Armchairs by Josef Miroslav Rathouský for Krásná Jizba

2 armchairs by J. M. Rathousky for Krásná Jizba

Very rare pair of armchairs by the Czech architect Josef Miroslav Rathouský (*1918 - †1996). These armchairs are an original for the Czechoslovakian furniture publisher Krásná Jizba (Krásná jizba = The beautiful room), which was active from 1927 to 1948. The aim of the publishing house was to produce well-designed and practical furniture for the aspiring middle class. The armchairs are a very nice example of this approach. They are stable and very comfortable. The wooden frame has been revised, the straps have been re-tightened and fastened with upholstery nails. The upholstery cushions have been reworked true to the original (original cushions in current condition available). A high-quality wool fabric from Kvadrat was used for the cushions, the upholstery buttons were specially made by hand.
Josef Miroslav Rathouský was a Czech architect who studied under Pavel Janák at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. In the 1940s and 1950s, he designed quality late functionalist tenement houses. There are only a few furniture designs by him. Not many of these chairs were made either. They are rare and beautifully shaped examples of Czech functionalism.