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.
Functionalist Bedside Tables by Pauli Blomstedt, J. Merivaara, Finland, 1930s
By J.Merivaara, Pauli Blomstedt
Located in Karis, Nyland
A rare and architecturally striking pair of functionalist bedside tables designed by Pauli Blomstedt and produced by J. Merivaara in Finland during the 1930s. These pieces embody th...
Steel
Gae Aulenti Tavolo Con Ruote Low Glass Coffee Table on Casters for Fontana Arte
Located in Miami, FL
Designed by Gae Aulenti, this low coffee table consists of a tempered glass top supported by four black industrial wheels and was produced by Fontana Arte and imported by Luminaire. ...
Steel
1930s Bauhaus Children’s Desk with Drop Leaf in Walnut and Chrome
Located in Praha, CZ
This Bauhaus children’s writing desk was produced in Czechoslovakia during the 1930s. The design combines a tubular chrome-plated steel structure with walnut-veneered plywood surface...
Steel, Chrome
Untitled Side Table 2.0 Dark Patinated Brass Small Round Accent, End, Drink Tray
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in dark patinated brass finish with recessed hex-head fasteners. The suspended lever design is a play on lightness and visual illusion in a solid metallic form. ...
Brass
Pauli Blomstedt, 1930s tubular steel table for J. Merivaara, Finland
By Pauli Blomstedt, J.Merivaara
Located in Turku, Varsinais-Suomi
Introduce an icon of Scandinavian Vintage Design with this 1930s tubular steel table, meticulously crafted by the renowned architect Pauli Blomstedt for J. Merivaara, Finland. Rooted...
Steel
Small Bauhaus Tubular Steel Desk, Oak Veneer and Chromium Plated Metal c 1930
Located in Berlin, DE
Small Bauhaus tubular steel desk, so-called 'typewriter desk', with 4 drawers. The desk is made of chromed tubular steel and oak-veneered wood. Germany/Czechoslovakia/Austria, circa ...
Chrome
Restored Bauhaus Tubular Steel Set, Round Table and Four Chairs by Mart Stam, 19
By Mart Stam
Located in Żory, PL
This Bauhaus style set was produced in the 1930s in Czechoslovakia. The set consists of a round table, two armchairs (S43F) and two chairs (S43) designed by Mart Stam. The furnitur...
Steel, Chrome
Knoll Laccio Coffee Table by Marcel Breuer
By Knoll, Marcel Breuer
Located in New York, NY
The Laccio coffee table was originally designed in 1925 by Marcel Breuer and is now produced by Knoll. Breuer's use of tubular steel was groundbreaking and enabled him to create piec...
Steel
Orange Steel Console Table / Customizable / Wood, Marble and Stone Top Optional
By &New
Located in Leicester, GB
The Giraffe console table is a modern statement piece. The powder-coated steel console table looks stunning is the hallway with a bunch of flowers or as a lamp table in any room. The...
Steel
$6,305 / item
Medium Light Walnut Side Table
Located in Ballard, CA
A handcrafted side table. Artfully composed of 33 stacked disks, the top is made of four quarters of walnut or rosewood, and engineered with traditional joinery. Also available in a ...
Wood, Rosewood, Walnut
International Bauhaus Style Stainless Steel and Glass Coffee Table c. 1970's
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Paul Mayen
Located in New York, NY
Exceptional Bauhaus, International style stainless steel and glass coffee table, in excellent, original, clean and ready to use condition. The table features a rectangular base, cons...
Stainless Steel
Slim Burgundy Steel Console Table with Wood Table Top / Customizable
By &New
Located in Leicester, GB
The Giraffe console table is a modern statement piece. The powder-coated steel console table looks stunning is the hallway with a bunch of flowers or as a lamp table in any room. The beauty of the Giraffe console table is that it works both against period details and modern surroundings due to its compact proportions; made with an elegant steel frame and a wooden top. The geometric leg design...
Steel
Untitled Side Table Matte Blackened Brass Small Accent, End or Drink Stand
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined matte blackened brass with recessed hex-head fasteners. "Matte Blackened Brass" is a heavily textured, roughened finish with tool markings and edge-wearing to invoke t...
Brass
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
LC6 Dining Table by Le Corbusier for Cassina, 20th Century
By Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand Cassina
Located in NICE, FR
Originally designed in 1928 by the legendary trio Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and Charlotte Perriand, this LC6 dining table is a 1980 production by Cassina, the exclusive authorized manufacturer of Le Corbusier’s furniture designs. With its sleek glass top and industrial black enameled steel base, the LC6 reflects the machine-age aesthetics and rational functionality that defined modernist architecture and design. The frame, inspired by airplane fuselages...
