With its curvilinear silhouette, ample cushioning and cantilevered frame, the H269 chair is among the most beloved designs to come out of Czechoslovakia. Jindrich Halabala (1903–78) created the chair in the 1930s while working as head designer for the prominent state-owned manufacturing studio United Arts and Crafts Manufacture (known as UP).
Constructed from bentwood, which sees wood soaked or steamed with water so that it becomes malleable enough to bend into elegant forms, the H269’s instantly recognizable exaggerated arms give way to a graceful curve that extends straight down to the cantilevered foundation.
Halabala helped introduce a new age of industrial furniture design and mass production while at UP, driven by a focus on creating affordable, innovative furniture that was highly functional as well as widely available. More specifically, he helped revolutionize the modular furniture trend, using simple shapes like the “H” and “E” chairs to standardize the idea of straightforward design.
Halabala remained at UP from the 1930s through the mid-’40s and worked mostly in the modernist and Art Deco modes to design chairs, sideboards, tables, sofas and floor lamps. To create these pieces, he often used tubular steel or bentwood, as with the H269. Like many of his European contemporaries, Halabala’s work can be found in revered museums. And every year, a student competition sponsored by Mendel University in Brno and the Technical University in Zvolen presents awards to aspiring furniture design students in his name.
Vintage H269 armchairs manufactured by Thonet can be found on the secondary market, while Modernista in the Czech Republic currently produces new editions of this design.
Jindřich Halabala ‘H-269’ Armchair in Red Velvet and Stained Beech, 1930s
By Up Závody, Jindřich Halabala
Located in Prague, New Town
Armchair, model ‘H-269’, designed by Jindřich Halabala. Produced by Spojené UP závody Brno in former Czechoslovakia, 1930s. Armrests in stained beech, recently reupholstered in red v...
Velvet, Beech
Jindřich Halabala Pair of 'H-269' Armchairs in Black Velvet Fabric, 1930s
By Jindřich Halabala, Up Závody
Located in Prague, New Town
Jindřich Halabala for UP Závody, pair of model ‘H-269’ armchairs, wood, black velvet fabric upholstery, former Czechoslovakia, 1930s. Pair of armchairs, model ‘H-269’, designed by J...
Fabric, Wood
Jindrich Halabala "H269" Lounge Chairs in Beige Mongolian Sheepskin, 1930s
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in amstelveen, NL
Jindrich Halabala, lounge chairs. model 'H-269', light brown stained beech, Mongolian sheepskin, circa 1930s. The chairs feature Halabala’s iconic steam-bent beechwood frames with...
Sheepskin, Beech, Bentwood
Rare Art Deco Armchairs by J. Halabala, Model H269, 1930s, Set of 2
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Wrocław, Poland
Set of two Art Deco armchairs designed by famous Jindrich Halabala in 1930s in Czechoslovakia. One of his iconic models, H269. The wooden elements have been professionally restored. ...
Beech, Bentwood
$1,480 / item
Walnut Dining Chairs By Jindrich Halabala
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Vienna, AT
Dining chairs designed by Jindrich Halabala with a walnut backrest.
Beech, Walnut, Spruce
Art Deco Thonet H269 Armchair by Jindrich Halabala Bouclé Fabric
By Jindřich Halabala, Thonet
Located in Vienna, AT
Beech bentwood walnut stained armchair made by Thonet in the 1930s. Excellent restored with seat springs upholstered with noblis creme boucé fabric. Another fabric and wood finish on...
Beech, Bentwood
$6,590 / item
Art Deco Thonet H269 Armchair by Jindrich Halabala
By Thonet, Jindřich Halabala
Located in Vienna, AT
Beech bentwood walnut stained armchair made by Thonet in the 1930s. Excellent restored with seat springs upholstered with green velvet. Another fabric and wood finish on request poss...
Beech, Bentwood
$5,989 / item
Art Deco Thonet H269 Armchair by Jindrich Halabala
By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Jindřich Halabala
Located in Vienna, AT
Beech bentwood walnut stained armchair made by Thonet in the 1930s. Excellent restored with seat springs upholstered with Sandra Jordan Prima Alpaca fabric. Another fabric and wood...
Beech, Bentwood
Customized Art Deco Armchair by Jindrich Halabala, Glossy Lacquer, Gray Fabric
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Berlin, DE
Customized Art Deco Streamline H 269 armchair by Jindrich Halabala, manufactured by UP Závody Brno, circa. 1935. This armchairs are restored on request and available in different ...
Fabric, Wood
$989 / item
Dining Chairs By Jindrich Halabala
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Vienna, AT
Dining chairs designed in the 1930s by Jindrich Halabala for UP-Zavody in Brno, with a walnut backrest. Chairs are fully restored with a new upholstery. Another fabric on request pos...
Beech, Walnut, Spruce
Jindřich Halabala Pair of 'H-269' Armchairs in Beech and Fabric, 1930s
By Up Závody, Jindřich Halabala
Located in Prague, New Town
Jindřich Halabala for UP Závody, pair of model 'H-269' armchairs, wood, fabric upholstery, former Czechoslovakia, 1930s. One of the best-known lounge chair models by the renowned Cz...
Fabric, Velvet, Beech
H-269 Halabala Armchair By Jindřich Halabala For Up Závody, Czechoslovakia, 1920
By Jindřich Halabala, Up Závody
Located in Zohor, SK
Iconic armchair designed by Jindrich Halabala for UP Zavody, Czechoslovakia in 1920s. The chair is H-269 model. This model has a very dynamic and abundant appearance. Beautifully cur...
