"Borgen" