Knoll, NO RESERVE PRICE - Marcel Breuer - Dining room chair (4) - S33 Spoleto - Leather, Steel





€470 | ||
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€450 | ||
€430 | ||
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Set of four S33 Spoleto cantilever chairs by Knoll, designed by Marcel Breuer, dating from 1980–1990, with chrome tubular steel frames and black leather upholstery tensioned by laces, in very good condition.
Description from the seller
Set of 4 Cantilever Chairs S33 / Spoleto (Lace Version) – Mart Stam Design – Knoll Production (1980s)
We present at auction a lot of extraordinary interest for collectors and lovers of avant-garde design: a set of four cantilever chairs (slung) manufactured by Knoll in the 1980s. This specific version blends the geometric purity of chromed steel tubing with a vintage-chic configuration, featuring a black leather upholstery adjusted and tensioned by Bauhaus-inspired lacing.
Design and History: The Origin of the Suspended Seating
The cantilever chair represents one of the most important turning points of the Modern Movement, born from a radical formal insight by Mart Stam in 1926:
The Cantilever Structure: By eliminating the traditional four legs, Stam exploited the intrinsic strength of steel tubing to create a seat suspended in air. Its official debut at the Weissenhof in Stuttgart in 1927 cemented this model as an absolute manifesto of functionalism.
The Aesthetic of the Laces: The visible lacing to tension the leather emphasizes the industrial soul of the piece. This construction detail is not only functional for adjusting tension, but openly declares the rationalist logic according to which every structural element must be honest, visible, and free of superfluous decorative frills.
Lot Conditions: Very Good Conservational State
The auction exemplar stands out for excellent structural and material integrity, preserved with great care over the decades:
Structure and Chrome: The steel tubing frames are in excellent general condition, solid, stable, and robust. The original chrome retains a deep, uniform mirror-like shine, free of oxidation blooms.
Black Leather with Laces: The heavy black leather upholstery, original to the era, is in very good condition with natural signs of use consistent with its age. The leather is solid, sturdy, and maintains ideal tension. The backrest and seat are adjusted via the characteristic original tension laces from the period, all intact and perfectly functional. Only slight and natural signs of use are noted consistent with the piece’s history.
Authenticity Certification: The originality of the set and the correct manufacturing attribution are rigorously attested by the original Knoll adhesive marks on the metal chair frames.
Dimensions
Height: 84 cm
Width: 46.5 cm
Depth: 54 cm
The Designer: Mart Stam
Among the most radical figures of Bauhaus and the Modern Movement, Mart Stam (1899-1986) was an architect, urbanist, and avant-garde theorist. Co-founder of CIAM and a teacher in Dessau, he consistently promoted socially utilitarian design grounded in industrial purity. The intellectual attribution of the cantilever system was definitively acknowledged by German courts after a historic patent dispute.
The Manufacturer: Knoll
Founded in 1938 by Hans and Florence Knoll, the American company is a global leader in high-end design. Faithful to the strict Bauhaus tenets, Knoll conceives furniture as a functional extension of architecture. The metal craftsmanship and leather selection place Knoll pieces in the world’s most important museums, ensuring a stable investment over time.
Shipping and Insurance
Our company ORVETT includes insurance for transport in the indicated rates. For overseas shipments we will prepare a personalized quote after the auction concludes.
Seller's Story
Set of 4 Cantilever Chairs S33 / Spoleto (Lace Version) – Mart Stam Design – Knoll Production (1980s)
We present at auction a lot of extraordinary interest for collectors and lovers of avant-garde design: a set of four cantilever chairs (slung) manufactured by Knoll in the 1980s. This specific version blends the geometric purity of chromed steel tubing with a vintage-chic configuration, featuring a black leather upholstery adjusted and tensioned by Bauhaus-inspired lacing.
Design and History: The Origin of the Suspended Seating
The cantilever chair represents one of the most important turning points of the Modern Movement, born from a radical formal insight by Mart Stam in 1926:
The Cantilever Structure: By eliminating the traditional four legs, Stam exploited the intrinsic strength of steel tubing to create a seat suspended in air. Its official debut at the Weissenhof in Stuttgart in 1927 cemented this model as an absolute manifesto of functionalism.
The Aesthetic of the Laces: The visible lacing to tension the leather emphasizes the industrial soul of the piece. This construction detail is not only functional for adjusting tension, but openly declares the rationalist logic according to which every structural element must be honest, visible, and free of superfluous decorative frills.
Lot Conditions: Very Good Conservational State
The auction exemplar stands out for excellent structural and material integrity, preserved with great care over the decades:
Structure and Chrome: The steel tubing frames are in excellent general condition, solid, stable, and robust. The original chrome retains a deep, uniform mirror-like shine, free of oxidation blooms.
Black Leather with Laces: The heavy black leather upholstery, original to the era, is in very good condition with natural signs of use consistent with its age. The leather is solid, sturdy, and maintains ideal tension. The backrest and seat are adjusted via the characteristic original tension laces from the period, all intact and perfectly functional. Only slight and natural signs of use are noted consistent with the piece’s history.
Authenticity Certification: The originality of the set and the correct manufacturing attribution are rigorously attested by the original Knoll adhesive marks on the metal chair frames.
Dimensions
Height: 84 cm
Width: 46.5 cm
Depth: 54 cm
The Designer: Mart Stam
Among the most radical figures of Bauhaus and the Modern Movement, Mart Stam (1899-1986) was an architect, urbanist, and avant-garde theorist. Co-founder of CIAM and a teacher in Dessau, he consistently promoted socially utilitarian design grounded in industrial purity. The intellectual attribution of the cantilever system was definitively acknowledged by German courts after a historic patent dispute.
The Manufacturer: Knoll
Founded in 1938 by Hans and Florence Knoll, the American company is a global leader in high-end design. Faithful to the strict Bauhaus tenets, Knoll conceives furniture as a functional extension of architecture. The metal craftsmanship and leather selection place Knoll pieces in the world’s most important museums, ensuring a stable investment over time.
Shipping and Insurance
Our company ORVETT includes insurance for transport in the indicated rates. For overseas shipments we will prepare a personalized quote after the auction concludes.

