Coffee table "elephant trunk table" by Adolf Loos F.O. Schmidt ca. 1900

Coffee table “elephant trunk table”, designed by Adolf Loos, manufactured by F.O. Schmidt, Vienna, ca. 1900

The famous Viennese architect and designer Adolf Loos is one of the pioneers of modern architecture. In particular, his consistently self-designed residential projects, in which he designed both the building and the furnishings, receive special attention today in the context of art history.

Loos first used this design, called the “elephant trunk table,” in 1902 in the apartment of Dr. Hugo Haberfeld. This design, which is one of the most iconic pieces of furniture created by Adolf Loos, has its origins in the British Arts & Crafts movement. Many-legged round tables were used as furnishings there even before the turn of the century. The elegant curves and the combination of precious woods and warm brass meet the Viennese fashion very specifically. Loos also used this model in other apartments, among others Friedmann, Weiss and Rosenfeld.

Our example is a first-class Viennese cabinetmaker’s work. The used woods match perfectly with the polished brass parts and the central marble top fits very harmoniously into the ensemble. This model was also made with six feet and with a smaller diameter. The quality of this piece of furniture is stunning and the condition is in a museum quality.

Bib: depicted in Siegfried Wichmann, "Jugendstil Floral Funktional", Bayrisches Nationalmuseum Munich 1984, p. 168.