Otto Wagner, important desk #8159

Ref #: DE12

Rare and important desk designed by Otto Wagner (1841-1918) and made by Gebrueder Thonet for the Wagner-designed Vienna Secession architectural masterpiece Oesterreichische Postsparkasse (The Austrian Postal Savings Bank). Of dignified, stern and elegant form; featuring privacy segment with a shelf and leather lined top, aluminum nail heads, escutcheons and front leg caps. In stained beech. Retaining manufacturer’s paper label “Thonet Wien” and two original locks fitted on bottoms of drawers and stamped “Alex Albert 1492”; keys not present. Formerly in the collection of Hida Takayama Museum of Art, Japan.

Literature: 

P. Asenbaum, et al., “Moderne Vergangenheit Wien 1800-1900”, Vienna, Austria, 1981, page 33 ref. 20 (for an in situ photograph) and page 266

P. Asenbaum, et al., “Otto Wagner Moebel und Innenraume”, Salzburg, Austria, 1984, pages 211 and 212

A. Bony, “Les Annees 10”, Paris, France, 1991, page 650

G. Renzi, “Il Mobile Moderno, Gebrueder Thonet, Vienna Jacob & Josef Kohn”, Milan, Italy, 2008, pages 134 and 135

Age: Circa 1906.

Origin: Vienna, Austria

Measurements: 42 3/4″ w, 26 1/4″ d, 42 1/4″ h