Martin Visser SE20 chair ‘t Spectrum Netherlands 1988

Martin Visser

Netherlands, 1922 – 2009
Designer

Super rare two tone version of the SE20 chair designed by Martin Visser and manufactured by ‘t Spectrum, Netherlands in 1988. The chair is made from yellow and off-white painted plywood. This unique chair has a ultimate modernist and contemporary appearance. This design blends various shapes and design techniques seamlessly into one iconic piece. The backrest has a slight angle for comfort and a nicely curved seat. The front legs are ingeniously made in a triangle shape for stability and are placed in the opposite angle to the back legs. Its quite a heavy and solid chair and is partly hollow which is found in the seat. Its held together by chrome-plated bolts which are made visible and give that little extra to the design. Its a really playful chair and could act more as an art piece than an actual chair. Its also attractive from every side. The chair is in good original condition with minor wear from age.

Provenance; Father of Nynke Tynagel, then Studio Job Collection (Studio Job House). As seen on the last pictures.

Important literature: ‘t Spectrum Moderne meubelvormgeving en naoorlogs idealisme. Uitgeverij 010, Rotterdam 2002. Page 102

Visser has designed furniture from childhood, but followed engineering at a Technichal school and was initially an architectural draftsman. His furniture was purchased by ‘De Bijenkorf’ who hired him in 1947 as a salesman and window dresser, and in 1954 appointed chief procurement. Visser gathered early work of Cobra, and was regarded as the discoverer of Anselm Kiefer and Keith Haring. 400 Works of his art collection are housed in the Kröller-Müller Museum.

In 1954 he became head of collection and designer furniture at ‘t Spectrum Bergeijk. In the 1960s he was well known by the design of his version of the simple adjustable sleeping sofa BR02, a design from 1958/1960. The abbreviation ‘BR’ stands for Bank Rusten (Resting sofa). This is only 1 design of his long and impressive oeuvre. Some of his designs are often in our selling collection. He died at the age of 87 in his 1950s by Gerrit Rietveld designed and later by Aldo van Eyck renovated house, known as House Visser. Martin Visser was the older brother of famous Dutch sculptor Carel Visser and entrepreneur Geertjan Visser.