Swedish Cabinetmaker Winged Armchair in Sheepskin, Sweden ca 1940s (sold)
Swedish Cabinetmaker Winged Armchair in Sheepskin, Sweden ca 1940s (sold)
Throughout Scandinavia, there's a long history of pride in craftsmanship using natural materials like wood. This is especially true for Sweden. This unique 1940s winged armchair is a great representation of the quality and craftsmanship of Swedish master cabinetmakers and the immediately recognizable characteristics of Scandinavian design.
Swedish mid-century furniture design became known for its sober character and undecorated elegance. Comfort and functionality were most often the priority and as this chair exemplifies, ornaments were considered unnecessary. Instead, the quality of the materials and the curves serve the main aesthetic role. The welcoming rounded shape of the “ears” or “wings” on the back and the voluminous armrest is a signature characteristic of the design and the coordinated curves separate this armchair visually from any contemporary chair design. Solely visual appeal has hardly been the goal of any cabinetmaker or designer of the era, therefore the ergonomic dimension equals the visual in terms of quality. Accordingly, the back is lightly bent, and the seat is raised towards the front to ensure sitting comfort. At the top of the back, the upholstery cleverly mimics the shape of a headrest, visually framing and balancing the proportions of the chair. The slender legs prevent the design from looking heavy, and their warm brown colour nicely contrasts the soft, light colour of the lush sheepskin.
The fabric highlights the frame’s rounded edges and makes this armchair ideal to blend a stroke of modernity to any space, with a nod to comfort and simple artistry from the north. As this armchair shows, the works of master cabinetmakers are of the highest quality, both in terms of materials and craftsmanship.
SOLD
Condition:
In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. The chair has been reupholstered recently in premium sheepskin.
Dimensions:
30.51 in W x 37 in D x 38.58 in H; Seat height 16.53 in
77.5 cm W x 94 cm D x 98 cm H; Seat height 42 cm
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Price category: 5,000 - 7,500 usd / eur
This “Grand Pedro” armchair shows the curviness that defined the design of the 1950s. Hiort af Ornäs developed this model for his own furniture company, Puunveisto Oy.
The “Grand Pedro” model has a soft, sculptural shape paired with an ergonomic construction, which is very representative of the designer’s beliefs. Hiort af Ornäs was very firm about two things regarding his chair designs: the sitting comfort and that the model must look good from every single angle. “Pedro” fulfils these principles, for as even from the bottom, it showcases the elongated, tapered back legs that are visually captivating. The body has a welcoming look, with outward curving armrests and a slightly bent backrest. In service of utmost comfort, the sheepskin upholstery is extremely soft. The light colour and texture of the sheepskin complements the lacquered wood legs beautifully, highlighting their sculptural lines.
The craftsmanship and quality provided by Hiort af Ornäs is very visible in the “Pedro” collection that includes a sofa besides this chair. The seating designs of the architect/designer have been gradually more and more recognized world-wide, which resulted in the recent exhibition titled “Forgotten Ornäs”.
Condition:
In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. Due to the nature and age of the materials, the item may have marks, scratches, and discolouration. The chair has been reupholstered recently in premium sheepskin. Each of our items can be re-upholstered by our in-house atelier in a fabric of choice. Please reach out for more information.
Dimensions:
29.13 in W x 28.34 in D x 32.67 in H; Seat height 17.32 in
74 cm W x 72 cm D x 83 cm H; Seat height 44 cm
About the designer:
Carl-Gustaf Vilhelm (nicknamed “Nalle”) Hiort of Ornäs was born on 27 February 1911 and lived most of his life in Tapiola/Espoo in Finland and in his later life moved to Spain. He is remembered as a Finnish interior architect and designer known to be uncompromising.
Before the Finnish wars (1939-1944), Hiort af Ornäs spent his time in Pori, working at Björneborgs Mekaniska Verkstad. He studied at the Helsinki University of Technology to become an architect but never graduated. He did, however, become known as an interior designer, and eventually even more known as a furniture designer.
In 1945, Hiort af Ornäs founded the furniture company Puunveisto Oy, for which he developed versatile techniques for shaping plywood. He started the furniture manufacturing shop on Lauttasaari in Helsinki (Veneentekijäntie 14) together with his brother. The wood shop, showroom and office were all located in the same building in Helsinki. Rolf Mesterton was the man in charge of producing the furniture, but there were several other carpenters at work in the woodshop. Hiort af Ornäs’s furniture was exhibited and sold by the shop Nupponen who also distributed Olavi Hänninen’s designs, while Puunveisto’s furniture were also sold by Gösta Westerbergs Möbler in Stockholm, Sweden but, in spite of a good selection of chairs, tables and shelves, did not do too well. Since production costs were high, Hiort af Ornäs faced economic troubles. The company was later sold to Nupponen after which Hiort af Ornäs’s interest in the company waned.
Hiort af Ornäs spent his retirement in Spain, and designed several buildings for Fuengirola’s Los Pacos neighbourhood, which has a large Finnish population. His house that he drew and built in Tapiola, Espoo, Finland, ‘Villa Hiort’, still stands and houses some of the designer’s original drawings. It is a beautiful example of 1950s Modernism and the talent of Hiort af Ornäs that brought him recognition that lasts to this day. ~H.