Anton Seuffert

Who was Anton Seuffert?

Anton Seuffert was born in Bohemia. He was a cabinetmaker with a particular expertise in the art of marquetry.

Anton Seuffert, also known as Anton Seufert, learned his craft from his father, Anton Seufert senior, who was also a cabinetmaker. Seuffert worked in Vienna for the Austrian furniture manufacturing company Leistler, rising to the position of foreman. He was sent by his firm to England in order to assemble furniture for the royal places and also to set up the firm's large display of luxury wooden furniture for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London. He stayed in England for several years and married Anna Piltz in 1855 or 1856. He emigrated to New Zealand from London on the ship Caduceus with his wife and two children, Josefieni, and William, and arrived in Auckland on 19 May 1859. The family settled in Auckland and increased by a further five children. Juliena was born in September 1860, Augusta Amelia in August 1862, Albert in October 1864, Charles Antonis in March 1867 and the youngest Adolf Herman in October 1869. Adolf died of typhoid fever at 11 years of age.