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Walter Knoll

German

Inspired by the Bauhaus — founded in 1919 by Walter GropiusWalter Knoll decided to bet big on modernism. He launched his eponymous German furniture maker in 1925, and the company has been going strong ever since.

Most design lovers are familiar with Knoll, the manufacturer of furniture by Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia, Marcel Breuer, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and other modernist giants. It was founded by Hans Knoll in 1941 and led after his death by his wife, Florence Knoll, the doyenne of postwar American office interiors. In recent years, the company has added collections by Maya Lin, Rem Koolhaas, Frank Gehry and David Adjaye, among others, and encouraged customers to do what some of them had been doing all along: use Knoll’s “office furniture” at home.

Fewer Americans are familiar with Walter Knoll, the company Hans’s father founded in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1925 and later moved to nearby Herrenberg. That company has existed in the shadow of the larger U.S.-based Knoll for decades.

Both companies descended from the German manufacturer of ornate leather goods established by Wilhelm Knoll in 1866. In 1907, Wilhelm’s sons, Willy and Walter, took over the father’s business and started producing leather club chairs. Five years later, the company introduced its Nestra line of stripped-down wood and leather seating, foreshadowing the family’s future innovations.

In 1925, when he was 50, Walter Knoll launched the Walter Knoll Company, which soon released the revolutionary Prodomo line of chairs, whose upholstered seats and backs are supported by tubular metal frames. Other lightweight Walter Knoll pieces were used in the passenger compartment of the Hindenburg zeppelin.

In 1927, Walter Knoll furnished five apartments designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for the Weissenhof Estate, 21 prototypes of “workers’ housing of the future” constructed as part of an exhibition in Stuttgart. A decade later, Walter’s son Hans, then 24, traveled to the United States to market his father’s furniture and to make a new life for himself in the New World. But inspired by his encounters with Jens Risom — a Danish-born designer who furthered Scandinavian modernism in the United States — Hans broke away from Walter, creating Knoll Associates (now known simply as Knoll). Florence Schust (later to become Hans’s wife) joined him in the company in 1943, and soon they were working with mid-century modern icons such as Saarinen and Bertoia on new designs and licensing Mies’s Barcelona chair.

After the war, with his factories destroyed and labor and materials in short supply, Walter Knoll turned to Hans for help. Hans sent over several pieces from his Vostra line, designed by Risom. Walter replaced the web seats with upholstery and launched his version of the Vostra at the New Living exhibition in Cologne in 1949. It became hugely successful, persuading many Germans still accustomed to traditional furniture to give modernism a go.

Walter Knoll retired in 1964, but his namesake firm continued growing in Germany. Just like the American Knoll, Walter Knoll has found that some customers want to use pieces originally meant as office furniture in their houses. In fact, these pieces give living and dining rooms a crispness that almost no residential furniture can match.

Find vintage Walter Knoll lounge chairs, sofas, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$2,967
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Walter Knoll für Knoll „Stella“ Sleeper Loveseat, 1950er Jahre
By Knoll Antimott, Walter Knoll
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
The sofa can be transformed into a day bed with a lying surface of 200 cm x 80 cm by simply pushing the backrest backwards. Original woollen fabric in very good condition. Very goo...
Category

1960s German Scandinavian Modern Vintage Walter Knoll

Materials

Fabric, Beech

Knoll- Antimott Walnut Lounge Chair designed by Walter Knoll, 1960
By Walter Knoll, Knoll Antimott
Located in Antwerp, BE
A unique armchair and a three-seater sofa in the original setting with a walnut U-Shape frame and the original upholstery in woven wool. A beautiful living room set designed by Walte...
Category

1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Walter Knoll

Materials

Wool, Walnut

Knoll- Antimott Walnut Lounge Chair designed by Walter Knoll, 1960
Knoll- Antimott Walnut Lounge Chair designed by Walter Knoll, 1960
$2,287 Sale Price
20% Off
H 25.6 in W 26.78 in D 29.14 in
Knoll- Antimot Walnut Three Seat U-Vorm Sofa by Walter Knoll, Germany
By Walter Knoll, Knoll Antimott
Located in Antwerp, BE
A unique set of three armchairs and a three-seater sofa in the original setting with a walnut U-Shape frame and the original upholstery in woven wool. A beautiful living room set de...
Category

