The Bauhaus was a progressive German art and design school founded by the architect Walter Gropius that operated from 1919 to 1933. Authentic Bauhaus furniture — sofas, dining chairs, tables and more — and the school’s followers married industrial and natural materials in simple, geometric forms. The goal of the Bauhaus was to erase the distinction between art and craft while embracing the use of new technologies and materials.
ORIGINS OF BAUHAUS FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF BAUHAUS FURNITURE DESIGN
BAUHAUS FURNITURE DESIGNERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
AUTHENTIC BAUHAUS FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The name Bauhaus is derived from the German verb bauen, “to build.” Under the school’s innovative curriculum, students were taught the fine arts, such as painting and sculpture, as well as practical skills like carpentry and metalworking.
The school moved from Weimar in 1925 to the city of Dessau, where it enjoyed its heyday under Gropius, then Hannes Meyer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The period from 1932 to 1933 when it operated in Berlin under Mies was its final chapter. Despite its brief existence, the Bauhaus has had an enduring impact on art and design in the United States and elsewhere, and is regarded by many as the 20th century’s chief crucible of modernism.
The faculty roster at the Bauhaus reads like a who’s who of modernist creative genius — it included such artists as Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and László Moholy-Nagy along with architects and designers like Mies and Marcel Breuer, who became known for his muscular brutalist-style concrete buildings in the postwar years. In 1925, while he was head of the Bauhaus carpentry workshop, Breuer gave form to his signature innovation: the use of lightweight tubular-steel frames for chairs, side tables and sofas — a technique soon adopted by Mies and others. Breuer’s Cesca chair was the first-ever tubular steel frame chair with a caned seat to be mass produced, while the inspiration for his legendary Wassily chair, a timeless design and part of the collection crafted to furnish the Dessau school, was the bike he rode around campus.
Bauhaus design style reflects the tenets by which these creators worked: simplicity, clarity and function. They disdained superfluous ornament in favor of precise construction. Seating pieces such as side chairs, armchairs or club chairs for example, were made with tubular metal or molded plywood frames, and upholstery was made from leather or cane. Above all, designs in the Bauhaus style offer aesthetic flexibility. They can be the elements of a wholly spare, minimalist space, the quiet foundation of an environment in which color and pattern come from one’s own collection of art and artifacts.
Today, from textiles to typefaces, architecture, furniture and decorative objects for the home, Bauhaus creations continue to have an outsize influence on modern design.
Find a collection of authentic Bauhaus furniture on 1stDibs.
1940s Bauhaus-Inspired Wardrobe by Hynek Gottwald – Czechoslovakia
Located in Żory, PL
A functional wardrobe designed in the spirit of Bauhaus modernism by Hynek Gottwald, produced in Czechoslovakia during the 1940s. The piece combines utilitarian design with a clean i...
Steel
1950s Karl Baisch Bauhaus Industrial Steel Desk with Iconic Chrome Sled Feet
By Karl Baisch
Located in Landshut, BY
Description: This exceptional mid-century modern desk was manufactured in Germany during the 1950s by the renowned medical and dental furniture maker Karl Baisch. Combining high-end...
Iron, Metal, Chrome, Sheet Metal
Hynek Gottwald Bauhaus Oak Wardrobe with Chromed Tubular Legs, 1930s
Located in Żory, PL
Original Bauhaus wardrobe designed by Hynek Gottwald, manufactured in Czechoslovakia during the 1930s/1940s. Features three doors, two interior clothing rails, two shelves, and the i...
Steel, Chrome
Marcel Breuer Bauhaus S44 bookshelf in chrome and walnut veneer for Tecta
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Bookshelf original designed by Marcel Breuer in 1932 for the Clarté House in Geneva. Simple and carefully designed appearance with four height-adjustable shelves in walnut veneer sup...
Metal, Chrome
Modernist Tubular Steel Desk, Chrome Plated Steel, Walnut Veneer, ca. 1935
By Vichr & Co.
Located in Berlin, DE
Modernist tubular steel desk, walnut veneer, chrome-plated steel, circa 1935
Metal, Chrome
Modernist Two Door Wardrobe, Chrome Plated Metal and Walnut Veneer, circa 1930
Located in Berlin, DE
Modernist two door wardrobe designed by Hermann John Hagemann and manufactured by Thonet or Mücke-Melder, c. 1930. The wardrobe is made of chrome plated tubular steel and walnut vene...