Velvet, Oak
$1,485 / item
Walnut Dining Chairs By Jindrich Halabala
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Vienna, AT
Dining chairs designed by Jindrich Halabala with a walnut backrest.
Beech, Walnut, Spruce
Customized H 269 Armchair by Jindrich Halabala, Glossy Lacquer, Pattern Fabric
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Berlin, DE
Customized Art Deco Streamline H 269 armchair by Jindrich Halabala, manufactured by UP Závody Brno, circa. 1935. This armchairs are restored on request and available in different ...
Fabric, Wood
Halabala Model H-269 Armchair, c.1930s in Icelandic Sheep Wool
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Stahnsdorf, DE
Halabala Model H-269 Armchair, c.1930s A rare example of Jindřich Halabala’s iconic Model H-269 armchair, crafted in Czechoslovakia during the 1930s. This piece has been professiona...
Beech
Bespoke H269 Armchairs by Jindrich Halabala, Glossy Lacquer, Fabric Upholstery
By Up Závody, Jindřich Halabala
Located in Berlin, DE
Customized Art Deco Streamline H 269 armchair by Jindrich Halabala, manufactured by UP Závody Brno, circa. 1935. This armchairs are restored on request and available in different am...
Fabric, Wood
Art Deco Streamline Armchair by Jindrich Halabala, c. 1940
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Berlin, DE
Art Deco- Streamline Armchair designed by Jindrich Halabala and manufactured by UP Závody Brno, ca 1940. This original Art Deco - Streamline Armch...
Upholstery, Bentwood
Pair of Jindrich Halabala H-269 Czech Republic 1930's
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful pair of iconic Jindrich Halabala H - 269 chairs, produced by Up Závody in the 1930's. Featuring stain beechwood frames with striking black and white upholstery and contra...
Beech
Customized H269 Armchair by Jindrich Halabala, Glossy Lacquer, Fabric Upholstery
By Jindřich Halabala, Up Závody
Located in Berlin, DE
Customized Art Deco Streamline H 269 armchair by Jindrich Halabala, manufactured by UP Závody Brno, circa. 1945. This armchairs are restored on request and available in different am...
Fabric, Wood
Set of H269 Armchairs by Jindrich Halabala white and blue stripes
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Berlin, DE
Set of Jindrich Halabala chairs. Design from the 1930s, manufactured around the 1950s.
Fabric, Wood
Art Deco Beech Armchair H-269 from Czechoslovakia by Jindrich Halabala, 1930s
By Up Závody, Jindřich Halabala
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
For this item we are able to guarantee the import duty rate, which is 15%. Given the currently unpredictable political situation in the United States, having a fixed and reliable dut...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Beech, Lacquer
Art Deco Thonet H269 Armchair Boucé Fabric by Jindrich Halabala
By Jindřich Halabala, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH
Located in Vienna, AT
Beech bentwood walnut stained armchair made by Thonet in the 1930s. Excellent restored with seat springs upholstered with Dedar bouclé fabric. Another fabric and wood finish on reque...
Bouclé, Beech, Bentwood
$8,881 / set
Jindrich Halabala H-269 Armchairs
By Jindřich Halabala, Thonet
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Jindrich Halabala H-269 Armchairs the wood has a very nice patina, the fabric needs to be redone
Beech
Streamline Chair H-269 by Jindřich Halabala for Spojene UP Zavody, 1930s
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Wien, AT
The lounge chair H-269 by Jindrich Halabala for Spojene UP Zavody was produced during the 1930s. The armchair will be restored with a new spring core. The cover is a wonderful thick...
Fabric, Beech
Pair of Restored Armchairs, H-269, by Jindrich Halabala, UP Zavody, Czech, 1930s
By Up Závody, Jindřich Halabala
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Designed by Jindrich Halabala, a renowned designer credited with ushering in the mass market production of furniture in his native Czechoslovakia. Made by UP Zavody, a well-known Cz...
Fabric, Upholstery, Beech, Lacquer, Wood
$16,578 / set
Set di 2 Poltrone H269, Jindrich Halabala, 1960
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Le Poltrone H269 di Jindřich Halabala sono capolavori iconici del design modernista europeo, originarie degli anni ’30 e ’40. Progettate dal celebre designer ceco Jindřich Halabala, ...
Textile, Wood
Streamline Chair H-269 by Jindřich Halabala for Spojene UP Zavody, 1930s
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Wien, AT
The lounge chair H-269 by Jindrich Halabala for Spojene UP Zavody was produced during the 1930s. The armchair will be restored with a new spring core and up...
Fabric, Beech
Pair of Art Deco Beech Armchairs from Czechoslovakia by Jindřich Halabala
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
For this item we are able to guarantee the import duty rate, which is 15%. Given the currently unpredictable political situation in the United States, having a fixed and reliable dut...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Beech, Lacquer
$23,920Sale Price / set|20% Off
Vintage Art Deco Lounge Chairs by Jindřich Halabala, Mahogany, 1930
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A vintage Art Deco Czech pair of sculptural lounge chairs made of hand crafted polished Mahogany, designed by Jindrich Halabala in good condition. The seat ...
Fabric, Bouclé, Upholstery, Wood
Bespoke Armchairs By J. Halabala, Cream Leather Upholstery, Glossy Wood Finish
By GMD Berlin, Jindřich Halabala, Up Závody
Located in Berlin, DE
Art Deco - Streamline armchair model H 269, designed by Jindrich Halabala and manufactured by UP Závody Brno, circa 1940. This original Halabala Armchair pair, were skillfully resto...
Leather, Upholstery, Bentwood
