H.F. Mertens, Chromed tubular steel chair, executed by HOPMI and USM Pastoe, 1932

This chromed tubular steel chair with armrests was designed by Hermann Friedrich Mertens (1885-1960) in 1932. The chair was executed by UMS Pastoe in collaboration with HOPMI. HOPMI is the abbreviation for 'Hollandsche Patent Metaal Industrie'. This was a manufacturer of, among other things, bicycle parts in Utrecht. From 1932 to 1934, HOPMI worked with UMS Pastoe on the production of a series of tubular steel furniture, characterized by their special torpedo nuts. Because of these nuts, the furniture was easy to dismantle and transport. HOPMI had this conjunction patented. The furniture was not only designed by H.F. Mertens, but also by Ad Grimmon and even Gerrit Rietveld made a design in 1934. Besides being a furniture designer, Mertens was also an architect. Among other things, he designed the Unilever main building in Rotterdam.