Metal, Chrome
Modernist Three Door Wardrobe, Chrome Plated Metal and Walnut Veneer, circa 1930
Located in Berlin, DE
Modernist Wardrobe designed by Hermann John Hagemann and manufactured by Thonet or Mücke-Melder, circa 1930. The wardrobe is made of chrome plated tubular steel and walnut veneered w...
Metal, Chrome
John Hagemann Three-Door Walnut Wardrobe for Thonet-Mundus, Early 1930s
Located in Berlin, DE
Designed by Prof. John Hagemann for Thonet-Mundus in the early 1930s, this rare three-door wardrobe is an outstanding example of Central European Classical Modernism. Hermann John Ha...
Metal, Steel
Bauhaus Four Door Wardrobe, Walnut Veneer, Chrome Plated Metal, Made-to-Measure
By Hermann John Hagemann, GMD Berlin
Located in Berlin, DE
Made-to-measure Bauhaus wardrobe designed by Hermann John Hagemann and Manufactured by GMD Berlin. The four door wardrobe is made of chrome plated metal and walnut veneer.
Metal, Chrome
1950s Oak Bauhaus Mirror Cabinet, Czechoslovakia
Located in Praha, CZ
- good /very good original condition with minor signs of use
Chrome
PH Dressing Table in steel - with elegant drawers and optional mirror with light
Located in Copenhagen, DK
The PH Dressing Table in steel with the PH Mirror reinterprets Poul Henningsen’s 1919 dressing table for a contemporary, steel framed expression. Light in presence yet strong in cons...
Steel, Chrome
$8,124
Armoire Roche Bobois
By Roche Bobois
Located in Moutier, CH
Cette armoire signée Roche Bobois témoigne du savoir-faire d’exception de la maison française, réputée pour son mobilier haut de gamme alliant design et élégance. Conçue en merisier ...
Fruitwood
Custom Made Secretaire Cabinet, Chrome Plated Metal, Lacquered And Veneered Wood
By GMD Berlin
Located in Berlin, DE
Tubular steel secretaire-cabinet made of lacquered and veneered wood. Customizable, production time c. 12 weeks.
Metal, Chrome
Bauhaus Tubular Steel Desk by André Lurçat, Manufactured by Thonet, circa. 1935
By André Lurcat
Located in Berlin, DE
Bauhaus tubular steel desk designed by André Lurçat and probably manufactured by Thonet. Chrome plated tubular steel, stained oak veneer, circa 1930.
Metal, Chrome
Exceptional Thonet Bauhaus wardrobe , luxury mahogany edition by Thonet
Located in Berlin, DE
This rare and exceptionally well-preserved Bauhaus wardrobe was designed by architect and furniture designer John Hageman for Thonet-Mundus and produced in the company’s renowned Fra...
Steel, Chrome
PH Grand Chest of Drawers, Mahogany, Emerald Green Leather Panels, Brass Legs
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Created so it can be placed in the centre of a room, away from a wall, Poul Henningsen’s grand chest of drawers features wooden panels on all sides. It is designed to be admired and considered from every angle. This piece highlights the distinctive feature of legs that appear separate from the frame, making a clear distinction between the light, thin legs and the solid, strong body. The PH grand chest...
Leather, Mahogany
Restored Bauhaus Small Cabinet, by R. Slezák, Chrome-Plated Steel, Czech, 1930s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This elegant cabinet from the early 20th century was crafted by the renowned Czechoslovak manufacturer Robert Slezák. Its original chrome steel frame has been professionally cleaned...
Steel, Chrome
PH Dressing Table, black oak veneer, white ash wood drawers
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Luxurious as well as practical and functional, the PH Dressing Table is the perfect place to take a moment for oneself every day. Timelessly elegant, the Poul Henningsen designed Dressing Table will sit harmoniously in every bedroom and is set to become a design classic of the future. Designed in 1919, the PH Dressing Table is the first piece of furniture designed by Poul Henningsen. The body rests on the edges of eight legs and makes a clear design distinction between what is carrying and what is being carried. It is a beauty floating or dancing on high heels, like a ballerina dancing, yet at any time standing strong and solid on her many legs...
