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Cees Braakman

Dutch, 1917-1995

Revered Dutch mid-century modernist designer Cees Braakman had been creating furniture since his teenage years when he was promoted to head of design at UMS Pastoe in 1948. Today’s vintage furniture enthusiasts know that Braakman found inspiration in works by Scandinavian artisans such as Alvar Aalto and Herman Miller luminaries Charles and Ray Eames — Braakman’s clean-lined dining chairs, sleek sideboards and other case pieces are demonstrative of those influences.

UMS Pastoe was established in 1913 by German-Jewish entrepreneur Frits Loeb and became rapidly successful largely owing to its reputation for well-made tables and chairs. However, the Dutch brand is best known by collectors for the modular sideboards, storage cabinets and other spare, streamlined case pieces that it produced during the postwar years. 

The Utrecht-born Braakman took over for his father, Dirk, who had by then been managing the company for more than 20 years and had designed a variety of furnishings for the manufacturer by himself. A year before he assumed his new role at Pastoe, Cees visited the United States where he became enamored with the designs of Charles and Ray Eames and the other creative minds associated with legendary American furniture manufacturer Herman Miller. 

While many Dutch designers who are now celebrated by vintage furniture collectors — names like Gerrit Rietveld and Friso Kramer are in this list — found inspiration in Piet Mondrian and the country’s De Stijl art movement, they also looked to Scandinavian modernists such as Alvar Aalto and Americans such as the Eameses. Cees Braakman was no different. 

Braakman’s 1940s-era tour to the States included a visit to the Herman Miller factory in Zeeland, Michigan. At the time, architect-designer-journalist George Nelson was director of design at the firm and had enlisted a range of designers to collaborate with Herman Miller and create what are now icons of mid-century modernism. Braakman took notice of industrial manufacturing techniques at HM and in particular, the company’s innovations in furniture design owing to experimentation with molded plywood and fiberglass-reinforced plastic. 

The Dutch designer introduced the first line of modern furniture at UMS Pastoe thereafter — a table, a chair, a bed and more created in molded plywood and featuring oak veneers, specifically tailored for smaller living spaces. Braakman was convinced that Pastoe should move on from the restrictions that a collection or set of furniture presented to consumers. 

Furniture for a bedroom, for example, should be practical and built as individual pieces that could be adapted as more space became available. New production methods and creative marketing came into focus under Braakman’s leadership, and his own lines of oak and birch furniture — which were created around cupboards that could be reconfigured as needed, or armchairs that could be combined to form a sofa — earned acclaim and were commercially very successful.

UMS Pastoe was recognized for its innovative furniture at the Milan Triennial in 1957 and Le Signe d’Or in Belgium, and Cees Braakman’s work can today be found at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. 

Find vintage Cees Braakman furniture on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$2,903
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Large Pastoe Wall Unit ''Japan Series '' Cees Braakman 1958 Holland
By Cees Braakman, Pastoe
Located in Den Haag, NL
Large Pastoe Wall Unit .Design by Cees Braakman in the 1960s , from the so called ''Japan series '' consisting of 4 Wall Panels hanging on a wooden ra...
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1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Cees Braakman

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Wenge

Birch cabinet model BB04 by Cees Braakman for Pastoe, The Netherlands 1952
By Pastoe, Cees Braakman
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Birch book case model BB04 designed by Cees Braakman for Pastoe in 1952. The valve can also be used as a desk. The surface and one side of the cabinet have been sand and polished. So...
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Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Cees Braakman

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Birch

Cees Braakman serving trolley “PB31” UMS Pastoe The Netherlands 1950
By Pastoe, Cees Braakman
Located in Etten-Leur, NL
Very nice iconic serving trolley model Rolo PB31 designed by Cees Braakman for UMS Pastoe, The Netherlands 1950. This beautiful serving trolley is made of birch veneered plywood and ...
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1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Cees Braakman

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Vintage birch series sideboard–secretaire CB01 by Cees Braakman for Pastoe, 50s
By Pastoe, Cees Braakman
Located in Denventer, NL
Vintage Birch series sideboard CB01, designed by Cees Braakman for Pastoe, 1950s. The cabinet has a birch veneer finish, stands on the characteristic plywood loop legs and has the we...
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1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Cees Braakman

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Birch

Cees Braakman
By Cees Braakman
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Beautiful sculptural wire chair designed by Cees Braakman for Pastoe, Netherlands. This piece features a wire mesh body upon an angular sled base. Measures 23”’W x 24” D x 29” H back...
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1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Cees Braakman

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Cees Braakman
Cees Braakman
H 29 in W 23 in D 24 in
Cees Braakman Wire Chair for Pastoe
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Amazing sculptural wire chair designed by Cees Braakman for Pastoe. This piece features a wire mesh body upon an angular hairpin base. It comes with original detachable vinyl seat pa...
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1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Cees Braakman

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Cees Braakman CB07 Secretaire in Birch red / blue plywood for Pastoe Netherlands
By Pastoe, Cees Braakman
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Stylish Secretaire Model CB07 designed by Cees Braakman and manufactured by Pastoe in the 1950s, the Netherlands. This Secretaire was part of the 'Birch Series' of Pastoe and inspire...
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1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Cees Braakman

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Cees Braakman Dining Chairs contemporized by Markus Friedrich Staab
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Set of 4 Cees Brrakman SB 02 chairs, re-modeled frames, painted in neon and white, upholstered in Bio Cotton Teddy Fabric. Mass produced classics made to be one of a kind, super cosy...
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Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Cees Braakman

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Fabric, Plywood

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Cees Braakman furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Cees Braakman furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Cees Braakman furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Cees Braakman were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by UMS Pastoe, Friso Kramer, and Martin Visser. Prices for Cees Braakman furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $476 and can go as high as $21,025, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,051.

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