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.
Bauhaus 1919-1928 (First Edition with Signature of Paul J. Sachs)
By MOMA Museum New York, Walter Gropius, Herbert Bayer
Located in New York, NY
First edition of this foundational monograph published in conjunction with an exhibition held in 1938 at the Museum of Modern Art New York marking the tenth anniversary of the end of...
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1st Edition, Bauhaus 1919-28, to accompany MOMA's Bauhaus exhibition in 1938
Located in London, Fitzrovia
1st edition. Published to accompany MoMA's Bauhaus exhibition: 1919–1928 (held from December 7, 1938 till January 30, 1939), which marked the tenth anniversary of the end of Walter G...
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The New Vision (Laszlo Moholy-Nagy)
Located in New York, NY
Revised and expanded edition of Laszlo Moholoy Nagy’s seminal The New Vision, published in 1938 by W.W. Norton & Company. First edition thus, following the initial American edition p...
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Das Mobelbuch by Bermpohl, R. and Winkelmann, H.
Located in Praha, CZ
- original condition - Publisher: C. BERTELSMANN, GERMANY - Publication year: 1958
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Vision in Motion by Moholy-Nagy (First Edition)
Located in New York, NY
First edition of Laszlo Moholy-Nagy’s final book, posthumously published in 1947 in Chicago by Paul Theobald. A landmark work of modern design theory, the book presents Moholy-Nagy’s...
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Tel Aviv Modern Architecture
Located in Praha, CZ
- Edited by Winfried Nerdinger. Contributions by Pe'era Goldman, Irmel Kamp-Bandau. - This comprehensive survey not only brings alive Tel Aviv of the 30s but also shows many of the p...
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Fortune Magazine, June 1942 (Herbert Bayer Cover Design)
Located in New York, NY
The large-format, June 1942 issue of Fortune Magazine, a publication known for its powerful graphic design elements, especially cover designs, as well as for its reportage and featur...
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The Hot House: Italian New Wave Design by Andrea Branzi
Located in Praha, CZ
- Language: English - Published by Thames & Hudson, London, 1984
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Extremely Rare Bauhaus Book BYT by Václav Petr, Ladislav Sutnar, 1934
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1934 - ilustrated by L.Sutnar - Václav Petr - Pavel Janák, A. Heythum, L. Žák, K. Honzík, F. Zelenka, H.Kucerová - 80 pages - few drawings by penci...
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Tubular Steel Furniture Book / Bauhaus Interior - Die Schöne Wohnung, 1930s
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930s - for the condition see the pictures - jr.
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Book "2100 Metal Tubular Chairs" by Otakar Máčel (Bauhaus)
By Otakar Máčel
Located in Praha, CZ
- Very rare - Author: Prof. Otakar Mácel - Publicated in 2006 - Original, no reprint - Perfect condition - It's no chance to buy on internet - 2100 chairs with pictures and description.
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Interior Bauhaus Leaflet Wohnräume Der Gegenwart / Chrome Furniture-1930s
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930s. - By Gustav Adolf Platz. - 6 pages. - Tugendhat, Mies van der Rohe, L.Moholy Nagy, Le Corbusier. - for the condition see the pictures. - jr.
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Original Thonet Stahlrohrmobel Furniture Catalogue, 1980s
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1980s - maker: Thonet - reprint from 1930s - perfect original condition - 48 pages jr.
