Impressive brutalist highboard in stained oak by De Coene Belgium 1970s

Impressive brutalist highboard in stained oak by De Coene Belgium 1970s

SOLD TO MUNICH, GERMANY

About the item 

Magnificent highboard in stained oak with graphic relief door panels, produced by Gebroeders De Coene in the 70s in Kortrijk Belgium.

Belgium is well-known for their great modernistic designers of sideboards such as Alfred Hendrickx, Oswald Vermaercke, Pieter de Bruyne and Jos de Mey. However, Gebroeders De Coene is certainly  in a league of its own if it concerns quality. While other designers worked with fragile particleboard, Gebroeders de Coene built their furniture to last multiple lifetimes. Gebroeders de Coene was a company originating from Kortrijk Belgium (1887-1976) that had a long-standing history of building high quality furniture. Part of their furniture was more art-deco aimed, while the other part was more modernistic aimed. The company employed world-renowned designers as Florence Knoll, Jean Prouve, Charlotte Perriand and Marcel Breuer for their furniture division. As well, they produced furniture in license for Knoll International. Although their company flourished after WWI and after WWII, the company went bankrupt in 1976 due to problems in the building division of the company. Their legacy lives on in the cherished furniture pieces that are still around; well beloved and well taken care for by worldwide enthusiasts.

Their line of brutalist credenzas and highboards consisted of multiple pieces that all have a remarkable relief, pattern or structure in their hinging doors. This specific design is one of the most sought after designs from Gebroeders de Coene. The doors have a pattern of multiple squares, and each of these squares is build up from triangles. The triangles have an in-depth 3D relief. The underpart has an in-depth white/beige strip to provide for some contrast. The overall result is quite impressive and will fit very well in any living room with a modernist atmosphere. This specific highboard consists of 4 large hinging doors with accommodating cabinets. The entire highboard is made of a very solid multiplex combined with solid oak. The entire sideboard is fully featured in stained oak, anthracite in color. The inner cabinet consists of untreated oak and every cabinet is subdivided by laying boards. One of the cabinets (right above) has a lighting fixture as well, ideally positioned as a bar cabinet. The closing mechanism works with a small magnetic sucking point that ensures seamless opening and closing of the cabinet doors.

Above all, this highboard is an extremely rare find. Most of the pieces in this design are credenzas (sideboards). Only rarely will one find this is a highboard.

About its condition 

The highboard is in very good and full solid condition. There is no clearance on the doors and the closing mechanism works perfectly. The piece is in fully original condition. The top board has a small repair at the back end, which is nearly invisibly done. As well, there is a scratch on the side of the highboard that has been repaired. The highboard has some small traces of use but nothing out of the ordinary.