designed by Josef Hoffmann in 1912–14 for the sales office of the Poldi Hütte steel mill in Vienna, black stained oak, L-shaped: tripartite lower structure in the form of a buffet, each part with two doors, mounted by three display cabinets with hinged doors, as well as a matching corner element, with shaped lozenge decoration to the doors, height 101 cm, depth 37 cm, length 394 and 152 cm. (DR)

With a certificate issued by Christian Witt-Dörring, Vienna 2012.

Provenance: central sales office of the Poldi Hütte, 1030 Vienna, Invalidenstraße 5–7, in situ until 1996.

Lit.: M. Eisler, Österreichische Werkkultur, Vienna 1916, pp. 128/29 - E. F. Seckler, Josef Hoffmann, Vienna 1982, no. 170, p. 356 - Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration, vol. 35, Darmstadt 1914/15, pp. 306/7, Innendekoration XXIX, 1918, p. 147.

The Poldi Hütte was founded in Kladno, Czechia, by Karl Wittgenstein, Ludwig Wittgenstein’s father. Wittgenstein was one of the must successful steel industrials during the last years of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. He and his wife, Leopoldine, were generous patrons of contemporary art. The steel mill in Kladno was named after her. Josef Hoffmann was commissioned with both the interior decoration of the guest house in Kladno and the interior design of the company’s newly built headquarters in Vienna. The latter project comprised the reception rooms of the head office, the office rooms, and the central sales office, where these cabinets used to be installed.