The Introduction of Cantilever Chairs in Spain: an Approach

Abstract

The first metal tubular cantilever chair was designed by Mart Stam around 1926. A year later Mies van der Rohe exhibited his MR10 at the Weissenhofsiedlung, perfecting its flexibility. Marcel Breuer, later on, claimed its paternity resulting in several demands and lawsuits well studied by international historiography. However, the Spanish cantilevers have not yet received so much attention. They were sold in Spain in the late 1920s through foreign brands importers. At the beginning of the thirties, copies were already being produced in national workshops. Along the following lines some of these models have been compiled, both copies and original designs made by local manufacturers and designers. The Spanish versions still pose attribution difficulties, both with regard to their authorship, the dates of production, and the factories where they were made. This article provides new data on this issue.