A rare "Bauhaus" chair by Erich Dieckmann; one of the most innovative, but somewhat forgotten furniture designers of the early 20th century.
Dieckmann studied at the Bauhaus in Weimar, alongside Marcel Breuer and Josef Albers. He designed the "Zimmer des Herren” and the “Esszimmer” in the first Bauhaus model house “Haus am Horn”. By the end of the 1920’s Dieckmann came to the conclusion that steel was a cold an "inhumane" material, around the same time as Alvar Aalto did in Finnland. He started to explore the possibilities of different kinds of rattan. His designs for these chairs were not as strictly geometric, but nonetheless very minimal and dynamic with a clear, overt construction. Their character is expressed by their profile, seen from the side.
As these chairs were also used outdoor, not many survived after almost a century. It is very rare to find one in this condition. It does have some small damages, but it is still fully functional and it has obtained a wonderful patina. Variations of the designs could be ordered on request. This one has a higher back than the ones in the drawings.
Literature: Erich Dieckmann, Möbelbau in Holz, Rohr und Stahl: Die Baubücher Band 11. Julius Hoffmann Verlag, Stuttgart, 1931