Wood, Oak
Restored Bauhaus Wardrobe, by Slezak, Chromed Steel, Walnut, Czech, 1930s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This three-door knockdown wardrobe is a unique testament to 1930s Czechoslovak Modernism, merging top-tier cabinetry with the industrial aesthetics of the Bauhaus school. The furnitu...
Steel, Chrome
Modernist Desk in Solid Wood 40s / 50s Bauhaus Style Vintage
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
French desk from the 40s / 50s in modernist Bauhaus style. Structure of the desk in veneered and solid Rio rosewood with a triple tubular base in chromed steel quite rare. The desk i...
Chrome
Marcel Breuer B21 Thonet Bauhaus Tubular Steel Typewriter Table
Located in Sharon, CT
Important early piece (1928) of Breuer's revolutionary tubular furniture.
Steel
Bauhaus Modernist Office Cabinet / Sideboard, R. Slezák, Czechoslovakia, 1930s
Located in Żory, PL
Original office storage cabinet (model SK 19) made in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s by the Robert Slezák factories. A clean, modernist form with balanced proportions, warm wood veneer...
Steel, Chrome
Bauhaus Kitchen Wall Cabinet with Glass Bar 1930s
Located in Saarbruecken, DE
This small wall cabinet is a kitchen cabinet from the early 1930s. The cream white softwood wall cabinet features a spacious interior with two bakel...
Metal
Marcel Breuer Attribution, Sideboard, Cherry, Glass, Germany, 1925
Located in High Point, NC
A cherry-veneered wood and glass cabinet or sideboard attributed to Marcel Breuer. Present cabinet was produced for the apartment of Fred Forbát, Zehlendorf, Berlin, Germany, c. 1925...
Glass, Cherry
Walnut Bauhaus Wardrobe Made in Czechia by Robert Slezak, 1930-1939
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Original walnut wardrobe made in Czechia by Robert Slezak Period: 1930-1939 Condition: Original Material: Walnut and Chrome-plated steel.
Steel, Chrome
1930s Czech Oak Glass Bookcase from a Baťa Factory
Located in Praha, CZ
A rare oak and glass bookcase or display cabinet dating from the 1930s, originating from a former Baťa factory in Czechoslovakia. The cabinet is a fine example of pre-war Central Eur...
Glass, Wood, Oak
$1,122Sale Price|20% Off
Hollywood Regency Gilded Metal Umbrella Stand by Li Puma, Firenze, Italy, 1950s
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: umbrella stand Origin: Italy Age: 1950s Design and Producer: Li Puma, Florence in Italy This original vintage Hollywood Regency umbrella stand was produced in th...
Metal
$526Sale Price|23% Off
Bauhaus Chrome-Plated Tubular Steel Étagère / Flower Stand, 1930s
Located in Lucenec, SK
Chrome-plated tubular steel étagère made in the 1930s with glass shelves. Chrome plating is in original condition.
Steel, Chrome
$6,546Sale Price|20% Off
Bauhaus-Style Sideboard, Wood and Iron with Glass Shelves, Italy, 1920
By Bauhaus
Located in Milano, IT
This cabinet is a remarkable example of Bauhaus-inspired design, showcasing a harmonious blend of wood, iron, and reflective glass shelves. Crafted during the iconic period of ration...
Iron
Bauhaus showcase cabinet in chromed tubular steel and rosewood, 1930s
Located in Berlin, DE
This elegant Bauhaus showcase cabinet dates from the early 1930s and exemplifies the refined functionalism of Central European Modernism. Designed in the spirit of Bauhaus principles...
Steel
Bauhaus cabinet Modell B 290 – Bruno Weill (BeWe) for Thonet-Paris, ca. 1930
By Bruno Weil
Located in Berlin, DE
This exceptionally rare Model B 290 cabinet, designed by Bruno Weill (BeWe) around 1930 for Thonet-Paris, represents a key moment in the dialogue between Bauhaus Modernism and the Fr...
