Horgenglarus Moser

Stylish, almost filigree yet robust: The Moser is the epitome of the Swiss chair. Many Swiss people consider this simple design classic as the "chair of chairs": Model 1–250, or as it quickly became known among architects and the general public, the "Moser chair," has been in the spotlight from the very beginning and has become the most famous piece of furniture from Horgenglarus. It has been featured in all Horgenglarus catalogs since 1932. Architect Werner Max Moser first showcased his wooden chair in 1931 in a version with a wide backrest at the living exhibition Neubühl, which he co-designed. Even after the war, the response was overwhelming. It appeared on the cover of the goods catalog published by the Swiss Werkbund in 1954, and in 1958 it received the award "Die gute Form" as models "183 M" and "183 MA." Such honor attracts imitators, but "All other similar and replicated chairs are perceived as plagiarism," according to archival records. The Moser chair is highly versatile and allows for prolonged sitting. Werner Max Moser, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, focused on the absolutely necessary in his first furniture design, yet the Moser chair, with its round, slightly splayed legs, feels familiar. It recalls the bentwood chairs of the time, as well as the Horgenglarus classic chair. There are similarly minimalist chairs, there are comparably stable and equally comfortable chairs, but in combination, the Moser, thanks to its sturdy seat frame, is unique. The quality of the weaving is also superior: The robust rush weaving is hand-inserted into the chair frame and knotted there, providing significantly more support than machine-woven material pressed into a groove. A continuity of the tried and tested, as modern today as it was then.