Stools from Jan De Jong, Netherlands, 1970s

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Offered here is a rare and highly collectible pair of “Bossche School” stools, designed and hand-built in the early 1970s … Read more Offered here is a rare and highly collectible pair of “Bossche School” stools, designed and hand-built in the early 1970s by architect Jan de Jong, one of the foremost interpreters and executors of the Bossche School architectural movement. These exceptional pieces were privately commissioned for a residence in Oirschot, and are among the rare variants without the usual side handles, making them particularly unique and desirable for collectors and connoisseurs of this austere yet deeply thoughtful design tradition. Jan de Jong was not only a disciple but also the closest collaborator of Dom Hans van der Laan, the Benedictine monk, architect, and philosopher who developed the Plastic Number (het Plastische Getal), a mathematical ratio formulated to instill ideal proportions in architectural and interior design. Analogous to the Golden Ratio but rooted in spatial and volumetric harmony, the Plastic Number reflects a human-scaled system of relationships that governed the entire philosophy of the Bossche School. For van der Laan, and for de Jong, furniture was never a decorative afterthought but an integral architectural element, imbued with the same formal rigor and sacred geometry as the buildings themselves. These stools, constructed from pinewood planks nailed onto an inner structural frame, embody this rigorous logic. The exposed, precisely aligned nails are not incidental, they are a defining stylistic and philosophical feature of the Bossche School. The nails demand an unflinching clarity in execution, a kind of honest carpentry that expresses the material truth and geometric discipline of the whole. Both stools retain their original and typical grey olive green finish, with a warm, time-softened patina that speaks to their age and authenticity. The wear is gentle and elegant, consistent with careful use in a private interior and entirely in keeping with the ethos of timeless, ascetic beauty. Sold and priced individually, these stools are rare examples of Dutch architectural furniture as philosophy, embodying a legacy of spiritual geometry and uncompromising craftsmanship. For true devotees of Dom Hans van der Laan’s school, and those who understand the meaning of design as liturgy, these are not just objects, but artifacts of an intellectual and cultural lineage. 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



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