Bauhaus TV cabinet ‘HFS 2’ by Herbert Hirche for Braun, elm, 1960s

A true classic of Bauhaus design. The ‘HFS 2’ TV cabinet was designed by Prof. Herbert Hirche, a long-standing collaborator of Mies van der Rohe, for the company Braun. It perfectly embodies the Bauhaus’s minimalist design philosophy and is an extremely rare collector’s item, now on display in major museums such as the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich and the Museum für Angewandte Kunst in Frankfurt. Hirche revolutionised the clunky TV design of the 1950s by transforming the television into an elegant, homely piece of furniture. The two delicate folding doors allow the screen to be completely concealed (and locked away) when not in use. The body and doors are made from chipboard veneered with elm. The screen and speakers are perfectly integrated into these, and the white controls provide a lovely contrast to the wood. The set rests on its characteristic square steel tube frame. The body and doors have been sanded and given a matt finish. The television’s original internal components are intact. It can be switched on, the volume is adjustable, and a white line appears on the screen. The hinges and lock/key are original and work perfectly. The perforated rear panel is intact.