Thanks to design lovers’ enthusiasm for Art Deco and mid-century modern furniture, and the increasingly competitive market for pieces by more famous creators, 20th-century Czech designers are making their way back onto the international stage. Foremost among these talents is Jindřich Halabala.
Halabala was one of the leading designers of a particularly rich period in Czech furniture history, when pieces were defined by Bauhaus functionalism as well as Art Deco influences. He was a cabinetmaker’s son whose training was almost wholly focused on woodwork, first at a state-run vocational school for woodworking in Valašské Meziříčí and later at UP Závody in Brno, where he ultimately became chief designer.
Halabala's alluring bentwood H chairs, such as the H269 and H237, and stylized ottomans have become classics, while his 1930s and 1940s sofas, tables and storage cabinets, with their sweeping curves, stylized geometry and dark, richly grained wood, embody the best of Art Deco furniture design, a style that was brought to worldwide attention at an exhibition in Paris in 1925.
Halabala's work, which was manufactured by the likes of Thonet and UP Závody, is seen by some as the segue between early 1900s Czech Cubism and the modern style that dominated the mid-century years.
Find a collection of vintage Jindřich Halabala furniture today on 1stDibs.
Established in 2006, Morentz has a team of approximately 55 restorers, upholsterers, interior advisers and art historians, making it a gallery, workshop and upholstery studio, all in one. Every day, a carefully selected array of 20th-century furniture arrives from all over the world at the firm’s warehouse, where the team thoroughly examines each piece to determine what, if any, work needs to be done. Whether that means new upholstery or a complete restoration, Morentz's aim is always to honor the designer’s intention while fulfilling the wishes of the client. The team is up to any challenge, from restoring a single piece to its original glory to furnishing a large-scale hotel project.
Jindrich Halabala Lounge Chairs in White Tibetan Lambswool
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jindrich Halabala, lounge chairs, model 'H269', stained beech, Tibetan lambswool, Czech Republic, 1930s. Extraordinary easy chairs in white Tibetan lambswool upholstery. These chair...
Wool, Beech
Jindřich Halabala Lounge Chairs in Beige Tibetan Lambswool
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jindrich Halabala, lounge chairs, model 'H269', stained beech, Tibetan lambswool, Czech Republic, 1930s. Extraordinary easy chairs in beige Tibetan lambswool upholstery. These chair...
Wool, Beech
Jindřich Halabala Lounge Chair in Grey Lambswool
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jindřich Halabala, lounge chair, model 'H269', stained beech, Tibetan lambswool, Czech Republic, 1930s. Extraordinary easy chair in grey Tibetan lambswool upholstery. This chair has...
Wool, Beech
Jindrich Halabala Lounge Chairs Upholstered in Brown Pierre Frey Mohair
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jindrich Halabala, lounge chairs, model 'H269', Pierre Frey Teddy mohair 'Bambi', stained beech, Czech Republic, 1930s. Extraordinary easy chairs by Jindrich Halabala upholstered in...
Mohair, Beech
Jindrich Halabala Lounge Chairs in Grey Nubuck Leather
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jindrich Halabala, lounge chairs, model 'H269', nubuck leather, stained beech, Czech Republic, 1930s. Extraordinary easy chairs by Jindrich Halabala upholstered in a durable grey co...
Leather, Beech
Jindrich Halabala Lounge Chairs in Black-and-White Checkered Upholstery
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jindrich Halabala, armchairs, wood, Kvadrat "Sisu" fabric, Czech Republic, 1930s. These dynamic armchairs feature elegantly flowing armrests, a hallmark of Halabala's iconic design....
Fabric, Wood
1940s Jindřich Halabala Lounge Chairs in Dark Dutch Sheepskin, Sculptural
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Almelo, NL
An iconic pair of 1940s Halabala lounge chairs, newly upholstered in rich dark Dutch sheepskin, combining sculptural bentwood craftsmanship with a deep, luxurious texture. A rare op...
Sheepskin, Bentwood
Pair Czech Mid Century Bentwood Lounge Chairs, Dark Beech Tibetan Sheepskin 1940
By Karel Kozelka & Antonin Kropacek, Jindřich Halabala
Located in Almelo, NL
An exceptional pair of Czech Mid Century Modern bentwood lounge chairs, attributed to Kozelka & Kropáček, crafted in the 1940s and newly upholstered in luxurious Tibetan sheepskin in...
Sheepskin, Upholstery, Beech, Bentwood
Art Deco Halabala Bentwood Lounge Chairs, 1940s, Tibetan Sheepskin Pair
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Almelo, NL
A sculptural pair of Art Deco lounge chairs by Jindřich Halabala, produced in 1940s Czechoslovakia, featuring elegantly curved bentwood frames and newly upholstered in luxurious Tibe...
Sheepskin, Upholstery, Beech, Bentwood
Pair Halabala Sheepskin Lounge Chairs, Bentwood, Art Deco, 1940s
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Almelo, NL
An exceptional and highly sculptural pair of Art Deco lounge chairs by Jindřich Halabala, designed in the 1940s in former Czechoslovakia. This offering represents a rare opportunity...
Sheepskin, Bentwood
Pair of 1940s Jindřich Halabala Lounge Chairs in Icelandic Sheepskin, Sculptural
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Almelo, NL
A rare pair of iconic 1940s Halabala lounge chairs, newly upholstered in luxurious Icelandic sheepskin, combining sculptural bentwood design with rich organic texture. Perfectly sui...
Sheepskin, Bentwood
1940s Kozelka & Kropacek Armchairs in Texel Sheepskin & Dark Patinated Frame
By Jindřich Halabala, Karel Kozelka & Antonin Kropacek
Located in Almelo, NL
1940s Kozelka & Kropacek Armchairs in Texel Sheepskin & Dark Patinated Frame Luxurious mid-century armchairs with patinated bentwood frames and plush ivory Texel sheepskin — timele...
Sheepskin, Beech, Bentwood
Gunnel Nyman was known as a glass artist, but this piece is a striking example of her early training in furniture design.
With its grid-like doors and wavy trim, the 1940s design feels as fresh as ever.
