Vintage H Stools by Jan de Jong, 1964

Details

Description

Designed in 1964 by Jan de Jong for the Sint-Willibrorduskerk in Almelo, this rare pair of wooden H shaped stools … Read more Designed in 1964 by Jan de Jong for the Sint-Willibrorduskerk in Almelo, this rare pair of wooden H shaped stools stands as a quiet yet powerful testament to the ideals of the Bossche School. Only five were ever produced for the church, making these two survivors extraordinary witnesses to a moment when architecture, liturgy, and craft converged with remarkable precision. Executed in pine wood and fastened with copper nails, the stools are finished in their original olive-green varnish, a surface that has aged beautifully over six decades. The patina reveals not only the quality of the materials but also the clarity of their construction: every joint and plane expresses a deliberate restraint. They exemplify the Bossche School’s belief in proportion, rhythm, and structural honesty. The church itself closed in 2003 and was demolished in 2005. In the final days before its dismantling, a few interior pieces escaped destruction when passers-by salvaged them from the street. These stools are among those rescued, a tangible link to a lost architectural ensemble. Jan de Jong, one of the most significant Dutch architects of the postwar period, was the most prolific and arguably most influential figure of the Bossche School movement. A close collaborator and protégé of Dom Hans van der Laan, De Jong developed and expanded van der Laan’s architectural theory, translating its spiritual rigor into built form across an impressive oeuvre. Van der Laan considered him his best student, and De Jong would go on to refine and disseminate the Bossche School’s proportional system through numerous churches, monasteries, and domestic projects. These stools encapsulate the essence of that vision: elemental geometry, material modesty, and harmony derived from proportion rather than decoration. Fully original and untouched, they carry the rare weight of both design integrity and historical survival, a pair of quiet sculptures that embody one of the most intellectual currents in twentieth-century architecture. Provenance; Sint-Willibrordus church, Almelo 1964. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



issues arising from misattribution See less