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Aldo van Eyck: 1st Edition Hardcover, Bauhaus Style, 1999
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Aldo van Eyck: Works. by Aldo van Eyck and Vincent Ligtelijn. A survey of the work and career of Dutch architect Aldo van Eyck (1918 – 1999). For the present publication the architect opened his substantial archive and provided unpublished original texts, plans and photographs. All main buildings and projects from 1944 to the present day are documented in depth. Aldo van Eyck, Doyen of Dutch architecture, is one of the most significant architects of the 20th century. His way of looking at buildings, his visual thinking, his way of perceiving and structuring time and space, events and social coexistence had a strong influence on his contemporaries during the 1950s and 1960s. The book is based on van Eyck's substantial archive of original texts, plans and photographs, documenting all presented buildings in depth. Aldo van Eyck, the "Grand Seigneur" of Dutch architecture is one of the most significant architects of this century. He exerted a strong influence on his contemporaries during the fifties and sixties, and this can be seen in many ways of their buildings both in the Netherlands and worldwide. It was not merely his way of looking at buildings which was influential but also his perception of architecture; his visual thinking, his way of perceiving and structuring time and space, events and social coexistence. The architectonic treatises he wrote are still relevant and useful today. The present publication has been produced on the occasion of Aldo van Eyck's 80th birthday in 1998. The architect has opened his substantial archive and has provided unpublished original texts, plans and photographs. All buildings from 1944 to the present day are documented in depth and an essay by Alexander Tzonis and Diane Lefaivre makes the historical and cultural background to his work accessible, explaining clearly and lucidly the ideas, the design principles which underlie the conception of his buildings. Further texts by Pierre Boulez, Herman Hertzberger, Rejma Pietila and Joseph Rykwert...
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$410
H 7.5 in W 6.5 in D 6.5 in L 7.5 in
Vintage Mid-Century Modern Chair Sculpture or Architectural Maquette
By Edward Wormley, Paul McCobb
Located in W Allenhurst, NJ
An intriguing vintage sculptural representation of a Mid-Century Modern lounge chair. Handcrafted with expressive proportions and a richly textured surface, the piece captures the es...
Wood
$372,812
H 44.1 in W 61.03 in D 66.93 in
PH Grand Piano PH170 Curated, Mineral Leather, White Oak and Burned Brass
Located in Copenhagen, DK
This offer comes from ToneArt / PH Pianos, which is the official holder of the license from the Poul Henningsen family to produce and sell authentic PH Pianos exclusively and worldwide. All prices are ex works but we have extensive experience in worldwide delivery and installment, including “white glove delivery”. All our authentic PH Pianos are crafted inhouse and according to original design and true craftsmanship traditions. We are a Danish company, based in Copenhagen, and we have a big showroom in the very heart of Copenhagen with the full collection of all PH Pianos as well as the Poul Henningsen furniture collection that we also hold the exclusive license for. We value and apply Danish, Scandinavian and Nordic values in everything we do, including reliability, full transparency and trustworthy communication! - 5-Year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship, and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. This spectacular PH Grand Piano Curated Edition is the first of its kind. It has been created in collaboration with Stevns Klint Experience, a UNESCO heritage site located an hour away from Copenhagen, Denmark. The materials and finishes of this piano have been completely customized to represent key elements of the Stevns Klint Experience geography. From the leather banding, to the type and finish of the wood, to the metal trimming on the case, this piano is very special. More than Just a Piano- Finishes with Symbolism The mineral-colored leather banding of this piano represents the Fish Clay found in the chalk cliffs of Stevns Klint. Fish Clay is the layer of gray clay which contains meteorite particulate, and is scientific proof of the collision 55 million years ago of a meteor with Earth, that ended almost all life including the dinosaurs. Hand-carved beautiful ash-wood frames the delicate and elegant transparent lid, and all metal trim has been done in a semi-matte oxidized brass finish called Burned Brass. All materials and finishes combine to create an extremely elegant, aesthetically stunning-yet approachable- piano. Stevns Klint Experience has provided four fossils from the site which have been set into the frame of the piano, making this instrument a true collector’s piece. Original Design, Unique Customization Designed by Poul Henningsen in 1930, the PH Grand Piano is an iconic design from Denmark that has captured the attention of art collectors everywhere. As a Curated Edition, this instrument is the first of its kind to use a piano action...
