DESIGNED BY G.TH. RIETVELD, 1919, EXECUTED BY G.A. VAN DE GROENEKAN in the 1980’s

In the fall of 1919, shortly after completing his easy chair now known as the ‘red blue’ chair, Rietveld designed this sideboard which is clearly related to the iconic chair in it’s radical appearance. The traditional Dutch sideboard with it’s heavy, closed volumes was transformed by Rietveld as if turned inside-out, reducing it to an open structure, almost a skeleton, revealing all the functional parts as autonomous elements which together form a harmonious and balanced composition. The sideboard was first presented in July 1920, as part of a show house interior designed by Rietveld at J.J.P Oud’s housing project in Rotterdam-Spangen. After the exhibition, the sideboard was purchased by the architect Piet Elling (1897-1962), who also owned a pair of early easy chairs by Rietveld. The Elling sideboard was later destroyed in a fire leaving only one drawer intact. Up to date, no other prewar versions of this design are known. In 1951, with guidance from Rietveld, a later example was made by G.A. van de Groenekan on the occasion of the first De Stijl retrospective in Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. From the late 1950’s onwards, Van de Groenekan made a small number of sideboards similar to the one here offered. A subsequent edition, undertaken by Cassina, was abandoned after manufacture proved too costly.

A design drawing for the Elling sideboard was sold Christie’s King Street 30 April 2014, lot 212.

We would like to thank Mr. Rob Driessen for his help in cataloguing this lot.