A vintage Rietveld crate desk by Cassina, 1970s. While an original 1930s desk by Gerrit Rietveld is extremely hard to come by, a Cassina one is also a rare find. There weren't that many made and they haven't been available as a re-edition for a long time.
The desk is in very good condition regarding its age, with small signs of the time and a lovely patina on the wood. It has a drawer on both sides, fully functional.
Some pictures shows how well it comnbines with a Rietveld L40 tube lamp and a v.d. Groenekan Zig Zag, also to get a better idea of the size and scale. The tube lamp is a 1960s one after Rietveld, and very well made. That is also available. The Groenekan is one of the provenanced set we have listed under ''seating''
The iconic crate desk, designed in 1934 by Dutch architect and furniture designer Gerrit T. Rietveld as part of the crate furniture series – initially made of inexpensive planks of pine, which were joined by screws. Rietveld had drawn inspiration from the crates used to move furniture for transportation, a construction of which he described as ‘good carpentry […] that gets straight to the point’. Aesthetics and an egalitarian spirit were of equal importance to Rietveld in this design. He recognized that industrializing the production process and allowing buyers to assemble their own furniture were ways of making good design affordable. Accordingly, the Crate furniture could be ordered preassembled or in do-it-yourself kits.
Initially, items for the Crate series were made within Rietveld’s circle of friends. After some hesitation the Metz & Co. department store produced and included the furniture in its offerings. A 1935 sales brochure listed a side table, a lounge chair, a bookcase, a chair, and a desk, suitable for ‘weekend houses, conservatories, students’ and children’s rooms’. In the 1960s Metz & Co. introduced more luxurious variants.
After Cassina obtained all the rights and licenses to make Rietveld's designs, the crate desk was manufactured for a couple of years. This is nr 70 of the desks Cassina made, most probably in the mid to late 1970s.
Creator
Gerrit Rietveld
Manufacturer
Cassina
Design Period
1930s
Production Period
1970s to 1980s
Country of Manufacture
Netherlands
Identifying Marks
This piece has a Cassina stamp and number
Style
Art Deco, Modernist, Haagse School, Modernist Desk, De Stijl, Rietveld
Detailed Condition
Very good - only small signs of wear. Very sturdy.
Restoration and Damage Details
Patina consistent with age and use, Light wear consistent with age and use,
