1307 Armchair by Wilhelm Schmidt for Prag-Rudniker

Designed around 1903 for the Viennese firm Prag-Rudniker, the armchair model 1307 is a fine example of the way the Vienna Secession reshaped everyday furniture. Its designer, Wilhelm Schmidt, a pupil of Josef Hoffmann, became Prag-Rudniker's chief designer in the same years and shaped much of the company's output with solid, carefully joined pieces. Prag-Rudniker grew out of a basket-weaving school founded in 1877 in Rudnik, Galicia, and became one of the leading producers of wicker furniture in the Habsburg monarchy, with its headquarters in Vienna. The 1307 combines a rounded, barrel-shaped back with a clear wooden frame and a semicircular base stretcher. Woven rattan panels fill back and seat, while brass screws along the top rail emphasise the construction. The result is a compact, almost architectural armchair that bridges craft tradition and early modernism. Condition: Good, with age-appropriate signs of use Material: Oak, woven rattan, brass Designer: Wilhelm Schmidt Model: 1307 Manufacturer: Prag-Rudniker Design year: c. 1903 Dimensions: 54 × 49 × 75 cm