About Backhausen & Sons

Backhausen, Johann & sons, decor fabrics producer, founded 1849, in 1888 was supplier for the imperial court, and in 1903 was co-founder of the Wiener Werkstatte. Backhausen and sons have contributed to the world-wide most comprehensive archives of original sketches of Viennese Jugendstil, in their factory in Hoheneich (province of Lower Austria) which exports to 40 countries. In 1810, the young journeyman weaver Franz Backhausen leaves his native Germany to move to Vienna, where he soon passes his master craftsman examination. Founded in 1849 in Vienna on 30 January, 1849, Franz Backhausen's sons Karl and Johann establish a company named "Karl Backhausen & Co.", thereby laying the cornerstone for one of the most successful Austrian enterprises in the textile industry. At the World's Fair held in London in 1851, Backhausen is awarded a Gold Medal. In 1860, the company is given its current name "Johann Backhausen & Sohne" (Backhausen & Sons). In 1864, the company moves into a new sales center (in the "Heinrichshof" building) opposite the Vienna State Opera House. After 1869, Backhausen provides decorative fabrics for many public representative buildings, e.g. the Vienna State Opera and City Hall, the Parliament building in Vienna and the city's famous Burgtheater. Due to these extraordinary achievements, the Backhausen family is appointed "suppliers to the Imperial and Royal Court" in 1888. The Backhausen family demonstrated courage in the early 20th century: embarking on a new course, it writes a chapter of company history as a supplier of "Wiener Werkstatte". In 1895, Backhausen joins the progressive artistic trends of the fin de siecle: as a supplier of "Wiener Werkstatte" (1903), the company realizes almost all designs for fabrics and carpets of such celebrated artists as: Otto Wagner, Kolo Moser, Josef Hoffmann, Otto Prutscher, Dagobert Peche and others. From 1905 the Wiener Werkstatte produced handpainted and printed silks. The Backhausen firm was responsable for the machine-printed and woven textiles. The varitey of objects produced from the Wiener Werkstatte was immense.