Modular Wall Unit by Oswald Vermaercke from Wenge, 1960s

About This Piece

Vintage Design

An extremely unusual and totally customisable modular wall unit system from Belgium circa 1960. Very rare to see such furniture made from Wenge. It has the most glorious grain and there really isn't much of a comparison to other timbers. A wonderful design with some notable Scandinavian elements. Possibly by Oswald Vermaercke. This modular system can be rearranged in endless configurations. Each box or shelf drops into place with its small metal brackets onto the ladder uprights. This cannot be accomplished by one person, however! When arrange in the first configuration the centre part forms a very practical desk/office set up.

Show full description Close description

Creator	Oswald Vermaercke
Design Period	1960 to 1969
Production Period	Unknown, 1960 to 1969
Country of Manufacture	Belgium
Identifying Marks	This piece is attributed to the above-mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark
Style	Vintage, Mid-Century, Modernist
Detailed Condition	Good — This vintage item remains fully functional, but it shows sign of age through scuffs, dings, faded finishes, minimal upholstery defects, or visible repairs.
Restoration and Damage Details	Light wear consistent with age and use, Patina consistent with age and use, Surface has been polished
Product Code	CQ-802116
Materials	Wenge
Color	Black, brown
Width	268 cm 268 cm
Depth	43 cm 43 cm
Height	182 cm 182 cm
Weight Range	Heavy — Over 80kg

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	United Kingdom
Returns	Returns accepted within 14 days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Delivery Options

Front Door Delivery: (Included in Every Order)	A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below). The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.
In-Home Delivery: (For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)	A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers. The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.

Front Door Delivery:
(Included in Every Order)

A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below).
The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

In-Home Delivery:
(For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)

A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers.
The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine every order upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damage or missing or incorrect pieces, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note and contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations of missing, damaged, or incorrect item(s) represents your acceptance of the complete order in perfect condition.

About the Creator

Oswald Vermaercke

Mid-Century Belgian furniture designer Oswald Vermaercke (b. 1926) is known for designs produced by the Belgian furniture firm V-Form. Not a lot of biographical information is available on Vermaercke, but it is known that he was the business manager and designer of V-Form. Located in Petegem, V-Form produced complete suites of furniture, which included sideboards , tables , and chairs , during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

One of the most well-known of Vermaercke’s designs for V-Form is the minimal dining-room suite Paola (1959), named after the Belgian queen who married King Alfred II in the same year. Most of the furniture produced by V-Form in the 1950s and 1960s featured beautifully deep-grained veneers, for which Vermaercke personally traveled abroad to choose, resulting in teak and rosewood veneers of the highest quality. In the 1970s, however, Resisto Finish, a veneer alternative that was both cheap to produce and long-lasting, replaced veneer as the finish of choice in Vermaercke designs.

Unable to compete with larger international firms, V-Form went out of business in 1978. In 2003, Vermaercke donated historical V-Form archives to the Ghent Design Museum.