Modern Dutch design owes a great deal to Gerard van den Berg. While the Netherlands has a rich furniture-making tradition, it took a maverick like Van den Berg to bring it into a new era.
Van den Berg was born in 1947 to a family of designers. His father owned a furniture company in Hellevoetsluis where Van den Berg worked as an apprentice and then designer until he and his brother, Ton, founded their own workshop, in 1974. That company, named Montis, produced mostly upholstered seating for homes and businesses.
At Montis, Van den Berg challenged traditional Dutch furniture forms. Rather than starting with the piece's frame, which he felt was restrictive, he focused on the silhouette. This inspired Van den Berg to create slim and elegant furniture, often featuring angular metal legs and leather upholstery. In 1983, he pioneered the "jacket technique," consisting of a zipped leather cover around a metal frame. Several iconic Montis seats use this technique, including the Chaplin chair, the Butterfly lounge chair and the Rocky sofa.
In 1989, Van den Berg launched his own design studio and began designing for companies like Wittmann, Molteni and Perobell. He left Montis in 1990 to cofound a new company, called Label, with Ton the following year. Today, Van den Berg's son Jasper and Ton's daughter, Marieke, manage Label. Van den Berg's other son, Ivo, is also a designer at the company.
Van den Berg's irreplaceable contributions to furniture design have garnered multiple awards over the years. Some of the most notable include the Kho Liang Prize, the Mobilia Innovation Award and the Prize for Interior Architecture.
Find vintage Montis seating on 1stDibs.
$1,695Sale Price|47% Off
Montis Back Me Up Salon Club Chair Designed by Arian Brekveld IN STOCK
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
Back Me Up Salon Upholstery: HERO 466318 #791 Base: Oak Black carbon stained The compact club chair With the BACK ME UP Salon, Arian Brekveld pu...
Fabric
'Suite' Lounge Chair by Gijs Papavoine for Montis, The Netherlands 1990's
By Montis, Gijs Papavoine
Located in Steenwijk, NL
This 'Suite' lounge chair was designed by Gijs Papavoine for Montis in The Netherlands. It has a high quality green leather seat that feels very soft and is extremely comfortable. Th...
Bronze
Club Chair by Brian Holcombe in Mahogany with Upholstery
By Brian Holcombe
Located in Princeton, NJ
Upholstered club chair in mahogany wood with carving details on the sides. The carvings are of a motif found in 18th century Ming furniture. The carvings are done by hand. This ch...
Mahogany
$930 / item
H 29.53 in W 21.66 in D 19.69 in
Shell Beige Boucle Club Chair, by Vintola Studio, Europe, Poland
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Springy, very comfortable and stabile club seats. They are contemporary chairs inspired of 1960s style. They can be used as armchairs and dining chairs. Chair was designed by Vint...
Bouclé, Velvet, Beech
1990s Gijs Papavoine Windy Ottoman in Black Leather by Montis
By Montis, Gijs Papovoine
Located in Knebel, DK
1990s Gijs Papavoine Windy ottoman in black leather by Montis The Winy series was designed by Gijs Papavoine in 1992 with shapes that reflects a design that looks like the pieces of...
Leather
Hamptons Club Chair from The Collection by Michael Del Piero
By Michael Del Piero
Located in Wainscott, NY
The Hamptons Club Chair is available in several color ways (linen) and was designed by Michael Del Piero, as a substantial sized lounge chair in the relaxed Hamptons Collection of furnishings. Michael took inspiration for this piece from a petite club chair...
Fabric, Linen
$7,500 / set
H 28 in W 25.5 in D 32 in
Rare Pair of Aluminum Lounge Chairs by Hannah/Morrison for Knoll
By Knoll
Located in Atlanta, GA
An absolutely stunning pair of the iconic lounge chair designed by Bruce Hannah and Andrew Morrison for Knoll, circa 1970s. Aluminum with polished stainless steel accents. This rare ...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Maurice Dufrene Single Club/Arm Chair
By Maurice Dufrêne
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Classic French Art Deco swooping round-backed club/arm/relaxing chair by Maurice Dufrene, circa 1925. 25” wide x 29” deep x 32” high. MAURICE DUFRENE (1876 - 1955) One of the ...
Wood
French Art Deco Style Club Chair
Located in Westwood, NJ
French Art Deco Style club chairs, upholstered with top-grain vintage Havana brown leather with a deep padded upholstered backrest and...
Leather
$6,950Sale Price|36% Off
H 38 in W 72 in D 48 in
'Joe' Lounge Chair by De Pas, D’Urbino, Lomazzi for Poltronova, 1970s, Signed
By Gionathan de Pas & Donato D’Urbino & Paolo Lomazzi, Poltronova
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This beautiful patinated leather "Joe" lounge chair by De Pas, D’Urbino, Lomazzi for Poltronova is covered in a gorgeous and soft light brown / ...
Leather
M. Gold Leather Club Chair
By Mitchell Gold
Located in Napa, CA
Vintage leather club chair by San Francisco Designer M. Gold. The back has a nice piping detail.
Leather
Leather Club Chair
Located in Westwood, NJ
A leather upholstered club chair, in a vintage cigar brown aniline top-grade leather with a deep upholstered cushion backrest and seat cushion with rollover upholstered arms, finishe...
Leather
$6,862
H 45.67 in W 45.28 in D 35.44 in
Rare Wammes Lounge Chair 1974 by Gerard van den Berg for Montis The Netherlands
By Gerard Van Den Berg
Located in Buggenhout, Oost-Vlaanderen
Wammes Lounge Chair by Gerard van den Berg for Montis Natural Cognac Leather Lounge Chair on a Metal Swivel Base Designed in the early 1970s, the Wammes chair represents the experim...
Leather
$3,450 / set
H 39 in W 32 in D 28.5 in
Lounge Chair Model Castor with footstool by Gijs Papavoine for Montis
By Montis, Gijs Papavoine
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Supercool lounge chair with ottoman designed by Gijs Papavoine for Montis, around 1990 and produced shortly thereafter. The model was produced for a duration of about 10 years and pr...
Steel
Sold
H 27.96 in W 42.92 in D 38.59 in
Gerard Van Den Berg for Montis Lounge Chairs Model 'Ringo' in Patinated Leather
By Gerard Van Den Berg, Montis
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Gerard van den Berg for Montis, lounge chairs model 'Ringo', brown leather, the Netherlands, 1970s Gerard van den Berg designed this pair of 'Ringo' lounge chairs for Montis in th...
Leather
Montis Back Me Up Salon Club Chair Designed by Arian Brekveld IN STOCK
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
Back Me Up Salon The compact club chair With the BACK ME UP Salon, Arian Brekveld puts a contemporary spin on the voluminous club chair. Its whisper...
Fabric
Gerard Van Den Berg "Butterfly" Red Leather Lounge Chair
By Gerard Van Den Berg, Montis
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lovely Gerard Van Den Berg red leather "Butterfly" lounge chair with black mesh sub support and black enameled metal frame. In original condition with visible patina and wear consist...
Metal
Gerard van den Berg Ringo Lounge Chairs Montis, 1970
By Montis, Gerard Van Den Berg
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Fantastic pair of lounge chairs designed by Gerard van den Berg and manufactured by Montis, Holland 1970. The chairs are made of very thick black buffalo leather and have an amazing ...
Leather
Set of Two Montis Lomas Armchairs
By Gijs Papavoine, Montis
Located in New York, NY
The lomas easy chair radiates elegance and activity. It derives its dynamism from the flowing lines of the seat and the sunken, slim back, supported by a slender, all-embracing base ...
Leather, Fabric