The Firm

THE FIRM

The book "Möbel des Jugendstils" by Vera J. Behal, available at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts bookstore, contains information on Sigmund Jaray with photos of some of the furniture he built for the average worker. The grouping offered in her book is one which won an award as the best grouping under 300 Kronen. Otto Wagner was one of the judges. In appreciation of this award there appears in the book a letter from the archives, written by Sigmund on his company letterhead, and donating this entire grouping as a gift to the museum.

Passages from the book as translated from German go as follows;

Sigmund Jaray,

1838 - 1908 came from Temesvar, and founded his tapestry firm in 1870. In the 70's he had a tapestry and decorating firm at Bräunerstrasse 3 (next to Graben), where he had a big furniture showroom exhibiting different styles. At the world exhibition of 1873, he won a medal of excellence. On February 27, 1877 he set up the independent firm "Sigmund Jaray Tapisserie", and in 1885 his firm is recognized in the business directory of decorators.

On April 7, 1891, Sigmund Jaray was appointed Tapestry maker to the Imperial Palace, and his firm was given the title "K.u.K. Hof-Tapezierer". The firm expanded quickly as evidenced by the taxes paid. In the 20 years from 1872 - 1892, The firm's taxes increased from 52 1/2 Gulden to 210 Gulden, basically doubling in size every 5 years.

In 1892, the company was transformed into a firm of associates, the only associate being Max Jaray, Sigmund's eldest son (1868 - 1920). Max had studied at the Vienna Academy of Fine Art from 1887. He did his practical work in Paris with Sigmund’s good friend Sam Bing. After Paris he worked as a designer for his father. His brother Karl also worked in the firm, though not as an artist. On July 16, 1895, Max officially became a director of the company.

Bräunerstrasse 1

At the end of the 1890's

all divisions of the company except the factory were moved to Heugasse 70, Vienna III (now Prinz-Eugen-Strasse). The building housed furniture displays, drawing and design workshops, tapestry manufacturing, and private offices. The factory remained at Quellenstrasse 15, Vienna X.

The house Prinz-Eugen-Strasse 70 was built for Sigmund Jaray by architects Helmer and Fellner. Two of their prominent projects were for instance the Burgtheater and the Wiener Konzerthaus.

Sigmund and Mathilde lived there as well as their sons Max and Karl with their families.

In 1907, Sigmund and Max were both awarded the title of Imperial Furniture maker and "K.u.K. Möbelfabrikanten". To mark the occasion they arranged for a special exhibition in their showrooms in the Heugasse called "Interiors, Exquisite Furnishings, Old Gobelins and Pieces of Art". (Gobelins were exquisite tapestries). In the factory on Quellenstrasse at the same time, they organized another exhibition titled "Average Furniture Arrangements".

Shortly thereafter, Sigmund died (1908). Max Jaray continued the firm until 1920 (when he also died), together with his brother Karl who became an Associate and Director. After Karl died a few months later in 1920 the firm went into trusteeship, managed by Hugo Marle until 1922 when Felix Jaray, a cousin of Max (Adolf's son), took it over. In 1933 it was dissolved.

At the turn of the century Sigmund often worked off the plans of his architect Rudolf Hammel. Few other architects from Sigmund's drawing workshop attained the same notoriety, though Max Jaray also did designs. In 1899 he employed Albin Aldesie, a graduate from the Vienna Academy, and in 1910, architect Heinz Konings was head of design. At the same time architects Kondor and Rudolf Wimmer were employed.

Both Sigmund and later Max became distinguished members of the Association of Interior Decorators, and participated in all the exhibitions. After that they organized exhibitions regularly in the Austrian Museum. In 1902, they exhibited at the World Exhibition in St. Louis. At the World Exhibition of Furniture in London 1902, the Jaray firm exhibited "Old Viennese Interiors" from around 1830. Under "Rooms of Historical Style" at the London Exhibition 1902, Sándor Járay displayed a Biedermeier bedroom from the imperial court with great success. He also set up an exact model of a Baroque library and in order to make it look authentic, he asked permission of his friend the Kaiser to borrow the chandeliers from the Schönbrunn Palace.

In 1899, Sigmund had received second prize in a competition organized by the Austrian museum and afterwards he donated his entire exhibit to the museum. This became the first modern creation in the museum's collection.

Prinz-Eugen-Strasse 70 (former Heugasse 70)

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