Šikmo (Skew) chair

The national enterprise Tatra Nábytok Pravenec, founded in 1958, gradually developed over the second half of the 20th century into a large furniture complex, becoming one of the largest mass producers of furniture in Czechoslovakia. The factory’s main production program focused on manufacturing chairs for both the domestic market and export abroad. The latest prototypes of both bentwood and cut chairs of all kinds—from dining and “pub” chairs to work and lounge chairs—were also presented by the company at international and domestic trade fairs, where they attracted attention and often received awards. Many of the designs entered serial production and became a natural part of everyday living environments. Other exceptional pieces, although not suited for efficient mass production, became exhibition models, confirming the imagination and creative potential of the company’s designers. These unique pieces form a special part of the Tatra Nábytok Pravenec chair collection, preserved in the collections of the Slovak Design Museum.

Among the chairs in the collection, a pair called “Šikmo” by designer Ondrej Čverha stands out. The chairs bear the designer’s distinctive signature, characterized by surprising forms, witty, playful, and experimental shapes, reflecting the influence of postmodernism.

The Šikmo chair, in both red and white versions (both are part of the collection), features a backrest made of seven diagonally placed slats, no armrests, and an oval seat and legs (marked 68 14 on the underside of the chair).

Photo: Adam Šakový