Berchtesgade/kehlsteinhaus chairs

[Etienne B.]

Hi guys,

For over 25 years a collectorfriend had the chance to buy several chairs out of Berchtesgaden.He knew the seller for several years because he went on holidays in the city and area.The older woman claimed that her father got them after the bombardment of the berghof area....as did many other residents of Berchtesgaden.

So far the story is correct.I heard the woman,picked them up with him.But now after years of storage he want to find some ''hard'' evidence and perhaps some kind of value.

We found two pics already of some simular chairs but maybe some one else has more info too

Thanks in advance !

Etienne

[Etienne B.]

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[Etienne B.]

photos came from the book:

Geschichte des Kehlsteins by Florian Beierl. page 119 and 107

[CPB]

Awesome...great project. I will keep an eye out.

[adlerfan53]

Man. They look very very close to the ones in the pics. What an awesome piece of history to have if they are legit.

[Br. James]

Hi Etienne,

The chair you show does have similarities with some of the pieces in the period photographs of the Kehlstein Haus, though the cut and curve of the arms does not match that of the pieces in the pix, nor do the finials on the back uprights. The cushions may indeed be original, though they look too new to be 75 years old...

I believe I've read that the furniture made for the Kehlstein Haus was designed by Profs. Gerdy Troost and Leonhard Gall of Atelier Troost – Troost Studio of Munich – as were the interiors of the Berghof. There may be some identifying marks on the chairs which would indicate their origin...?

Since most of the buildings comprising the Obersalzberg Administration were heavily damaged if not destroyed, and all of them were looted by the local townspeople from Berchtesgaden and the surrounding villages -- as well as by the occupying US troops -- it may be extremely difficult to now tell whether an individual piece of furniture originally came from the Berghof or the Kehlstein Haus or Haus Bormann or Göring Hugel or the Platterhof Hotel or the SS Barrarcks or the Zum Türken or...?? But it is an interesting challenge! I've read that there is a restaurant in downtown Berchtesgaden which supposedly offers its customers the opportunity to sit upon furniture 'liberated' from the Berghof...and in that case, there surely must be much more furniture around in the countryside!

Br. James

[Etienne B.]

Thanks guys,

Really appreciate the input.He bought them together as a set.In total there were six chairs:four as shown in the pic and two leather ones.I have asked for more photos and to look for markings,stamps or what ever.My friend believes that these are gerdy troost designs.......but now we need proof.

Has anyone examples of markings from the troost studios?

regards,

Etienne

[Etienne B.]

Here some pics from the leather one:

[Etienne B.]

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[Etienne B.]

And some nice silver tableware:

[Br. James]

Isn't that post card insert on your note #8 a view of the Grand Dining Room (the Winter Garden) which Hitler had added to the garden side of the Old Reichschancellery?

Br. James

[Etienne B.]

It is a postcard from the ''kaffeesaal'' at the platterhof.I found some more examples,which in my opinion make a clear match to the leather one.

Etienne

[Br. James]

Very interesting! I would not have thought of the Platterhof!

Br. James

[Thorsten B.]

That leather chair is indeed from the Kaffeesaal of the Platterhof - no doubt.

The maker is either Vereinigte Werkstätten or Anton Pössenbacher, both München - have to check my literature.

[Etienne B.]

Thanks guys. Now we need to find some evidence for the other chairs......


regards,

Etienne