De Ster Gelderland – An Icon of Dutch Design
Originating from the Netherlands, the furniture manufacturer De Ster Gelderland has established itself as a key figure in 20th-century design. Its wooden creations, with soft lines and impeccable finishes, combine artisanal craftsmanship with technical innovations, giving them remarkable durability and a timeless appeal.

The story begins in 1936, when Koene Oberman, the son of a Frisian timber merchant, received 200 guilders from his father to start his own company. He chose to set up in Culemborg, a town renowned for its craft tradition, and launched one of the first series productions of furniture in the Netherlands. Installed in the former locomotive depot at the train station, his company, named Meubelindustrie Gelderland, quickly grew and expanded on both a national and international scale.

After the Second World War, the brand gained prominence, even being produced under license abroad. From the 1950s onwards, Oberman entrusted the creation of new models to independent designers. Among them were the Danish designer Ib Kofod Larsen, and Rob Parry, who left his mark on the era with iconic armchairs such as the Lotus and the model 1611. In 1969, a young designer, Jan des Bouvrie, achieved his first major success with the famous Cube sofa (430), which went on to become an icon. He was followed by designers such as Henk Vos, later joined by his sons Bart and Roderick Vos, as well as contemporary design studios like Scholten & Baijings, Lex Pott, and Studio Truly Truly.

Throughout its nearly 90 years of existence, Gelderland has created pieces that have since become cult classics. In addition to Jan des Bouvrie’s Cube, there is the 4800 series by Henk Vos, which is still in production today, as well as Rob Parry’s armchairs, which furnished the majority of Dutch interiors in the 1950s. This collection, rich in both history and modernity, continues to inspire today’s designers with whom the company collaborates.

Design enthusiasts can admire many of these iconic models in the collections of the RSGA design museum and buy some items in our vintage curation.