Steel
Restored Small Bauhaus Cabinet, Chrome-Plated Steel, Wood, Czechia, 1930s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Restored Small Bauhaus Cabinet. Revived Original Paint. Source: Czechia (Czechoslovakia) Period: 1930-1939 Material: Chrome-Plated Steel, Lacquered Wood It has been fully res...
Steel, Chrome
Small Modernist Writing Table, Chromed Steel, Veneered/ Lacquered Wood, Bespoke
Located in Berlin, DE
Small modernist writing table made of chrome plated tubular steel, stained/ veneered/ lacquered wood. The table can be customized and is available in different amounts. Delivery time...
Metal, Chrome
$869Sale Price|20% Off
Green Metal German DDR double door cabinet 1960's
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Double doors metal cabinet with 2 metal drawers. Made in the DDR periode by the factory VEB METAN from Tannenberg.
Metal
$1,262Sale Price|20% Off
German Metal Drawers Cabinet, 1970s
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Beautiful Cabinet with drawers. The cabinet has been restored and the drawers are sealed with Linseed oil, the top part is original and has a nice patina look.
Metal
Serge Chermayeff One-of-a-Kind Curved Desk from the BBC Building 1930s
Located in Coronado, CA
Spectacular one-of-a-kind curved desk designed by Serge Chermayeff circa 1933 for the BBC building in Manchester, England. This is the original desk t...
Copper
Large Vintage Mid-Century Shop Display Counter
Located in Dusseldorf, DE
Large vintage shop display counter from the 1930s. Restored ready to use. An exceptionally stylish piece of authentic vintage shop furniture that is ideal for displaying a wide vari...
Glass, Pine, Plywood
Bauhaus Shelv Chrome for Kitchen or Bathroom with Towelrack
Located in Schöfflisdorf, CH
Bauhaus shelv chrome for kitchen or bathroom with towelrack glass shelves missing.
Chrome
1930s Bauhaus Wardrobe by Vichr & Spol in walnut Finish, Czechoslovakia
By Vichr & Spol
Located in Praha, CZ
- Carefully refurbished - Minor signs of use - Chrome plated legs with some signs of use - can be disassembled for transport
Chrome
Restored Oak Bauhaus Wardrobe, Chrome-Plated Steel, Czechia, 1930s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Restored Oak Bauhaus wardrobe. Source: Czechia (Czechoslovakia) Period: 1930-1939 Material: Oak, Chrome-Plated Steel Revived polish. Our professional refurbishing team in Cz...
Steel, Chrome
DOOQ Buffet Sideboard Berlin in Natural Walnut, Polished Brass, Olive Green
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
Like its name suggests, Berlin sideboard is inspired by Bauhaus, a wave of thought that is impossible to overlook when passing through the streets of Berlin. In a more down to earth ...
Brass
1930s Multi Drawer Card Filing Cabinet by August Blodner
Located in Praha, CZ
Multi drawer card filing cabinet marked by Stahlmobel August Blodner, Gotha. Used in office in Bauhaus factory in Czechoslovakia. Item is in a very g...
Steel
Modernist Tubular Steel Desk, Stained Wood, Chromium Plated Metall, c. 1930
Located in Berlin, DE
Modernist tubular steel desk model PS 10, stained wood, chromium plated metal, c. 1930. The wood finish can be customized. This desk is restored on request, delivery time 8-10 weeks.
Metal, Chrome
Restored Bauhaus Wardrobe, by H.J.Hagemann, Mücke-Melder, Czech, 1930s
By Mücke & Melder, Hermann John Hagemann
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This unique wardrobe (clothing cabinet) in the Bauhaus style originates from Czechoslovakia from the 1930s and is a masterpiece attributed to the architect Hermann John Hagemann for ...
Wood, Lacquer
PH Small Drawer Chest, Mahogany, Emerald Green Leather, Wood legs, Ash Drawers
Located in Copenhagen, DK
This small but perfectly formed storage piece is made out of wood and can be combined with soft leather on the panels. It is elegant and stylish all the way around and from all angles. Poul Henningsen designed this in 1920. The PH small drawer chest...
