Belform

Belgium

Little to no verifiable information is available on the Belgian furniture manufacturer Belform, and it is unclear when the company was founded and when or why the company ceased production. However, it is known that the Belgian designer Alfred Hendrickx  (b. 1931) designed elegant, sculptural pieces for Belform throughout the midcentury. His designs included tables , seatingstorage solutions , and sideboards  in juxtaposing materials, often pairing nicely grained teak and rosewood with less luxurious materials such as laminates and steel. His sideboards and desks feature characteristic square metal pulls, which are often lacquered black.

Hendrickx’s other 1950s and ‘60s-era pieces have been recently rediscovered on the vintage market, sought after for their more “industrial-style” take on the midcentury Scandinavian look. Designs include the Model S5 armchair (c. 1950), Model S3 dining chair (1958), and the three-legged Sabena Lounge Chair (1958). Inspired by the streamline shape of airplanes, the chair was designed for the first-class lounge for Sabena Airlines at the Zaventem Airport in Brussels. With only 150 copies originally produced and a limited amount of copies still left in existence, the Sabena is a true rarity on the vintage market.