Josef Frank and the others. New furniture 1920–1940

As the result of various acquisitions and gifts, furniture from the interwar period has become a focus of the collections held by the Federal Furniture Administration. The apartment designed by Ernst A. Plischke for Lucie Rie (1902–1995) in 1928 was acquired exactly thirty years ago immediately after the renowned ceramicist’s death, and following extensive in-house restoration is now among the Vienna Furniture Museum’s highlights. Presented here for the first time is a complete apartment interior designed by Josef Frank and installed by the Haus & Garten company in 1932.

Further highlights include complete suites and individual items of furniture designed by the Austrian architects Felix Augenfeld, Herbert Eichholzer, Heinrich Glaß (later: Henry P. Glass), Hugo Gorge, Walter Loos, Ernst A. Plischke, Otto Prutscher and Robert Schläfrig (later: Sheldon).

The new furniture from Austria in the 1920s and 1930s was distinguished by its diversity, comfort and high level of craftsmanship. Austrian furniture design from the interwar period thus differed significantly from the design principles of the Bauhaus and from the luxu-rious forms of the French art deco movement.

A German-language catalogue to accompany the exhibition is being published by Böhlau Verlag.

Photo: Chair with wickerwork, design: Josef Frank, execution: Haus & Garten (around 1925), chair with wickerwork from the Böhm apartment, design: Ernst A. Plischke (1930) / © Bundesmobilienverwaltung, Edgar Knaack