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SE 68

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473,00 € *
2 x in stock, delivery time 1 working day (country of delivery Germany)
3 % advance payment discount*: 458,81 € (Save 14,19 €)

The manufacturer Wilde + Spieth, who distribute the chair SE 68 by Egon Eiermann, have always worked very closely with architects to realize their designs. The product portfolio of the company is characterised by works which not only impress in terms of stability and comfort, but also aesthetically. Something perfectly demonstrated by the company's best known chair, the SE 68, whose intelligent design makes it an attractive multi-purpose chair.

Details

Product type Multi-purpose chair
Dimensions
Weight 5 kg
Colours

Material Seat and backrest: multiple glued beech wood veneer, nature or stained
Frame: tubular steel (matte) chrome plated or matt black powder coated
Variants Available as a stackable or not stackable version (stackable with smaller seat and steeper leg placement)
Available with or without armrests
Other variants on request
Function & properties Available on request as a stackable version
Care Painted and stained surfaces of natural wood tolerated neither steam nor alcohol, therefore all spilled liquids must be wiped away immediately. When cleaning water should only be used in small quantities - ideal is a damp cloth.
How much patina develops on the surface and how fast depends on the type of wood, level of use and the sunlight.
Warranty 24 months

Popular versions

SE 68, Non-stackable, Without upholstery, Chrome-plated, Without armrests, Black stained
SE 68, Stackable, Without upholstery, Matt black powder-coated, Without armrests, Black stained
SE 68, Non-stackable, Without upholstery, Matt black powder-coated, Without armrests, Natural
SE 68, Non-stackable, Without upholstery, Chrome-plated, Without armrests, Natural
SE 68, Stackable, Without upholstery, Chrome-plated, Without armrests, Black stained
SE 68, Non-stackable, Without upholstery, Matt black powder-coated, Without armrests, Black stained
SE 68, Stackable, Without upholstery, Matt black powder-coated, With armrests, Natural
SE 68, Non-stackable, Without upholstery, Matt black powder-coated, With armrests, Black stained
SE 68, Stackable, Without upholstery, Matt black powder-coated, Without armrests, Natural
SE 68, Non-stackable, Without upholstery, Matt black powder-coated, With armrests, Natural
SE 68, Stackable, Without upholstery, Matt black powder-coated, With armrests, Black stained
SE 68, Stackable, Without upholstery, Chrome-plated, Without armrests, Natural
SE 68, Stackable, Without upholstery, Chrome-plated, With armrests, Black stained
SE 68, Non-stackable, Without upholstery, Chrome-plated, With armrests, Natural
SE 68, Stackable, Without upholstery, Chrome-plated, With armrests, Natural
SE 68, Non-stackable, Without upholstery, Chrome-plated, With armrests, Black stained

Design Story

Relaxed understatement meets aesthetic perfectionism: The SE 68 from Wilde + Spieth

The Design

The SE 68 proves that its creator, the German architect and designer Egon Eiermann, understood the interplay of lightness and practicality like no other. As a consistent representative of functionalism, Eiermann, when designing the SE 68, wanted to combine minimalist, elegant shapes with ergonomics and comfort: and succeeded with bravado. The combination of organically shaped plywood and a simple tubular steel frame was also highly innovative in 1950. The SE 68 is therefore one of the first chairs of this type in Germany in terms of its material.

In the intervening decades since its creation the SE 68 has achieved cult status: it is one of the most important German design classics of the post-War period and is still the most successful product from the seating furniture manufacturer Wilde + Spieth. With or without armrests and in various designs and colours the SE 68 can be used in any context. The all-purpose chair is also available in a stackable version for use in locations with high seating demand.

With or without armrests, stackable or not - the SE 68 is open for anything

The SE 68 is simple and responsive - whether as a dining or living room chair

Production

As with all Wilde + Spieth seating the SE 68 is produced in Germany: only wood from Germany is processed, which Wilde + Spieth procures regionally from its supplier in Brakel. For every tree felled, the manufacturer also guarantees that a new tree will be planted. A further argument that Made in Germany is not only a reliable seal of quality, but also a guarantee for sustainable and regional management in times of global companies.

