THONET set of 4 coffee tables B 9

Description

The bentwood technique perfected by Michael Thonet was a source of inspiration for Marcel Breuer’s experiments with bent tubular steel. The four-piece set of nesting tables B 9 were developed based on this idea. The small tables can be used in a variety of ways – as side tables in seating groups, as practical storage surfaces or as the perfect place for a vase with fresh flowers. After using the tables, they can be easily pushed beneath one another in a space-saving way. The special feature of this range is its functional simplicity – the table set consist only of chrome-plated, bent tubular steel and rectangular panels.

During his time at the Bauhaus, Marcel Breuer experimented with steel and tubular steel, a new and promising material for furniture. Breuer was in close contact with the aircraft manufacturer Junkers in Dessau, which accelerated the development process. His first designs included the nesting tables B 9 as well as various shelves and pieces of side furniture. The Thonet card catalogue from 1930/31 included the complete product range. Breuer originally designed the B 9 for the cafeteria of the Bauhaus building in Dessau. The small, versatile table was also used extensively in Walter Gropius’s student apartments and the Masters' Houses.