Early and rare industrial chair, H.F. MERTENS for HOPMI UMS (PASTOE) 1932
A rare, early industrial chair from before WO2.
What makes this chair unique is the patented “torpedo nut”, which made it possible to easily connect the steel tubes so that the chair could be transported and sold in parts.
HOPMI was a producer of locks and bicucle parts. I think you can see that in this chair. Furniture company UMS (later called UMS Pastoe) collaborated with HOPMI to produce it. Seen from the side, the bent plywood seat makes an elegant cuve inside the rigid shape of the frame
Constructionwise it is fully intact, but it is obvious that this chair has obtained a heavy patina.The green paint is not original, yet very old. As the red primer layer underneath the grey is coming out, it seems to be a happy accident that the red contrasts so nicely with the green. Perfect imperfections..