Brass
The New Glamour Interiors with Star Quality
By Rizzoli International Publications
Located in New York, NY
Interior designer Jeff Andrews reveals his decorating secrets in a refreshing, youthful, and livable take on what glamour today can be. Kourtney Kardashian. Kris Jenner. Kaley Cuo...
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The New Elegance: Stylish, Comfortable Rooms for Today
By Rizzoli International Publications, Timothy Corrigan
Located in New York, NY
AD100 and Elle Decor A-List designer Timothy Corrigan shares his secrets for creating rooms that are elegant and comfortable, luxurious yet livable. Throughout his career, Corrigan has established a look that is layered and detailed, while always suitable for the way people live today. His distinctive approach encompasses practicality as well as beauty, merging European refinement with California comfort. Here, Corrigan shares homes in which he has defined a new contemporary elegance, including a John Fowler-inspired London townhouse, a Hollywood Regency-inspired Los Angeles Colonial, an art-filled Chicago apartment in the sky, and Corrigan's own Paris pied-à-terre. Corrigan includes advice throughout on how to adapt classic design principles and traditional forms to make them work for busy modern lives. Between each chapter are instructive interludes in which Corrigan outlines the building blocks of successful decoration, with fundamental topics such as scale and proportion, symmetry, architectural details, and working with color. About The Author Timothy Corrigan has been named to virtually every list of the world's best designers and is the only American designer honored by the French Heritage Society for his restoration of several national landmarks in France. The work of his firm has been featured in over 1,000 prestigious publications. In addition, Corrigan has designed successful licensed collections with several partners, including Schumacher, Perennials, Fromental, Royal Limoges, THG Paris...
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The New Antiquarians: At Home with Young Collectors
By Phaidon
Located in New York, NY
An inspiring collection of idiosyncratic interiors assembled around eclectic collections of objects with life and history The once-rarefied world of antiques is bursting open thanks to a new generation of collectors. The New Antiquarians features twenty-two young connoisseurs whose spirited interiors exemplify unorthodox approaches to living with history. Hailing from across the United States and Britain, they brazenly blend the old with the new, embrace anachronism and pastiche, employ serious knowledge with humor and wit, and consider vintage and historical objects through the lens of contemporary values. The New Antiquarians is an exuberant entry point into the world of antiques, highlighting one-of-a-kind collections and single-minded collectors whose stories suggest compelling new ways of living with the past. Collectors whose homes are featured include Jared Austin; Emily Adams Bode Aujla and Aaron Singh Aujla; Pablo Bronstein; Collier Calandruccio; Adam Charlap Hyman; Emily Eerdmans; Jared Frank; Andrew LaMar Hopkins...
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Atlas of Brutalist Architecture
Located in New York, NY
This is the only book to thoroughly document the world's finest examples of Brutalist architecture. More than 850 buildings - existing and demolished, Classic and contemporary - are organized geographically into nine continental regions. 878 Buildings, 798 Architects, 102 Countries, 9 World Regions, 1 Style BRUTALISM Presented in an oversized format with a specially bound case with three-dimensional finishes, 1000 beautiful duotone photographs throughout bring the graphic strength, emotional power, and compelling architectural presence of Brutalism to life. From 20th century masters to contemporary architects, much-loved masterpieces in the UK and USA sit alongside lesser-known examples in Europe, Asia, Australia, and beyond - 102 countries in all. 20th century masters included in the book: Marcel Breuer, Lina Bo Bardi, Le Corbusier, Carlo Scarpa, Ernö Goldfinger, Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Kahn, Oscar Niemeyer, and Paul Rudolph. Contemporary architects featured include Peter Zumthor...
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$5,900
H 11.38 in W 15.38 in D 1 in
SCHULZ - Peanuts Jubilee - FIRST EDITION INSCRIBED WITH A DRAWING OF SNOOPY !
