Sitzmaschine (No.670) by Josef Hoffmann, 1905

• Designed By - Josef Hoffmann
• When - 1905
• Made From - Bent beech wood, turned wood, plywood and brass
• Manufactured By - Jacob & Josef Kohn
• More Info - This chair is believed to be inspired by an adjustable chair designed in the 1860s by the English arts and crafts architect Philip Webb. It’s name meaning ‘a machine for sitting’ shows what Hoffmann was trying to achieve with this chair. He wanted to move away from mechanised products that he regarded as inhuman and so used a simple more decorative method of adjusting the chair. The five ball shapes along the back of the curved bentwood form allow the sitter to adjust the angle of the back, giving five options. These balls seen throughout the chair and the square patterns are a big characteristic of Hoffmann’s chairs. Reclining chairs like this were often used by people to pulmonary tuberculosis. This chair was presented at the Vienna Art Show in 1908. The chair was produced until 1916. An example of this chair is shown in the Museum of Modern Art. A small number were produced with a pull out footrest and cushions were also available.