This is a cantilevered chair with a curved support made of tubular steel, on which a cane seat and chair are woven tightly in between. Most prominent is the use of curved tubular steel frame. From the chair shape to the the bottom half, the steel frame transitions seamlessly from chair back, to seat, to dramatic, round, half circle shape front 'legs' into a square support on the bottom for feet, in one single piece. This curving to square design is repeated for chair's arms: a singular tube creates two, long rounded supports that seamlessly transitions into flat arms on either side of the chair and is squared off behind the chair's back. Along the chair's arms, seat, and back is a dark brown woven cane.

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See more objects with the tag seating, curvilinear, industrial, cantilever.

Object Timeline

1927	Work on this object began.
2016	We acquired this object. We photographed this object. We photographed this object.
2017	We exhibited this object.
2024	You found it!

Model MR534 Lounge Chair

This is a Lounge chair. It was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and possibly by Bamberg Metallwerkstätten. It is dated ca. 1927 and we acquired it in 2016. Its medium is bent nickel-plated tubular steel, cane. It is a part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts department.

This cantilevered chair was first shown at the Weissenhof exhibition in Stuttgart, Germany in 1927. Its companion chair, the MR10, also debuted at the exhibit and has an identical design silhouette, except that it lacks arms. Mies was assigned to organize the exhibit and in November of 1926, met several designers preparing works for the show. One of them, architect Mart Stam, had been working on a concept for a cantilevered chair that did away with a chair’s traditional four legs, and instead used gas piping that was screwed together with angle fittings into one continuous piece. Mies was intrigued with the idea, but hated the cumbersome fittings. He re-drew the chair as a series of curves and specified that it be bent cold to retain the elasticity inherent in the tubular steel. Once the steel was properly shaped, he had it nickel-plated. A cane seat and arms completed this new cantilevered furniture form.

The result stunned the exhibition’s visitors. The chairs defied the conventional notion of what a chair was or could be. There was reluctance on the part of some to sit in the designs since they were convinced that it would not hold their weight. Instead, not only did the chair prove to be comfortable, with a generous seat and back, it heralded new possibilities for what could be accomplished with modern materials and a keen eye. The light, almost transparent profile of the chair was ideal for modern architecture and interiors. For his original concept work, Mart Stam was later given artistic copyright for the design of the chairs.

This object was donated by David Teiger Trust. It is credited Gift of the David Teiger Trust.

Sculptural chair with a wooden frame made out of birch and ash. The frame is angular and forms mirrored c-shapes on each side. It is assembled with steel tacks. Below the straight wooden armrests are thin wooden slats. There are two horizontal components at the bottom of the chair. These horizontal pieces are the only portions that touch the floor. It extends slightly past the backrest, providing support and preventing the chair from toppling over. The chair has a streamlined composition with a frame in a light brown color and a seat in brown. The bottom part of the seat and the middle side portions of the backrest are the only parts attached to the angular frame. The rest is left in the open space, creating the illusion that the seat is floating. The seat is covered in Naugahyde, a plastic-coated composite knit fabric. The seat and backrest are attached at an angle and slightly dips a couple of inches below the armrests.

Airline Chair
birch, ash, naugahyde, steel tacks.
Gift of George R. Kravis II.
2018-22-28

No. 4 Rocking Chair
bent beechwood, woven caning.
Museum purchase through gift of American Institute of Interior Designers.
1969-103-2

Barcelona Chair
hand-forged steel, hemp.
Museum purchase from Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program,....
2000-12-1-a,b

Our curators have highlighted 8 objects that are related to this one. Here are three of them, selected at random:

Cantilevered chair with a frame made of bent, chromium-plated tubular steel. Instead of separate legs, the chair is held upright by the L-shaped tube connected by a supporting U-shaped base in one continuous piece. The flat, rectangular back and separate thick, square seat are upholstered with brown leather; the latter appearing to float in between the tubes, save for the thin metal anchors in the back. The matching flat, rectanglar back and armrests wrap around the frame.

Armchair from the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society Building Armchair, 1931
chromium-plated steel, leather upholstery, oak.
Gift of George R. Kravis II.
2015-41-9

Bent chromium-plated tubular steel serves as the frame of this chair. The seat and back are fabric covered elastic bands, similar to bungee cords. Each is wrapped at either end with wire which then is formed into a hook. Each hook allows it to attach into a hole drilled in the frame to accommodate it.

Sandows No. 5 Side Chair
bent chromium-plated tubular steel, fiber, rubber.
Museum purchase through gift of Esme Usdan and from General Acquisitions....
2006-17-1

Chair, Barcelona (Model MR 90) Chair
chromed steel and leather.
Lent by The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Museum purchase funded by J. Brian....
52.2016.2

Its dimensions are

H x W x D: 83.2 × 57.8 × 76.2 cm (32 3/4 in. × 22 3/4 in. × 30 in.)

Cite this object as

Model MR534 Lounge Chair; Possibly by Bamberg Metallwerkstätten; Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (American, b. Germany, 1886–1969); bent nickel-plated tubular steel, cane; H x W x D: 83.2 × 57.8 × 76.2 cm (32 3/4 in. × 22 3/4 in. × 30 in.); Gift of the David Teiger Trust; 2016-36-7

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition The Jazz Age: American Style in the 1920s.

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/2fKKgH/
Accession Number 2016-36-7
Object ID 823323091