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: SCHULZ, Charles. TITLE: Peanuts Jubilee. My Life and Art With Charlie Brown and Others. PUBLISHER: NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1975. DESCRIPTION: FIRST EDITION INSCRIBED WITH A DRAWING. 1 vol., 15-3/8" x 11-3/8", illustrated, inscribed on the half-title "For B. J. with every best wish - Charles M. Schulz" with the addition of a large full body sketch of Snoopy, hardcover, original stamped silver boards. CONDITION: Inner and outer hinges fine, mild general handling to covers, foredge of rear pastedown and endpaper worn, internally clean and bright, overall VERY GOOD. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: "B.J." is B.J. Thomas best...
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Bricks & Brownstone: The New York Row House
Located in New York, NY
Author Charles Lockwood and Patrick W. Ciccone and Jonathan D. Taylor, Photographs by Dylan Chandler The much-awaited reissue and reexpression of the classic New York row-house book...
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Mid-Century Modern Architecture Travel Guide East Coast USA
Located in New York, NY
A curated list of more than 250 must-see destinations organized geographically from Maine to Florida Featuring architecture by some of the biggest midcentury names, including Mies ...
Paper
$2,250
H 38.2 in W 11.4 in D 3 in
Louis XVI Painted and Gilded Barometer and Thermometer by Viard and Blanchard, 1
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Louis XVI period barometer and thermometer, French, 18th century, in carved wood painted verdigris green and parcel gilt, the engraved dial marked for Viard and Blanchard, optician...
Wood
Postmodern Architecture
Located in New York, NY
A curated collection of Postmodern architecture in all its glorious array of vivid non-conformity This unprecedented book takes its subtitle from Postmodernist icon Robert Venturi...
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Georgian Architectural Model
Located in Greenwich, CT
Very fine English early 19th century mahogany architectural model of a church, the multiple steeples flanking a faux carved slate shingled room, wh...
Mahogany
$4,538
H 92.92 in W 55.12 in D 2.37 in
Charlotte Perriand Mid-Century Modern Wood Architectural Piece, circa 1960
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Discover a rare piece of Mid-Century Modern design with this Charlotte Perriand architectural piece, originally designed for Les Arcs France in 1960. Made of high-quality wood, this ...
Wood
$51,125
H 37.41 in W 53.15 in D 16.54 in
PH Pianette, Cognac Color Leather, Wood Panels and Chromed Metal Parts
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. The PH Pianette ...
Chrome
Jockey Club, First Edition in 'Spanish'
By Manuel Mujica Lainez, Aldo Sessa
Located in valatie, NY
Jockey Club - Un Siglo (Spanish Edition) by Aldo Sessa and Manuel Mujica Lainez. Bueno Aires: Ediciones Cosmogonias, 1982. Limited edition hardcover with d...
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Pioneers of Modern Typography (1st American Edition)
By Piet Zwart, László Moholy-Nagy
Located in New York, NY
First American edition of Herbert Spencer’s foundational survey tracing the avant-garde origins of modern graphic design and typography in the first third of the twentieth century, v...
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H 11 in W 8 in D 1 in
Bauhaus, Weimar 1919-25 Dessau 1925-28, Museum of Modern Art, 1938 First Edition
Located in Stamford, CT
Bauhaus, Weimar 1919-25 Dessau 1925-28 Alfred H. Barr jr. (preface) Published by Museum of Modern Art, 1938 This hardcover is a first edition copy printed by The Museum of Modern A...