For Wilde + Spieth, ergonomics, tactile surfaces, natural materials and the interplay of functionality and aesthetics define the quality of a chair. The SE 68 is thus manufactured in such a way that this quality lasts for a lifetime or even for generations. With spare parts and a repair service, Wilde + Spieth also ensures that their classics can repaired not thrown away.

Wilde + Spieth also produces the SE 68 for furnishing restaurants and public areas

Designer

As one of the most important German architects and designers of the post-War period, Egon Eiermann played a major role in the fact that architecture and design from Germany, following the tradition of the German Werkbund, found international recognition again after the war. Egon Eiermann worked as an architect before, during and especially after the war.

In 1927 he completed his studies at the Technical University in Berlin in Charlottenburg and then worked in the construction studio of Karstadt AG in Hamburg and at the Berlin electricity works. Two years later, Eiermann and Fritz Jahnecke founded an architectural office and designed residential buildings in Berlin.

From 1934 onwards Eiermann worked alone again and planned factory buildings throughout Germany. From 1947 he held the Chair for Architecture in Karlsruhe and maintained his office there until his death, and from where he designed, amongst other projects, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the Olympic Park in Munich, the Eiermann Campus for IBM in Stuttgart and the high-rise towers planned for Olivetti in Frankfurt am Main.

Working with Egon Eiermann was a stroke of luck for Wilde + Spieth

Two of Egon Eiermann's most famous designs: The Eiermann table and SE 68

Egon Eiermann was fascinated at an early age and greatly influenced by the great masters of modern architecture, include, for example, Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius or Mies van der Rohe. After the war, however, he developed his own style and an undogmatic, humanistic approach, above all in contrast to those role models. Eiermann did not believe that buildings should be built to last, and disagreed with many of his predecessors and contemporaries on many issues, such as the use of concrete.

Manufacturer

The history of the furniture manufacturer Wilde + Spieth dates back to 1831. At that time, the company was still a joinery with local craftsmen in Esslingen, who mainly produced roller shutters. The cooperation with Egon Eiermann and finally the production of seating furniture only came about a hundred years after the company's founding: at the end of the 1940, Egon Eiermann personally encouraged the sale of seating furniture - a decisive turning point for Wilde + Spieth, which turned out to be a fortunate twist of fate for all concerned.

In cooperation with the designer the Wilde + Spieth developed more than 30 chair models made of tubular steel and wood, many of which have become timeless design classics. A particular speciality of Wilde + Spieth has been the production of chairs for musicians for decades. The manufacturer has made an international name for itself here and can count orchestras such as the Elbphilharmonie among its customers.

In addition to series furniture, Wilde + Spieth also manufactures e.g. individual orchestral furniture

More about 'SE 68' in our blog

smow Blog Interview: Thomas Gerber, CEO Wilde+Spieth - A good chair is an important part of ensuring professional orchestra musicians remain fit and enjoy themselves

...They could, they did and Egon Eiermann subsequently went on to design a collection of some 30 chairs for Wilde+Spieth, including works such as the SE 18, SE 42 or SE 68... Thomas Gerber: In 1956 Egon Eiermann needed chairs for a Musiksaal project in Stuttgart, nothing suitable was available and so, in principle, he took the SE 68, added some upholstery, and that was the chair...

(smow) blog 2013. A pictorial review: February

IMM Cologne kept us busy into February, but the month also saw the opening of an Eileen Gray retrospective in Paris, a visit to the Louis Kahn exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum and the sad passing of James Irvine....

IMM Cologne 2013: Wilde+Spieth. Interview with CEO Thomas Gerber.

...Together Wilde+Spieth and Egon Eiermann released over 30 product ranges, and even today some 43 years after Eiermann's death the two remain inseparable, while chairs such as the SE 18, SE 42 or SE 68 have gone on to take their rightful place in the high pantheon of European design...

(smow)offline: Leipzig Buchmesse - a designer furniture perspective

...Eiermann table frames from Richard Lampert and SE 68 chairs from Wilde + Spieth...

All 'SE 68' Posts

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