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Price category: 2,500 - 5,000 usd / eur

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This “Old Berlin” chair is among Swedish icon, Carl Malmsten’s rarer models. The dark wood, the beautiful upholstery, and Malmsten’s timeless design makes this model a beautiful representation of Sweden’s mid-century design history.

This model, like many of Malmsten’s “count chairs”, it is a simplified version of the armchair “Jonas Love”, which Carl Malmsten designed for the New York World Fair in 1939. “Break all edges thoroughly”, was a frequent instruction on Carl Malmsten’s drawings and nature was his great source of inspiration, therefore sharp edges or corners can rarely be found on his designs, including this easy chair. With a tremendous sense of proportion, this chair is very comfortable and fulfil its task to “serve well” and last for lifetimes. This Gamla, or Old Berlin chair stands out for the way in which the upholstered seat leaves the back legs exposed, without any visible joinery. The wooden tapered legs further transcend into the back, holding the back in an elegant, light manner. The backseat has an interesting lightly scalloped top and long horizontal button tufting. The light bouclé upholstery gives an elegant look with its textured look and a cosy sitting experience thanks to its softness.

In 1937, Carl Malmsten designed a sofa for the Swedish diplomatic mission in Berlin. He named the sofa Berlin. Perhaps the idea of this easy chair came from the same mission. Up until the post-war era, his designs had been made at the school he started in 1930 and at a number of joinery workshops suited to artisanal production. He established contact with a group of high-quality small industries, the so-called Key Workshops. This chair, however, took form in one of his own Swedish workshops in the second half of the 1940s.

Condition:

In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. 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:

24.4 in W x 29.33 in D x 31.1 in H; Seat height 17.71 in

62 cm W x 74.5 cm D x 79 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.

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.