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
Illum Wikkelsø 'Ox' Lounge Chairs in Beige Sheepskin
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Illum Wikkelsø, 'Ox' lounge chairs, sheepskin, wood, Denmark, 1960s An exquisitely designed easy chair upholstered in sheepskin by esteemed Danish designer Illum Wikkelsø, this 'Ox ...
Sheepskin, Wood
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 Black 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 black Tibetan lambswool upholstery. These chair...
Wool, Beech
Italian Lounge Chairs Upholstered in White Longhair Sheepskin, Italy 1960s
Located in Utrecht, NL
Italian furniture from the mid-century era is defined by functionality, an elegant design aesthetic, perfect execution, and exclusivity. The period’s seating models, including this p...
Sheepskin, Wood
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 of Jindřich Halabala Art Deco Sheepskin Lounge Chairs, 1940s
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Almelo, NL
An exceptional and highly sculptural pair of Art Deco lounge chairs designed by Jindřich Halabala in the 1940s in former Czechoslovakia. These iconic chairs are among the most recog...
Sheepskin, Upholstery, Beech, Bentwood
Fritz Hansen Rare Pair of Wingback Lounge Chairs Ivory Sheepskin, Denmark, 1930s
By Fritz Hansen
Located in New York, NY
Designed and produced by Fritz Hansen, rare and exceptional pair of wingback lounge chairs or armchairs model 1582 in beech and sheepskin upholstery, Denmark, 1930s. The tall winged...
Lambskin, Beech
Pair of Czech Bentwood Lounge Chairs, Tibetan Sheepskin, Ecru, 1940s
By Jindřich Halabala, Karel Kozelka & Antonin Kropacek
Located in Almelo, NL
A sculptural pair of Czech bentwood lounge chairs by Kozelka & Kropáček, upholstered in soft ecru Tibetan sheepskin. Light, refined, and timeless in presence. Designed in the 19...
Sheepskin, Upholstery, Beech, Bentwood
Timeless Pair of Jindřich Halabala Mid-Century Modern Sheepskin Lounge Chairs
By Jindřich Halabala
Located in Almelo, NL
Timeless Pair of Jindřich Halabala Mid-Century Modern Sheepskin Lounge Chairs A masterful expression of Czech modernism, this pair of lounge chairs by celebrated designer Jindřich H...
Sheepskin, Upholstery, 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.
