Henry van de Velde, 'Havana' armchair, 1897, H. 96.5 cm, 79 x 86 cm. Made by Société Anonyme H. van de Velde, Brussels-Ixelles (attributed). Oak wood. Seat upholstery, armrests and backrest with yellow textile cover, brass casters. Underside marked twice: Artist's signet., Henry van de Velde had already designed this armchair in 1897 as a fireplace armchair for his own house 'Bloemenwerf' in Uccle. When he was commissioned in 1899 to furnish the interior of the Continental Havana-Compagnie, a tobacco and cigar store at Mohrenstrasse 11-12 in Berlin, he drew on the furnishings of his own house.Pecher, Henry van de Velde, das Gesamtwerk, Munich 1981, no. 1111, fig. p. 86, interior view of Bloemenwerf, p. 106, p. 107 associated sofa, p. 134, view of the Havana-Compagnie in Berlin; attribution of the workshop: cf. Pecher, p. 268.

Provenance: Galerie L'Ecuyer, Brussels, around 1973.