Aluminum
Bauhaus Rectangular Tubular Steel Table, Chromed Metal, Lacquered Wood, C. 1935
Located in Berlin, DE
Bauhaus rectangular table model Tn 132, manufactured by Mücke-Melder, circa. 1935. Chrome plated tubular steel, black lacquered wood.
Metal, Chrome
Bauhaus Tubular Steel Desk by Thonet, Chrome Plated Metal, Lacquered Wood, 1930
By Thonet, R. C. Coquery
Located in Berlin, DE
Bauhaus tubular steel desk B 282 designed by R. C. Coquery and manufactured by Thonet, c. 1930 Delivery time c. 8 weeks
Steel, Chrome
Chrome Bauhaus Dressing Table, 1930s
Located in Praha, CZ
In very good original condition. Perfectly cleaned. Slight damage to the original mirror in the area.
Chrome
Bauhaus Adjustable Table E 1027 in Red, Designed by Eileen Gray, ClassiCon, 70s
By Eileen Gray
Located in Lucija, SI
This is perhaps the Classic among the classics. Its ingeniously proportioned, distinctive form has made this height-adjustable table one of the most popular design icons of the 20th ...
Steel
$943Sale Price|20% Off
Bauhaus modernist side table with multiple levels, Germany 1950s
By Bauhaus, Marcel Breuer, Warren Platner
Located in ECHT, NL
Modernist side table with multiple levels. The frame is made from tubular steel with metal rods both functional and decorative. The upper shelf is original while the bottom ones are ...
Metal
A revolving side table, Bauhaus, 1920s to 1930s, The Netherlands
Located in EVERDINGEN, NL
An original 1920s to 30s Dutch bauhaus smoker's or drinks table with a revolving top. Very rare to find. The table top rotates by means of small metal balls that turn in a round sl...
Metal
"B286" Desk By Bruno Weil For Thonet
By Bruno Weil
Located in London, GB
A modernist B286 desk designed by German designer Bruno Weil for Thonet circa 1930. Blue enamelled steel with chromed draws and a magnificent thick Saint Gobain glass table...
Metal
DOOQ! New! Modern! Braque Side Table in Marble Brown Emperador
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
Celebrating a new invented reality, smooth and rough surfaces contrast with one another giving way to a new approach in shape and balance. Braque side table shows a torn and fragment...
Travertine, Marble
Bauhaus Round Table in Walnut by Robert Slezak, 1930s
Located in Żory, PL
This round Bauhaus style table was designed by Robert Slezak and produced in the 1930s. The walnut top has been restored and is lacquered in a satin finish. The chrome-plated frame i...
Steel, Chrome
1930thies dinning room set from PEL by Serge Chermayeff table and 6 chairs
Located in Schöfflisdorf, CH
1930thies dinning room set from PEL by Serge Chermayeff table and 6 chairs
Chrome
Dining table set table + 4 chairs by Marta Stama, Poland, 1930s
By Mart Stam
Located in Chorzów, PL
Dining table set table + 4 chairs by Marta Stama, Poland, 1930s The chairs and the table were designed by Marta Stam, a Dutch architect and Bauhaus lecturer, and were made at the Ea...
Aluminum
Untitled Side Table 1.0 Dark Patinated Brass Small Accent, End or Drink Stand
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in dark patianted brass patina with recessed hex-head fasteners. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for the better with time ...
Brass
Bauhaus Chrome Flower Side Table / Stand/ Étagère by J.Halabala, 1930s
By Up Závody, Jindřich Halabala
Located in Praha, CZ
- Published in books and catalogues - Catalogue number H- 54 - Metal parts renovated - Chrome polished, bears signs of age - Around 1930s, Cze...
Chrome, Metal
Vintage MidCentury Italian Modern Laccio Kiga Low Coffee Table by Marcel Breuer
By Marcel Breuer, Gavina
Located in Warszawa, Mazowieckie
A design icon. The low Kiga coffee table is a post-war interpretation of the iconic Laccio table, designed by Marcel Breuer in 1924 as part of his experiment with bent steel tubing. ...
Chrome
1980s Postmodern Cantilever C-Table in red lacquered metal and glass
Located in amstelveen, NL
This sleek 1980s side table is designed for effortless convenience. Its minimalist tubular frame easily slides over the arm of a sofa or chair, creating an instant surface for your d...
