Set of 4 Thonet S33 Leather and Chrome Chairs by Mart Stam

Mart Stam / Thonet / Austria

Set of four Thonet S33 cantilever chairs designed by Mart Stam. These Bauhaus era chairs represent a revolutionary moment in furniture design history when Stam began experimenting bent metal. Using small-diameter gas pipes in 1925, connecting them with standard plumbing fittings the iconic Dutch design pioneer created the first cantilever chairs—structures that defied convention by eliminating two traditional legs. The S33 debuted at the 1927 Werkbund exhibition at Stuttgart's Weissenhof Estate, where Kurt Schwitters famously asked, "Why four legs if two will suffice?" The design employs continuous chrome tubular steel frames in the characteristic Z-shaped configuration, with saddle leather seats and backs suspended between the frame elements. Stam's cantilever construction became a foundational element in modernist furniture design due to its formal restraint and structural innovation. The tubular steel framework demonstrates the engineering principles that allowed the chair to support weight through tensile strength and material elasticity rather than compression through four legs. Each chair features the original saddle leather upholstery stretched across the chrome frame, employing the material properties of both elements to create a flexible, responsive seating surface. Chairs show wear consistent with age and use. Leather displays heavy patina with cracking, thinning in spots, and minor tears.