Gerrit Rietveld designed his last chair for jeweller Steltman’s shop at the age of 75. With this design he once again proved his status as a pioneering designer. The chair owes its name to the The Hague jeweller and royal purveyor Steltman who commissioned Rietveld in 1963 to rebuild and furnish his shop at Noordeinde in The Hague.
Photo from 1963, the interior designed by Rietveld for Steltman Juwelier
The two mirrored chairs, placed in front of a showcase with jewellery, appealed directly to the imagination. From these chairs customers were able to select their jewellery and wedding rings. This way the chairs also acquired a symbolic meaning: two separate, opposite forms that together form a unity. The asymmetrical chair, which produces a surprising image from every angle, is made up entirely of lines and planes. The Steltman is typical of Rietveld’s design ideas and is now a true design classic!
The original Steltman chairs were upholstered in white artificial leather. The wooden version, which was only built after Rietveld’s death in 1964, is now better known than the original artificial leather upholstery.
The Steltman chair in black stained solid oak
The Steltman chair was constructed on the basis of Rietveld’s original 1963 drawing. The design is available in a solid oak version and an upholstered version in felt or leather. The wooden version is made of solid quarter sawn oak, matt lacquered or stained in whitewash or black{. A felt or leather version is available in a variety of colours.
Limited Edition of the Steltman chair in grey and white leather
Limited Edition
In 2014, in honour of its 50th anniversary and the renewed introduction of the chair, a Limited Edition of the Steltman chair was released. The skai upholstery from the original model was replaced by special English bull skin leather: timeless, strong and still modern. This special Limited Edition consists of 50 chairs facing right and 50 copies left, available in white or brown-grey leather. Under the seat is the original logo that Rietveld designed in 1964 for jeweller Steltman. The Limited Edition editions are all provided with their own number (free to choose according to availability) and a Rietveld Originals certificate. Please contact us for current availability.
The Steltman chair is part of the Rietveld Originals collection, which is exclusively and globally managed by Spectrum.
| Designer | Gerrit Rietveld |
|---|---|
| Year | 1963 |
| Dimensions | 50 x 45 x 70 cm (WxDxH) / seat height 40 cm / arm rest 60 cm |
| Upholstery | Divina, Divina Melange, Divina MD and Ohmann Misto (leather) |
| Wood | Solid oak: natural, whitewash or black stained |