Metal
$3,196Sale Price / set|20% Off
Jacques Adnet Hermes Style Iron Equestrian Dining Set
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on More Details below. Shipping Quote Information The shipping quote stated in the listing was from 1st Dibs and they normally set all the costs and handle all the shipping details. However, if you let us know what 1st Dibs is quoting you and give us your zip code, we can sometimes ship it for less and get it to you faster. For a shipping quote, click on "ASK THE SELLER" under the purchase button and provide your zip code. Offering One Of Our Recent Palm Beach Estate Fine Furniture Acquisitions Of A 5 Piece Jacques Adnet Hermes Style Iron Equestrian Dining Set We called it our 4 Horseman...
Iron, Metal
$1,661Sale Price|20% Off
Art Deco / Bauhaus Round Wooden Table with Tubular Steel legs, Circa 1930s
Located in Helsinki, FI
A beautiful Functinalist Art Deco coffee / side table featuring two wooden tops with tubular chromed steel legs. The materials blend together with charm and sophistication showcasing...
Chrome
$2,266Sale Price|20% Off
Scandinavian Modern Tubular Chrome Dresser Set, 1940s
By Heteka
Located in Karis, Nyland
A very rare dresser manufactured by Heteka (Helsingin Teräshuonekalutehdas) in Finland in the 1940’s. The model PÖ305 was firstly introduced in Heteka’s 1941 cataloque and became an ...
Steel, Chrome
Bauhaus Tubular Steel End Table With Drawer, Chromed Metal, Veneered Wood, 1930
By Thonet
Located in Berlin, DE
Bauhaus chrome plated tubular steel end table with one drawer. This table model T9 was designed and manufactured by Thonet, circa 1930 This item is restored on request and available...
Metal, 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
Restored Bauhaus Writing Desk, by Robert Slezák, Oak, Chrome, Czech, 1930s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This elegant writing desk is a premier example of Bauhaus functionalist design, dating back to 1930s Czechoslovakia. It was manufactured in the renowned Robert Slezák factory, one of...
Steel, Chrome
Console in the Style of Bauhaus Movement, Steel and Walnut - Barcelona, Spain
Located in Girona, Girona
Console with a nickel plated steel tubular stands and three shelves in solid wood with walnut veneer, French polish. In the style of Bauhaus Movement...
Steel
Untitled Side Table Polished Nickel Plated Brass Small Accent, End or Drink Tray
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined polished nickel plated brass with recessed hex-head fasteners. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for the better with time and use....
Brass
Pair of Restored Bauhaus Bedside Tables, by R. Slezák, Chrome, Czech, 1930s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This pair of bedside tables from the early 20th century is an outstanding example of Bauhaus functionalist design. Manufactured in Czechoslovakia, they seamlessly combine elegant chr...
Steel, Chrome
Modernis Tubular Steel Desk, Chrome Plated Metal, Stained Wood, Germany, c. 1930
By Thonet, Bruno Weil
Located in Berlin, DE
Modernist tubular steel desk designed by Bruno Weil and manufactured by Thonet or under Thonet license, c. 1930. The desk is made of chrome-plated tubular steel and black-stained wood.
Metal
Minimalistic Coffee Mahogany Table by Kaare Klint for Rud Rasmussen Denmark 1934
Located in Munich, DE
Exceptional coffee table in a minimalistic design by Kaare Klint. 1932. Manufactured by Rud Rasmussen, Copenhagen, Denmark in 1934 (by Rud Rasmussen confirmed). Makers label under th...
Wood
Restored Bauhaus Writing Desk, Steel, Glass, Germany, 1940s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Dimensions of the desk: Height: 70 cm (27.6 in) Width: 100 cm (39.4 in) Depth: 55 cm (21.7 in) Leg space: Height: 67.5 cm (26.6 in) Width: 45 cm (17.7 in) Our professional refurbis...
Steel
Bauhaus-Style Coffee Table with steel base and tinted glass top, Germany 1970s
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find a stunding Bauhaus-Style coffee table with a unique design in steel. It features semicircular legs and a round top, covered with a tinted glass. Made in...
Steel
Modernist Flip Top Dining Table Jean by Eileen Gray for ClassiCon
By Eileen Gray
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find a Modernist Flip Top Table "Jean" designed by Eileen Gray for her architecture project Villa E-1027, also known and House by the Sea. It was originally ...
