Very rare early 20th century magazine or paper stand by Jac. van den Bosch for 't Binnenhuis, ca. 1905. It's a very elegant as well as a functional piece, like van den Bosch intended with his furniture designs. The fact that it is still iin such a good shape is quite extraordinary.
Van den Bosch was one of the founders of the interior design studio 't Binnenhuis, where he worked with H.P. Berlage. Their style of the time is known as ''Nieuwe Kunst'' (New Art), the Dutch version of Art Nouveau, which was influenced by the British Arts & Crafts movement but also by Eastern cultures.
With the ideological concept of educating the public in furnishing their homes, the furniture they designed had to be high quality, well designed, functional and sober, and with attention to design and functionality. It also had to be affordable for citizens. However, their products soon became more expensive than ideologically intended because they were so expensive to make. Van Den Bosch would later become head of the company and designed most of the new products that were made for 't Binnenhuis clients.
In a design history article about 't Binnenhuis (by Marjan Boot) we found a picture of a very similar magazine stand as part of an interior by Van den Bosch (all made to order between 1902 - 1915). An image is added (see last pictures, with also a picture of Jac van den Bosch).
't Binnenhuis still has records from the furniture they made. It was called an ''Opus book'' wihich had all customers' names, addresses and orders. This opus book shows the production of the interior designers day by day. Each new model was provided with a number, followed by the name of the buyer and often also the price and the material in which the piece is made.
Van den Bosch as an interior designer was greatly influenced by the English artists William Morris (seen as one of the founders of Arts and Crafts movement) and John Ruskin.
His sleek and soberly decorated furniture and utensils from the period ca. 1900-1915, which are often designed on the basis of a geometric system, are important, along those of Berlage and Penaat, within the 'constructive' direction. His later work, which is characterized by rounder shapes and somewhat richer ornamentation, is in line with the Amsterdam School in design. In this piece one can see a bit of both - the geometric pattern in the enlargments of the holes on the sides, and the geometric inlays. The close observer will also see the movement towards Amsterdam School design.
