Manufactory
Horst Kontak
About the property: The walnut wood of the box has been treated with Japanese camellia wood and features an elegant dark hue. The playful yet minimalist design makes this wooden box a truly unique piece. Inside the box is a “compass needle” that divides the bottom of the box into two compartments. Since wood is softer than most metals, the box is perfect for storing jewelry or other small treasures. With their natural, matte finish and thin-walled design, Horst Kontak’s wooden boxes invite you to pick them up and explore them. The precise fit of the lid underscores the exceptional quality of these pieces. Each piece of wood has a unique grain and color, which are particularly striking thanks to the natural craftsmanship and minimalist design.
Manufacturing: Horst Kontak carefully handcrafts the wooden boxes and bowls on his wood lathe. For his work, he primarily uses local woods such as oak, black locust, or walnut, which he works with once they are dry. Depending on the design, the individual steps on the lathe vary slightly, but the basic sequence always remains the same. It is this repetitive routine that Horst Kontak particularly values in his work. After processing, the wood is mostly left untreated to preserve its natural color and texture. If he does decide to treat the wood, however, he uses only Japanese camellia oil. Among woodturners, making a box is considered the pinnacle of the craft, as it presents a particular challenge to ensure that the lid and the body fit together perfectly.
We offer reliable shipping for our products to various destinations. Here are our shipping options:
Germany:
EU countries:
Switzerland: Information regarding transportation costs to Switzerland can be found here.
Please note that the stated delivery times are estimates and may vary depending on the destination and current circumstances. We are always working to get your orders to you as quickly as possible.
For further information or special inquiries about shipping, please do not hesitate to contact us. to contact. We are happy to answer your questions.
The wooden boxes should always be closed according to the wood grain. The lid should not be twisted, but gently slid open and carefully pulled upwards to open. Over time, small marks may appear on the surface. These can be carefully removed with fine sandpaper. It is essential to sand only in the direction of the grain. Furthermore, the boxes and bowls should not be exposed to intense sunlight for extended periods.
In 1985, Horst Kontak met the wood designer Lüder Baier in his workshop in Dresden. This encounter had a lasting impact on him. Fascinated by the art of woodworking, he was particularly captivated by a finely crafted wooden box. Two years later, he built his own lathe and began experimenting with woodturning. What started as a passion, however, only became his profession in 2017.
Fueled by his ongoing exchange with Lüder Baier, Horst Kontak finally founded his workshop, "Werken in Holz" (Working in Wood), in 2009. It was there that he created his first box from mountain maple, a unique piece that would be followed by many more.
His precisely crafted wooden objects have been exhibited at the Pritzwalk City Museum and presented by renowned design object retailers such as Elbwood and the Remise in Hamburg. They have also garnered attention in specialist and design magazines such as Drechsler Magazin, Art Aurea, and Living at Home.
... For his extraordinary wooden boxes, Horst Kontak received the Von Taube Prize in 2025, awarded for outstanding creative design and the highest level of craftsmanship. The artist crafts his delicate boxes primarily from local woods such as robinia, linden, walnut, and maple. The masterful craftsmanship is immediately apparent as soon as you hold these objects, some of which are turned to a wafer-thin standard, with their ingenious locking mechanism. The lids glide smoothly into the containers when placed in the direction of the wood grain. Once closed, the almost magical mechanism, accompanied by a characteristic sound, invites you to relive this moment again and again.
Horst Kontak consciously gives space to the individual beauty and history of the wood by reducing his forms to their essence. In this way, he succeeds in combining elegance and minimalism with lightness and playful refinement.
Regarding his work, he says: “Wooden vessels, but also other things, are reflected in my thoughts, I see many images, put them on paper, draw, discard, follow an idea and then it starts, always a beginning, just as well…”
