Design: Egon Eiermann, 1949-52, Spring Swivel Chair „SE 40“ („SE1"),
Manufactured by: Wilde + Spieth, Oberesslingen, Germany.
Marked under the seat: stamped model no. 03017, 0164.
Measure: height backrest ca. 29,5  to max. 35,43 inch; width of the seat to 17,5 inch.

Four-legged, plastic caps, mounted, rounded-off seat, front edge curved downward, basic construction below seat with bent tube as back prop for mounting plate of formed back element. Steel tube, metall plating (original 50th), plywood, moulded laminated oak seat and backrest, varnished. Adjustable seat-height and backrest, spiral mechanism for the adjustment of the seating angle. Screw in the back and ball beside of black bakelite.

_{Normal tracks of use.}

In postwar Germany the “Spring Swivel Chair SE 1“ („SE 40“) was the first in series produced furniture from previously unfamiliar industrial materials like shaped plywood, in combination with steel tubing and plastic.
The chair was first presented as a single object 1949 in the famous exhibition „Wie Wohnen?“ in Stuttgart. This exhibition was even the trigger for the architect Egon Eiermann to work in the design of industrial produced furniture. The featured prototype followed in the shape the moulded laminated oak seat and backrest of his thee-legged plywoodchair „SE3“ in the same year. „SE 1“ was now a combination of plywood and tubular steel, now revolving with mechanisms for height and backrest adjustment. After about two years of development and another two years maturity in which improvements and additions have been made by Wilde + Spieth, a traditional german manufacture, the model came on the market under the name "SE 40". For static reasons slight variations have been done in the construction until 1952. Seat and backrest were also revised.
His material and especially his organic form was unknown in that time in Germany, so that a small, open-minded public was just initially interested in the fifties. The first consumers were frequently architects.

The chair combined functionality, an ergonomic construction, high economy of materials and elegant design in the best way. It became an example for other renowned manufacturers until the 70ies. More Details in German.
See Experten-Forum: Egon Eiermann - der deutsche Eames.

Cp. Exhib. Kat. Egon Eiermann, Die Möbel, Museum beim Markt, Außenstelle des Badischen Landesmuseums Karlsruhe, 1999, p. 80, im. 83 u. 84.

Pricereferences: Quittenbaum, Auktion 90, 15.06.2010, Los 122, Taxe für 2 Stühle 1000 €.
Von-Zezschwitz, Auktion 28, 25.11.2005, Nr. 159, Zuschlag 360 €.
Von-Zezschwitz, Auktion 28, 25.11.2005, Nr. 160, Zuschlag 360 €.

Viewing by appointment possible. Location Berlin/Germany.