1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Walter Knoll

Materials

Wool, Walnut

Knoll- Antimot Walnut Three Seat U-Vorm Sofa by Walter Knoll, Germany
Knoll- Antimot Walnut Three Seat U-Vorm Sofa by Walter Knoll, Germany
$3,336 Sale Price
20% Off
H 25.6 in W 69.3 in D 29.14 in
Walter Knoll Barstools Lox
By Walter Knoll
Located in Београд, RS
Adjustable Walter Knoll LOX Bar Stool by Pearson Lloyd, Germany, Modern Design This elegant and functional LOX bar stool, designed by renowned duo Pearson Lloyd for Walter Knoll, exemplifies contemporary German design at its finest. Originally conceived in the early 2000s, this piece blends minimalist aesthetics with ergonomic comfort, making it a favorite in modern kitchens, high-end bars, and sophisticated commercial interiors. The stool features a sculptural seat with soft curves, set on a polished chrome-plated steel column with a round, flat base for excellent stability. The integrated footrest and smooth 360° swivel mechanism enhance its comfort and usability, while the seat height is adjustable from approximately 79 cm to 88 cm (31.1" to 34.6"), making it suitable for various counter and bar heights. Finished in sleek matte black with chromed base, this LOX bar stool embodies refined German craftsmanship and timeless modern appeal. Key Features: Designer: Pearson Lloyd Manufacturer: Walter Knoll Origin: Germany Period: Contemporary / 21st Century Adjustable Seat Height: approx. 79 cm to 88 cm (31.1" – 34.6") 360° Swivel Mechanism Footrest and Round Flat Base Material: Chromed Steel, High-Quality Polyurethane Seat Color: Matte Black Condition: Very good used condition with minimal signs of wear consistent with age and use. Fully functional and structurally sound. Keywords for SEO: Walter Knoll bar stool...
Category

Early 2000s German Modern Walter Knoll

Materials

Metal

Walter Knoll Barstools Lox
Walter Knoll Barstools Lox
$1,200 / item
H 34.65 in Dm 15.75 in
Preben Fabricius & Jørgen Kastholm, Lounge Chair, Model FK 86
By Jørgen Kastholm & Preben Fabricius, Walter Knoll
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Preben Fabricius & Jørgen Kastholm tulip lounge chair in indian red leather Frame of brushed steel. Made by Walter Knoll. Price per chair
Category

1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Walter Knoll

Materials

Stainless Steel

Preben Fabricius & Jørgen Kastholm, Lounge Chair, Model FK 86
Preben Fabricius & Jørgen Kastholm, Lounge Chair, Model FK 86
$3,099 / item
H 33.47 in W 31.5 in D 26.78 in
Preben Fabricius for Walter Knoll Cordovan Leather and Chromed Steel Sofa
By Walter Knoll, Preben Fabricius
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Three-seater sofa designed as part of the "710 Series" by Preben Fabricius for Walter Knoll (Germany, 1972). Featuring loose cushions retaining their original down feather filling an...
Category

1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Walter Knoll

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Newly Upholstered Pair of Model 350 Lounge Chair by Arno Votteler in Army Green
By Walter Knoll, Arno Votteler
Located in Berlin, DE
Rare pair of Arno Votteler chairs model 350 for Walter Knoll. Newly upholstered in Kvadrat Fabric.
Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Walter Knoll

Materials

Chrome

10 Preben Fabricius and Jorgen Kastlhom FK 6728 high back leather armchairs
By Walter Knoll, Jørgen Kastholm & Preben Fabricius
Located in Highclere, Newbury
An exceptional limited edition set of 10 Danish Mid Century Preben Fabricius and Jørgen Kastlhom FK high back armchairs, model FK 6728-4G for Walter Knoll, in a cognac coloured leather with a white gloss shell and polished aluminium 4 star base. The price listed is for all 10 chairs as shown. Originally designed by powerhouse 1960s design team Preben Fabricius and Jørgen Kastholm in 1964, their ‘Tulip’ chair has become an icon of Mid Century Danish design. The actual original name for this chair that was produced by Kill International is ‘The Bucket Chair’ and it is still produced today by Walter Knoll under that name. Needless to say the name comes nowhere near close to portraying the beautiful and curvaceous lines it exhibits which is why over the years it’s often been referred to as the ‘Tulip’ or ‘Bird’ Chair. The original production name was the FK 6725 which relates to the chair with the fixed base and seat. Other production variants number from 6725-6729 and also have been produced in a 3 leg (3G), 4 leg (4G) or 5 star (5R) base and with or without castors. The original chair was produced with a fixed seat and base, but later versions had a rotating seat - and later still a 4 star and 5 star base with both a tilting and rotating seat. All production models had circular slides or castors fitted to the base of the feet so if you ever see a listing without one or the other they are missing in action. The FK high back armchair version, as shown here, has a leather pad and a gloss white shell and a 4 star rotating base. This was a special edition, as confirmed by email via Walter Knoll, and was therefore only produced in very limited numbers. The fine lines and contours found on the FK chair...
Category

1990s German Mid-Century Modern Walter Knoll

Materials

Aluminum

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Walter Knoll Sale Prices

Sold DateSold PriceCategoryMaterialCreation Year
2025$2,200Lounge ChairsSteel, Leather1970
2025$5,760Lounge ChairsFabric, Walnut1960's
2025$1,650Lounge ChairsMetal1990
2024$2,210Office Chairs and Desk ChairsStainless Steel, LeatherUnknown
2024$1,750Lounge ChairsFabric, Elm1950s
$2,967
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months
$1,650-$5,760
Sold price range of items in the past 12 months

Creators Similar to Walter Knoll

Walter Knoll furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Walter Knoll furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of animal skin and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Walter Knoll furniture, although black editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Walter Knoll 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 Burkhard Vogtherr, Luigi Colani, and Gerd Lange. Prices for Walter Knoll furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $281 and can go as high as $16,173, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,195.

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