Cubist Armchair by Camillo Cerri for August Tobler, 1920s

This unique armchair was designed in 1928 by Camillo Cerri specifically for the interior of Haus Rheinbach in Stuttgart Germany. The chair was produced in Dornach, Switzerland by August Tobler who executed most of Cerri’s designs by hand.
Its rustic geometric style makes reference to the prewar three-dimensional Czech Cubism as well as the anthroposophical style of Rudolf Steiner. The Haus Rheinbach was designed by Otto Moser, and architect who belonged to the inner circle of Rudolf Steiner. The angles of the chair are a delicate fusion of the right and sharp angles of the (Czech) Cubism and the more rounded, organic forms used by Steiner.
The chair is executed in a beautiful birch and veneered birch. The four legs stand on small weels. The upholstery has recently been renewed in a decorative Art Deco fabric.

The chair comes with and extensive written expert assessment by the renowned art historian Dr. Jirí Fronek, Ph.D, of which and excerpt can be found here below:
“In terms of ideas and form it is connected to the Rudolf Steiner’s Armlehnstuhl design – a bizarre, robust armchair with Cubist lines and no upholstery. The expression of furniture formed in this manner was supposed to correspond to the esoteric, occult atmosphere of the environment for which it was designed. This armchair designed by philosopher Steiner was undoubtedly the model for various upholstered models specifically designed by Camillo Cerri for Haus Rheinbach in Stuttgart.”

Provenance:
Rheinbach Collection, Stuttgart/Dornach, Germany
Jerie Collection, Basel, Switzerland