Leather, Mahogany
$13,092Sale Price|20% Off
Bauhaus Briar Wood Sideboard in Hynek Gottwald style
Located in Milano, IT
This stunning storage cabinet, with uncertain attribution but strongly influenced by the style of Hynek Gottwald, immediately captures attention with its modernist lines and perfect ...
Iron
Tubular steel bauhaus etagere
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Tubular steel bauhaus etagere in very nice original condition. Tubular steel body with metal shelves.
Metal, Steel
DOOQ Buffet Sideboard Berlin in Natural Oak, Polished Brass, Olive
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
Like its name suggests, Berlin sideboard is inspired by Bauhaus, a wave of thought that is impossible to overlook when passing through the streets of Berlin. In a more down to earth ...
Brass
$5,698Sale Price|25% Off
Midcentury Modern High Alfred Hendrickx Sideboard 1960s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Midcentury modern sideboard characterized by clean lines and details in essential lines.This sideboard consists of two separate parts, a three-door low sideboard and a two-door high ...
Metal, Chrome
Large 1930s German Modernist Showcase Counter with Drawers
Located in Berlin, DE
Spectacular large showcase counter in the style of German Modernism — an impressive display unit from the 1930s, originally produced for a luxury department store or high-end retail ...
Steel, Chrome, Nickel
PH Grand Chest of Drawers, wood legs, natural oak veneer, white ash wood drawers
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Created so it can be placed in the centre of a room, away from a wall, Poul Henningsen’s Grand Chest of Drawers features wooden panels on all...
Wood, Oak
$1,122Sale Price|20% Off
Hollywood Regency Gilded Metal Umbrella Stand by Li Puma, Firenze, Italy, 1950s
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: umbrella stand Origin: Italy Age: 1950s Design and Producer: Li Puma, Florence in Italy This original vintage Hollywood Regency umbrella stand was produced in the 1950s ...
Metal
$14,323Sale Price|25% Off
Bauhaus Cocktail Cabinet by Marcel Louis Baugniet with Makers Emblem, 1920s
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Bauhaus Cocktail Cabinet Made By The World Renowned Belgium Architect And Furniture Designer Marcel Louis Baugniet With Makers Emblem 1920s Item has the designer's makers mark label...
Wood
Pair of Bauhaus Bedside Cabinets by Robert Slezák, Reseda Green, 1930s
Located in Berlin, DE
Original pair of bedside cabinets manufactured by Robert Slezák in the 1930s. Their combination of chromed tubular steel and reseda-green lacquered wooden cabinets is a characteristi...
Steel
DOOQ Organic Modern Bar Cabinet, Hand Sculpted Doors and Rattan Traje De Luces
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
Traje de Luces Bar Cabinet encompasses an exploration of delicate forms and a richness in details found while travelling through the south of Spain. Elegance, tradition and superior ...
Brass
Hollywood Regency Real Argentinian Leather Waste Paper Basket, Italy, 1970s
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Waste bin paper bin Origin: Italy (design and production), Argentina (leather) Age: 1970s This original vintage Hollywood Regency waste bin paper bin was produced in th...
Metal
Original Bauhaus Model B 136 Table by Emile Guyot for Thonet, 1930s
By Thonet, Emile Guyot
Located in Miami, FL
Original Bauhaus Model B 136 Table by Emile Guyot for Thonet from the 1930s, glass and chromed metal.
Steel
PH Grand Dressing Table, brass legs, natural oak veneer, white ash wood drawers
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Designed in 1920 by Poul Henningsen (PH), the PH Grand Dressing Table is the larger relative of the PH Dressing Table, sharing all of the beautiful design features of its narrower co...
Brass
PH Small Drawer Chest, Wood Legs, Black Oak Veneer, White Ash Wood Drawers
Located in Copenhagen, DK
This small but perfectly formed storage piece is made out of wood and can be combined with soft leather on the panels. It is elegant and stylish all the way around and from all angles. Poul Henningsen designed this in 1920. The PH small drawer chest...
Wood, Oak
Double-Sided Bauhaus Tubular Desk in Oak and Chrome from Mücke-Melder, 1930s
Located in Żory, PL
Executive writing desk from the 1930s, produced in Fryštát (former Czechoslovakia) by the Mücke-Melder factory. Representing Czech functionalism from the interwar period, close to th...
Steel, Chrome