Thonet B9 side table

The technique of bent wood perfected by Michael Thonet inspired Marcel Breuer's experiments with bent tubular steel. The four-piece set tables B 9 were created from this idea. The small tables are versatile - as side tables in seating groups, as practical storage compartments or as the perfect place for a vase of fresh flowers. After use, the tables can easily be pushed under each other to save space. The special feature of this series is its functional simplicity - the set tables consist only of chrome-plated, curved tubular steel and rectangular panels. During his time at the Bauhaus, Marcel Breuer experimented with steel and tubular steel, a new and promising material for furniture. Close consultation with the aircraft manufacturer Junkers in Dessau accelerated the development process. His first designs included the set tables B 9 and various shelves and side tables. The 1930/31 Thonet card catalog already included the entire product range. Breuer originally designed the B 9 for the cafeteria of the Bauhaus building in Dessau. The small, versatile table was also used in the student apartments and mansions of Walter Gropius.