoll, Inc. It operates production facilities in Italy and Canada, as well as in Pennsylvania and Michigan in the U.S. Find a collection of Marcel Breuer furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 22, 2024
    Marcel Breuer designed several chairs. One of his best-known pieces is the Wassily lounge chair made of tubular steel and leather straps. Breuer named the chair after the artist Wassily Kandinsky. Among the designer's other notable chairs are the Cesca chair, the B35 lounge chair and the S 35. On 1stDibs, find a diverse assortment of Marcel Breuer chairs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Marcel Breuer was associated with the Bauhaus school in Weimar, Germany. After attending classes as a student, Breuer became the head of the school's furniture shop. While working there, he created the Wassily lounge chair, introducing the use of tubular steel frames to modern furniture design. Find a variety of Marcel Breuer chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Most Marcel Breuer chair legs are made out of bent tubular steel. The designer introduced this radical new material to modern furniture design with his Wassily Model B3 lounge chair. On 1stDibs, you can shop a collection of Marcel Breuer chairs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    There are a number of ways that you can tell an original Marcel Breuer chair. One trick is to examine the frame. If you see end caps, you're likely looking at a replica. Authentic Breuer chairs featured polished, welded ends. Some chairs also feature stickers that identify the model name located under their seats. On 1stDibs, find a collection of expertly vetted Marcel Breuer chairs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Marcel Breuer became an apprentice and student at the Bauhaus school in 1920. He made a big impression on the school's founder, Walter Gropius, and later became the head of the institution's furniture workshop. Find a selection of Marcel Breuer furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Marcel Breuer chose a bicycle tube frame to create his Wassily lounge chair because he was impressed by the strength and weight properties of the steel. The chair was a landmark in furniture design and opened the doors to the use of tubular steel frames in many chairs, tables and sofas produced during the modern period. You’ll find a selection of Marcel Breuer furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Marcel Breuer created the Cesca chair while splitting his time between Paris and Germany. He made the chair in 1928, shortly after he left the Bauhaus school, but you can clearly see the influence of the institution's design principles in the clean, simple lines of the piece. Find a range of Marcel Breuer Cesca chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To identify Marcel Breuer bar stools, start by examining the frame. Genuine models will usually feature smooth, welded ends. Most reproductions have end caps instead. You can also look for a sticker that bears the model name on the underside of the seat. On 1stDibs, find a range of expertly vetted Marcel Breuer bar stools.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To reupholster a Marcel Breuer Cesca chair, first pry out the staples, remove the original upholstery and disassemble the chair. Place the new fabric on a flat surface and position the seat upside down. Fold the fabric over the edge and secure it with a staple gun. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of expertly vetted Marcel Breuer Cesca chairs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    What was most innovative about Marcel Breuer's Model B3 chair was its frame. Also known as the Wassily lounge chair, the piece featured a lightweight, sturdy tubular steel frame inspired by the artist's Adler bicycle. His use of the metal started a radical shift in furniture design. You’ll find a variety of Marcel Breuer Model B3 chairs 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Marcel Breuer introduced the material of tubular steel to modern furniture design. He employed it in many of his chairs, tables and sofas, prizing the material because it minimized the weight of pieces without sacrificing their strength. Shop a range of Marcel Breuer furniture on 1stDibs.

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