Set B 9 Coffee Table

From experiment to tubular steel classics – B 9 coffee table and stool set

Michael Thonet’s masterful technique of bending wood inspired Marcel Breuer’s experiments with bent tubular steel. The four-piece B 9 nesting coffee table set was developed on the basis of this idea. The small coffee tables can be used for many purposes: as a side table in seating groups, as a practical storage surface or as a stylish corner for a vase of fresh flowers. After use, they can be easily slid on top of each other to save space. The highlight of this series is its functional simplicity – the coffee table set consists exclusively of chrome-plated bent tubular steel and rectangular panels.

During his years at the Bauhaus, Marcel Breuer experimented with steel and tubular steel, a new and promising material for furniture. During this time he was in close contact with the aircraft manufacturer Junkers in Dessau, a collaboration that accelerated his design process. His first designs included the interlocking B 9 coffee table set, as well as various shelves and side furniture pieces. The complete collection was featured in the 1930/31 Thonet product catalog. Breuer originally designed the B 9 for the cafeteria of the Bauhaus building in Dessau. This small and versatile coffee table was also used extensively in Walter Gropius’ student apartments and Master Houses.