“Astrid” illuminated rosewood bar cabinet by Oswald Vermaercke

Rosewood bar cabinet / highboard by Oswald Vermaercke for V-Form, “Astrid” series, circa 1958.

• The furniture has been cleaned, sanded and varnished by our restorer.
• New turned key head in solid brass, functional lock.
• W 127 CM X D 39 CM X H 118 CM.
• Flap h 46 CM X P 34 CM.
• Drawers P 31 CM X H 9 CM.

“Astrid” rosewood highboard by Oswald Vermaercke & V-Form

Produced by the Belgian manufacturer V-Form under the direction of Oswald Vermaercke, this rosewood highboard belongs to the “Astrid” series, developed during the 1960s as an extension of the early “Paola” models. This series illustrates an evolution in Belgian furniture toward more architectural lines and sophisticated interior fittings, still heavily influenced by Scandinavian design of the period.

The piece is distinguished by its balanced vertical proportions, the depth of its rosewood veneer, and the particularly meticulous quality of its manufacturing details. The highly contrasted grain of the wood reinforces the graphic presence of the facades while maintaining a certain modernist sobriety characteristic of V-Form productions.

The central bar compartment features a drop-down door revealing a fitted interior that illuminates automatically upon opening. This feature, particularly representative of high-end furniture from the 1960s, accentuates the functional and refined character of the piece while highlighting the interior surfaces and storage spaces.

The solid carved handles, hardware details, and the slim, slightly tapered base contribute to the architectural balance of the whole. This pursuit of visual lightness despite significant proportions is among the most recognizable signatures of Oswald Vermaercke’s creations for V-Form.

The increasingly rare “Astrid” series, like the early “Paola” productions, bears witness to the evolution of Belgian modernism toward more structured, technical, and sophisticated furniture during the 1960s.