Norwegian Wood and Papercord Rocking Chair by Slåke Møbelfabrikk, Norway 1940s (sold)

Norwegian Wood and Papercord Rocking Chair by Slåke Møbelfabrikk, Norway 1940s (sold)

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Slåke has produced furniture since 1938. The work has always been based on good craftsmanship and solid furniture traditions. Since the beginning, it has been important to the manufacturer that both function and form are taken care of. What they make “must be good to look at, touch, and sit on.”

With an elaborate structure, traditional technique and materials, this rocking chair can only be described as beautiful both in terms of aesthetic quality and craftsmanship. The solid wooden structure has the classic rocking chair look with additional elements supporting stability, including the box stretchers with interlocking joints and the supporters connecting the rockers to the elongated back legs. The latter ensures the strongly inclined position of the back. When thinking about heirloom quality furniture, the materials used are as essential as the design itself. One material that is often vastly underrated is papercord. Noteworthy for its durability, this material is also beloved for its functional and aesthetic qualities. The rocking chair has two woven panels of twisted papercord, one comprising the seat, and one the back. Since they are woven across an open wood frame, the panels are exceptionally comfortable, able to stretch slightly to accommodate the sitter. Papercord became perhaps the most distinctive and, for some people, the type of seat most closely associated with chairs from the Scandinavian mid-century modern period. As a rocking chair, this model has an equally arresting level of craftsmanship. The rocker rails have a smooth curve that stands out against the mostly straight lines. The wood’s rich colour complements the papercord well, and fits with almost any colour palette.

While they play a prominent role in both architecture and pop culture, rocking chairs solidified their place in Scandinavian design history as well. As this Norwegian model proves, functionality can manifest in many forms, but it is always accompanied by quality and a great aesthetic quality in Scandinavian design.

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