In an attempt to revive the Classic Scheveningen High Back Beach Chair I blogged about it here and on my significant other blog.
Despite the fact that Google apparently has ousted Chairblog from their indexes after the recent change of hosting company, the photos of the two blog posts still appear on page 1 of a Google photo search. There I discovered Wohn- & Geschäftshaus Bartelmann seit 1903 im Ostseebad Kühlungsborn They also appear as Bartelmann . Com. It appears that Bartelmann has a shop, a B&B and also is one of the oldest producers still in operation of the typical High Back Beach Chairs for the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The Baltic high back beach chair is more rounded and the North Sea one more angular. If you like the models like I do, I suggest you search Google images for Strandkorf or Strandkorb, which gives results that come near what I meant.
Back to Bartelmann
Wilhelm Bartelmann opened shop as a basket maker October 7, 1870. In 1882 lady Efriede von Maltzahn had asked him to create a beach chair that could protect against too much sun and too much wind. Sun bathing was “not done” in those days in higher circles.
Wilhelm created the first beach chair from willow and cane, mockingly called by some “Upright Laundry Basket”. From there on the business started to thrive. Mind you, after he had created chairs for a Ducal Palace he was allowed to call himself Basket Maker by Appointment.
Here you can see Wilhelm, his wife and 5 children in one of his cane and willow high back beach chairs.