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Price category: 500 - 2,500 usd / eur

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Bas van Pelt may be the most well-known for his seating designs, but this rare magazine rack shows the designer’s less known side. The design of this model feels contemporary and shows off the creativity of van Pelt.

This type of storage is often referred to as a display rack, which is especially apt for this model. The black lacquered wired metal body is arranged in an airy design that allows the display of magazines and books. The curving shape of the five arches create a modern, artistic look crowned - quite literally - by the single pole in the middle with a ring at the end. This feature gives the design that extra element that distinguishes it from other models, while also serving a functional role. The entire rack can be picked up easily thanks to the ring, further, it still manages to stand out and grab the eye despite its small size. The wooden bottom adds an organic touch that is a beloved feature of mid-century modern design and of Dutch designer, Bas van Pelt as well. It pairs very well with the black metal frame and both materials get visually enhanced as a consequence. The rack stands on four brass leg ends showing how attention was given to the smallest detail.

Whether used to hold magazines, newspapers or any other periodicals, this magazine display is sure to stand out. While serving a primarily functional role, this model is sure to stand out for its aesthetic qualities as well, reminding why mid-century modernism was one of the most creative design eras of all time.

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Condition:

In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. Some small marks on the wood.

Dimensions:

17.71 in W x 13.38 in D x 24.8 in H

45 cm W x 34 cm D x 63 cm H

About the designer:

Bas Van Pelt (1900 Dordrecht (NL) - 1945 Sandbostel (DE)) was a well-known Dutch interior and furniture designer, known for the clarity and quality of his designs. His works created in the 1930s and 1940s are regarded for their progressive design and quality.

While he is most well-known for his chair designs, van Pelt was also active as an interior designer. He also designed fabrics for window coverings, rugs and carpets, seating and tables, as well as lighting crafted by the best craftsmen in the Netherlands. He worked with multiple manufacturers, including his own firm, Bas van Pelt / My Home and Verto Verenigde Touwfabrikien, where his tubular metal designs were produced. He opened ‘My Home’ in 1931, just before the onset of the great crisis in the midst of major changes in the last century. In the façade of the shop, in the lively centre of The Hague, there was one large window placed so that everyone could look inside and see how things were made, and could be done differently; in his view, modern furniture at the time was light and airy, transparent, made of tubular steel frame, combined with wood. This view was very progressive for the 1930s, when the influence of The Hague School was still dominating most designers.

Unfortunately, in 1940 WWII changed the life of Bas van Pelt as well, who was on the board of the Haagse Kunstkring, where discussions about reconstruction after the war took place. Sadly, Bas van Pelt did not live to see it. He was deported because he gave people in hiding a safe place, saving many lives. While there is very limited information about his life and work, his furniture designs have become collectibles in the past decades that are also found in Dutch museums. Bas van Pelt is remembered as a progressive designer and as a man who saved lives. ~H.