S 1520

The Thonet S 1520 coat rack's resemblance to the Thonet B 52/1 from the year 1930-31 is no chance occurrence. A model of this classic tubular steel coat rack hung in the office of the Thonet product development team, and inspired the team member Randolf Schott to design a similar wardrobe. For the Thonet S 1520 Schott has however made a few fundamental changes. It is larger, thus allowing for more items to be stored. In addition, the coat hooks are concealed behind a bar , which emphasises the clear symmetry of the tubular steel designs and gives the system its clean, elegant aesthetic. The shelves of the S 1520 consist of a durable translucent mesh which allow for storage of hats, scarves and the like. Optionally, the S 1520 is available with a mirror which can be attached to the coat hooks. The S 1520 by Thonet is complimented by the S 1521 which offer a shoe rack. The individual modules of this Thonet collection thus complement each other not only functionally, but also visually the present an endearing combination.

Production

Through their production of Bauhaus tubular steel furniture Thonet developed in the 1930s to one of the world's largest manufacturer of the, then, revolutionary material. And today the company use these tried and tested skills in the production of curved and chromed steel tube in their Thonet S 1520. Over the upper part of the rack is stretched a synthetic black mesh which serves as a storage area. All items of Thonet furniture are produced at the company headquarters in the German town of Frankenberg (Eder). Environmental sustainability pay an important role in the Thonet production philosophy, for all the effective use of resource-saving technologies, optimised distribution networks and co-operations with suppliers whose environmental ideals match those of Thonet. Top priority is always also the quality, and here the S 1520 maintains the same high quality and durability as all other celebrated Thonet design classics.

The production of Thonet steel tube furniture is largely carried out by hand.

Historical Context

Taking as it does the wall mounted coat rack B 52/1 from the year 1930-31 as a model, the origins of the S 1520 lie in the Bauhaus era. The tubular steel design can be found in the famous 1930 Thonet catalogue alongside furniture designs from the likes of Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer. Steel tube was then a relatively new material, and one which allowed the creation of new types of furniture. The cool, shiny material that can be bent into various shapes fitted very well to the modernist movement of the day. With the rise of the National Socialists in Germany in 1933 the Bauhaus was forced to close and many of its designers and architects subsequently emigrated: one of its main bases may have gone but over the coming decades steel tube furniture would develop into a genuine mass product. With products like the S 1520 the Thonet design team contributes to the preservation and revival of this most elegant of materials. And classic steel tube designs from the 1920s and 30s.

Manufacturer

Founded in 1819 Thonet is one of the oldest family owned furniture manufacturers in the world. Defining for the company is the combination of tradition and innovation. Without ever forgetting their own roots Thonet continually to look forward and following their success with the bentwood production process in the 19th century, Thonet were central to the development of bent steel tube furniture the 1920s. Today, the Thonet portfolio is home to a international roster of international designers including, amongst others, Stefan Diez, delphin design or James Irvine. This connection between past and present is excellently represented in the Thonet S 1520 coat rack. Dating back to a 1930 prototype the wall mounted coat rack S 1520 is a modern version of proven Thonet tradition.

Designer

The Thonet Design Team is based in the company's Frankenberg headquarters. Building on the tradition of Michael Thonet the designers, engineers and craftsmen of Thonet Design Team play an important role in the development of the Thonet furniture collection. The Wardrobe S 1520 by Thonet was designed in 2013 as part of a product family which also includes the cloakrooms S 1521 and S 1522 . Project manager in the development of the steel pipe-in wardrobes was the designer, and Thonet design Team member, Randolf Schott. Born in Torgau near Leipzig in 1974 Randolf Schott has been working in the product development of Thonet since 2006 and in addition to the S 1520 was also responsible for the development of the S 1200 desk.

The predecessor of the modern Thonet S 1520 coat rack was first documented in the Thonet catalogue from 1930/31