a chaise longue after the design by Le Corbusier, P. Jeanneret and Ch. Perriand, probably manufactured by Wohnbedarf, Zurich 1950's

The prolonged and at times uncontrolled production of this chaise model, designed in 1928 by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand, makes it difficult to determine the production origin unless the models are classic, early pieces, have documented provenance or are clearly labelled examples. The few, earliest examples of the chaise longue were produced by Hour and Labadie. Thonet-Frères manufactured the model beginning in 1930, and soon production was expanded to Thonet-Mundus, Thonet-Frères’ parent company. By 1934 the model was being licensed to companies in Czechoslovakia and Switzerland (Embru, Basler Eisenmöbelfabrik Breunlin and Bigla). Although production was halted during the war, by 1952, yet another manufacturer had come into play, the Swiss department store Wohnbedarf, who had been making the chaise without Le Corbusier’s knowledge.

The chaise here offered for sale differs from known Thonet variants in the rectangular, rather than oval, cross-section stretchers on the frame. The chaise itself lacks crossbars or supports joining the seat to the side rails (features that are seen in documented Thonet and Embru models). The base has feet configurations that distinguishes it from chairs of other manufacturers. A chaise with similar features, identified as manufactured by Wohnbedarf, was sold in our New York sale N08036, Property from the Collection of Barry Friedman, 18 December 2004, lot 625