Steel
Bauhaus Style Tubular Trolley or Bar Cart 1970s
Located in Miami, FL
Wonderful and rare Bauhaus style trolley or bar cart . Very well designed with a timeless and modern appearance due to the combination of black glass and the chromed tubular frame. I...
Chrome
Restored Bauhaus Writing Desk, by Robert Slezák, Beech, Chrome, Czech, 1930s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Dimensions: Height: 78 cm (30.7 in) Width: 138 cm (54.3 in) Depth: 75 cm (29.5 in) Space for legs: Height: 73 cm (28.7 in) Width: 83 cm (32.7 in) This elegant Bauhaus writing desk ...
Steel, Chrome
Restored Bauhaus Foling Table, by J. Halabala, UP Zavody, Oak, Czech, 1930s
By Jindřich Halabala, Up Závody
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Adjustable width: 120 cm - 170 cm (47 in - 67 in) This early 20th-century dining table sits at the intersection of Art Deco and Bauhaus styles, giving it a truly distinctive charact...
Steel, Chrome
Untitled Side Table 2.0 Polished Brass Small Round Accent, End or Drink Tray
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass with recessed hex-head fasteners. The suspended lever design is a play on lightness and visual illusion in a solid metallic form. Petite sized to pull up next to...
Brass
After Marcel Breuer, a Bauhaus Style Side Table and Magazine Holder
Located in North Miami, FL
A design after Marcel Breuer with mesh hanging hammock for magazines and chrome trim.
Chrome
Bauhaus Style Console Table Set with Glass Shelves on Tubular Metal Frame
Located in Cork, IE
Unpretentious, yet with elegant lines, this ensemble of two console tables caught our attention immediately. The design of the tubular frames is a definite nod to the principles of f...
Metal
Marcel Breuer Black Laccio End Table Knoll Studio Bauhaus
By Knoll, Marcel Breuer
Located in New York, NY
An authentic "Laccio" side or end table signed by Marcel Breuer for Knoll Studio, in the German Bauhaus style, circa 20th century. Table has a black satin laminate top and tubular ch...
Chrome
1920s Bauhaus Executive Desk in Black Lacquered Steel, German Machine Age Modern
Located in Berlin, DE
This striking German Bauhaus writing desk from around 1925 exemplifies the radical functional clarity that defined early modernist design. Executed in black lacquered metal, the desk...
Metal, Chrome
Pair of Restored Bauhaus Bedside Tables, Chrome, Lacquered Wood, Czech, 1930s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This elegant pair of Bauhaus bedside tables comes from Czechoslovakia from the first half of the 20th century. They are made of tubular chrome steel and lacquered blockboard. The ta...
Steel, Chrome
Thonet Bauhaus Style Tubular Trolley or Bar Cart 1980s
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
Located in Tilburg, NL
Thonet Bauhaus Style Tubular Trolley or Bar Cart 1980s. Wonderful and rare Bauhaus style trolley or bar cart in the style of Thonet. Very well designe...
Chrome
Bauhaus Garden Table by Max Ernst Haefeli for Embru, Switzerland
By Max Ernst Haefeli, Embru
Located in Debrecen, HU
This rare and elegant round metal table was designed by Max Ernst Haefeli and produced by the renowned Swiss manufacturer Embru Werke AG. Featuring a folding tabletop, this piece ref...
Metal, Steel
Bauhaus Tubular-Steel Conference/Dinning Set, GMD Berlin, Germany, Design 1927
By GMD Berlin
Located in Berlin, DE
Bauhaus tubular-steel conference or dining set by GMD Berlin, Germany.
Steel
Untitled Side Table 2.0 Blackened Brass Small Round Accent, End or Drink Tray
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in matte blackened finish with recessed hex-head fasteners. The suspended lever design is a play on lightness and visual illusion in a solid metallic form. Petit...
Brass
Untitled Side Table 2.0 Polished Nickel Small Round Accent, End or Drink Tray
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in polished nickel plated finish with recessed hex-head fasteners. The suspended lever design is a play on lightness and visual illusion in a solid metallic form...
Brass
Untitled Side Table 1.0 "Smoke" Patinated Brass Small Accent, End or Drink Stand
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in "Smoke" acid patina with recessed hex-head fasteners. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for the better with time and use....
Brass
Original Bauhaus Dining Set, by Hynek Gottwald, Chrome, Czech, 1930s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Dining table and 4 Chairs This elegant dining set from the Bauhaus period was crafted in Czechoslovakia by the renowned company Hynek Gottwald. The set includes a dining table and f...
Steel, Chrome