Mid-Century Modern Table with Cross Stretchers, Europe ca 1950s (sold)



















Mid-Century Modern Table with Cross Stretchers, Europe ca 1950s (sold)
Upon hearing the words “Mid-Century Modern”, many people conjure up images of sleek furniture from the 1950s and 1960s. In reality, the style is not simply an exercise in nostalgia, it is this coffee table: uncluttered, timeless, organic, with impeccable quality of material and craftsmanship.
Thanks in great part to an early emphasis on wood and a theoretical resistance to certain modernist currents by influential designers, mid-century modern furniture design in much of Europe has avoided associations with cold industrialization and machine aesthetics. The era’s designers’ predilection for curvilinear shapes and certain woods, often oak, is evident in this coffee table’s sinuous circular top and solid wood body. Since mid-century modern designs are first and foremost utilitarian objects, this table’s form follows function, with a sizeable top and a structure that assures stability. This solid wood coffee table is striking in balancing large volumes with clean geometrical lines. The legs are straight with cross stretchers connecting them. The stretchers are joined to the legs with mortise and tenon joints that are visually stunning and enhance the organic look. The cross pattern also appears on the top in its raw, almost brutalist form. The stretchers’ dual-purpose (aesthetic and functional) shows why European cabinetmakers and their designs are some of the most thoughtful pieces of furniture in existence.
The organic design serves the purpose of showing the understated beauty of natural materials and their endless possibilities under the hands of an expert craftsman. The wood has aged beautifully and displays a beautiful grain within the wood. This table has a startling rawness, but with its warm-toned, hand carved body, it is a greatly-balanced piece.
SOLD
Condition:
In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. Some marks and scratches on the patinated wood.
Dimensions:
59.05 in ⌀ x 29.52 in H
150 cm ⌀ x 75 cm H
REQUEST PRICE HERE
Price category: 30,000 - 40,000 usd / eur
Swedish architect and furniture designer Axel Einar Hjorth served as the lead designer for Nordiska Kompaniet from 1926 to 1938. During this time, Hjorth designed the “Skoga” series in the early 1930s.
The “Skoga” series was crafted as part of a broader collection of summer-house furniture, intended to be both practical and aesthetically harmonious with the rugged beauty of the Swedish landscape. Despite its utilitarian roots, the series, as well as this table, exudes quiet sophistication and a timeless appeal focusing on simple lines and the material itself. Made of pine wood, this table is strong, reflecting Hjorth’s principles according to which he mixed the ideals of the modernist movement with provincial Swedish traditions, producing a unique and primitive modernism. It is quite robust without being intrusive, naturally standing to be the centre of the room. The legs and stretch-bar base emphasize structural clarity and durability, while the rounded corners and visible joinery express a handcrafted, almost sculptural quality. The rectangular tabletop is comprised of three planks of wood, yet it has a light impression. The large surface shows off the pattern of the wood and colour variation. The absence of heavy ornamentation is also in service of enhancing the organic, simple look that defined Swedish design of the era. Each element, joint and line is well crafted and solid, the attention given to every construction and finishing detail is obvious.
This table doesn’t depend on its details, rather, it is just as arresting from afar as from a proximity. The joinery and woodworking reveal the quality craftsmanship of the experts at Nordiska Kompaniet. The most charming thing about this table however, is that it showcases classic elements and so much history, but it lends itself easily to a modern interior.
Condition:
In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. Some marks and scratches on the wood.
Dimensions:
70.86 in W x 23.62 in D x 27.55 in H
180 cm W x 60 cm D x 70 cm H