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Price category: 5,000 - 7,500 usd / eur

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Carl Malmsten devoted his life to the renewal of traditional Swedish craftsmanship, inspired by Swedish country manors and rustic styles. In this spirit, his armchairs are regarded today as the most typical of Malmsten’s furniture.

In his work, Carl Malmsten often returned to his earlier designs, which he renewed and simplified. Like “Samsas”, which, when it was designed in 1960, had its roots in a model that was almost 40 years old. Like Samsas’s, this pair’s predecessor was most likely the armchair “Konsert”, designed for the Stockholm Concert Hall in 1923. This upholstered pair has everything required in an armchair: expression, comfort with a big form, fine lines and details. The design is quite soft, and conveys cosiness. The most apparent design element is the shape of the armrests, curved outwards to create a stylish look, while also adding functional comfort to the structures. The slender wooden legs add modernism to the design, and they prevent the chairs from looking heavy. Their warm brown colour nicely contrasts to the soft, light colour of the upholstery. With a frame made of solid wood, these armchairs have sturdy structures that were created to last.

Carl Malmsten had a lasting influence on Swedish, and even on contemporary furniture design. He was known for his devotion to ‘slöjd’, traditional Swedish craftsmanship, which is visible in every one of his models. In these armchairs, slöjd is combined with modern elements and luxurious upholstery, to create stylish pieces with longevity for generations to come.

Condition:

In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. The pair has been reupholstered recently in premium bouclé fabric. 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:

31.1 in W x 29.72 in D x 32.48 in H; Seat height 17.71 in

79 cm W x 75.5 cm D x 82.5 cm H; Seat height 45 cm

About the designer:

Carl Malmsten (December 7, 1888 – August 13, 1972) was a Swedish furniture designer, architect, and educator. Malmsten was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Malmsten's career took off when he won a competition in 1916 to design furniture for the Stockholm City Hall and shortly after in 1917, he exhibited alongside well-known Swedish architects such as Gunnar Asplund and Uno Åhrén.

In the 1920s he was invited to furnish a room for the crown prince, Gustaf VI Adolf, and his wife Louise in Ulriksdal Palace. He was honoured with an inaugural Prince Eugen Medal for design in 1945. Already as a young designer in the early 20th century, Carl Malmsten advocated an artisanal furniture design based on local ingredients and traditions, available to a wide audience at a reasonable price.

Nature was Carl Malmsten's foremost teacher and source of inspiration. He conveyed his love of craftsmanship as a teacher in his own schools, at Olofskolan in Stockholm, Capellagården on Öland and the Carl Malmsten school on Lidingö, today a branch of Linköping University and one of the country's leading design colleges. As a debater, Malmsten stormed against functionalism, but in retrospect it can be seen that his ideas often coincided with the rational and frugal style ideals of function.

Carl Malmsten has had a lasting influence on Swedish furniture design through the two schools he founded—the Carl Malmsten Furniture Studies (Carl Malmstensskolan), which has been a part of Linköping University since 2000, is situated on the island of Lidingö on the outskirts of Stockholm. Carl Malmsten spoke about the importance of tradition, craftsmanship and the nation. His furniture was in many ways a product of the thoughts and ideals of the time, they have a timeless quality that makes them just as relevant and loved today. ~H.