bureau bookcase

• Writing Cabinet for Berta Waerndorfer (aus der Literatur übernommener Titel)
• Secretary with Matching Fauteuil (Title according to inventory)

• furniture and woodwork collection

• design: Koloman Moser, Vienna, 1903
• execution: Wiener Werkstätte, Vienna, 1903

• Jugendstil,
• Modern,

• Makassar-Ebenholz,
• furniert; Ahornholz,
• furniert,
• schwarz gebeizt; Marketerie aus Madagkaskar-Eben-,
• Buchsbaum-,
• Mahagoni- und Ebenholz; Buchenholz; Elfenbein und Schildpatt; Bronze,
• gegossen; Messing; Polsterung mit Textilbezug; Spiegelglas,

• height: 144 cm
• width: 120 cm
• depth: 60 cm
• fauteuil - height: 67 cm
• width: 77.5 cm
• depth: 59.5 cm

• H 2305

• purchase, 1975

• Furniture and Woodwork Collection

• furniture design, Design for wooden intarsia for Berta Waerndorfer’s writing cabinet (variant)
• furniture design, Design for the writing cabinet in the breakfast room of the Eisler von Terramare apartment
• photograph, Schreibschrank geöffnet, mit eingebautem Armstuhl, Ausstellungsraum, Wiener Werkstätte, Firmensitz, Wien VII, Neustiftgasse 32-34
• photograph, Schreibschrank geschlossen, mit eingebautem Armstuhl, Ausstellungsraum, Wiener Werkstätte, Firmensitz, Wien VII, Neustiftgasse 32-34
• photograph, Armstuhl (eingebaut) zu Schreibschrank , Ausstellungsraum, Wiener Werkstätte, Firmensitz, Wien VII, Neustiftgasse 32-34
• photograph, Ausstellungsraum, Wiener Werkstätte, im Hintergrund Modistenware, Firmensitz, Wien VII, Neustiftgasse 32-34

• WW Stempel: Schutzmarke

The secretary desk designed by Koloman Moser for the mother of Fritz Waerndorfer (1868–1939)—who, alongside Josef Hoffmann and Moser himself was one of the cofounders of the Wiener Werkstätte in 1903—is one of the first pieces of furniture that the Wiener Werkstätte set about realizing. This object, reminiscent of Biedermeier secretary desks, consists of a smooth-sided cube on short legs tapering towards the floor and is equipped with a drop-down writing surface. The surfaces of this desk are done according to the idea of planar ornamentation: every single surface is decoratively framed and hence defined as such. Two further examples of this freestanding desk type with a pull-out seat are known: today, one of them is at Stoclet House in Brussels, while the other is held by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. (Hackenschmidt, Sebastian)

• (MAK Guide)

on display

• bureau bookcase, Writing Cabinet for Berta Waerndorfer, Koloman Moser, MAK Inv.nr. H 2305

• https://sammlung.mak.at/en/collect/writing-cabinet-for-berta-waerndorfer_185688

• 11.12.2024