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H 12 in W 10 in D 1 in
The Wright Style by Carla Lind Simon and Schuster Hardcover Architecture 1992
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
The Wright Style by Carla Lind, Simon and Schuster, 1992 Architecture Hardcover Book. Re-Creating the Spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright. Publisher : Simon & Schuster (November 1, 1992). Language : English. Hardcover : 224 pages. Dimensions : 10 x 1 x 12 inches. The first book to highlight Frank Lloyd Wright's extraordinary contributions to interior design, The Wright Style opens the doors to more than 40 houses designed by Wright and his followers and includes an illustrated catalogue of sources for the furniture, rugs, wallpaper, lighting fixtures, textiles, and accessories shown. Over 250 photographs, most in full color. If you've ever wanted to step inside a house designed by frank Lloyd Wright or if you've ever dreamed of living in one The Wright Style offers the next best thing: an extraordinary look inside dozens of Wright's incomparable houses, all of them filled with countless inspiring ideas from America's favorite architect. From "pure" Wright houses to homes where his decorative magic has been mixed with related styles, the book captures the essence of the architect's timeless designs the spaces, the textures, the colors, the light, the furniture, the special features that all say Frank Lloyd Wright. As the magnificent houses here show, each of Wright's buildings was a complex composition of many interrelated elements; he regarded them as symphonies. Wright designed not just the shell, but everything inside as well: furniture, skylights, art glass windows, light fixtures, textiles, carpets, wall murals, decorative accessories, even the landscaping. Illustrating how Wright affected and inspired other houses, The Wright Style also presents interpretations of Wright's principles by some of his followers and apprentices providing a guided walk through a century of his unsurpassed influence on design. And for those who love Wright but who cannot live in complete, authentic rooms or purchase antique Wright furnishings, the book's catalogue of products makes it possible at least to bring a touch of the Wright style home. "Wright's ideas have so permeated our architectural world that we have lost track of the source," writes author Carla Lind. "His open floor plans led to family rooms, kitchens open to living areas, indoor spaces open to outdoor living spaces, garden rooms...
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Original Thonet Furniture Catalogue Book, 1930s
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930s - 32 pages - for the condition see the pictures - jr.
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Frank Lloyd Wright The Interactive Portfolio by Margot Stipe Book
By Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Frank Lloyd Wright: The Interactive Portfolio by Margo Stipe Published by Running Press, Philadelphia, London. Frank Lloyd Wright: The Interactive Portfolio. Illustrated with Ful...
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Kandinsky Masterworks by Ramon Tio Bello Art Book
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Kandinsky: Masterworks by Ramon Tio Bello Collector hardcover book One of the first and most famous abstract painters, Wassily Kandinsky created a form in which color and shape have...
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H 12 in W 9.25 in D 0.75 in
Frank Lloyd Wright: Designs for an American Landscape, 1922-1932 Book
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Frank Lloyd Wright: Designs for an American Landscape, 1922-1932. Anne Whiston Spirn, David Gilson De Long Thames and Hudson, 1996 - Organic architecture - 207 pages. Hardcover book. During the 1920s Frank Lloyd Wright designed five projects, none of which were ever built, but which were architectural prototypes...
Paper
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H 12.21 in W 9.06 in D 0.99 in
The Spirit of the Bauhaus - Anne Monier, Olivier Gabet - Thames & Hudson, 2018
Located in CA, CA
First UK Edition, published by Thames & Hudson, London, 2018. With contributions from a number of experts, this volume uncovers the sources of inspiration that brought the Bauhaus into existence, from medieval cathedrals of Europe and Hokusai prints to William Morris and Arts and Crafts...
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Book "2100 Metal Tubular Chairs" by Otakar Máčel (Bauhaus)
By Otakar Máčel
Located in Praha, CZ
- Very rare - Author: Prof. Otakar Mácel - Publicated in 2006 - Original, no reprint - Perfect condition - It's no chance to buy on internet - 2100 chairs with pictures and des...
Paper
Josef Albers "Interaction of Color" Yale University Press, 1963
By Josef Albers
Located in Chicago, IL
The seminal two volume work demonstrating Albers' complete teachings and ideas of color. Volume! is text and volume 2, 80 screen prints. Many of these prints have flaps. Cut-out over...
Erich Dieckmann First Edition Monograph
Located in New York, NY
Soft cover first edition of Erich Dieckmann's "Mobelbau" published by Julius Hoffman in 1931, with dust jacket in mylar cover. An important monograph s...
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