"Claustra", Jindrich Halabala for Holesav Drevopodnik, pair of shelves 1950

First "Claustra" editions around 1950.


These shelves have their 4 corners in quarter rounds (see detailed photos), they are by Jindrich Halabala and are rarer.


The manufacturer's label (Holesav Drevopodnik) is still visible on one of the 2 shelves.


Not to be confused with the later editions by Ludvik Volak (right-angled corners) published by Hole from the 1960s.


dividing shelf (screen) in glued laminated wood.





Very good condition.





Jindrich Halabala is a Czech designer best known for working for the Prague-based UP (Up Zavody), Holesav Drevopodnik and Thonet Gebrüder Frères Austria (bentwood), for whom he initially designed the famous H269 armchairs. A pair of these armchairs is currently on display at ArtaPlaza. He also worked with Jaroslav Smidek, another designer who created Czech modernist furniture.


Halabala's furniture is renowned for its robustness, high quality, and practicality. These pieces blend aesthetics and functionality to suit any interior. Armchairs, shelves, and more—his various creations continue to delight 20th-century design enthusiasts.





Biography


Jindrich Halabala was born in 1903 in the Czech Republic. He completed his first internship in his father's workshop. After gaining experience and knowledge of wood, he enrolled at the Academy of Applied Arts in Prague. Graduating in 1926, he joined the Bohumil Hübschmann studio in Prague and then worked for UP as an artistic director. The company quickly adapted to changes in consumerism and began mass production, which propelled him to a position of responsibility. It produced various pieces of furniture largely based on Halabala's designs. The high-quality furniture produced was comparable to the excellent European productions of the time.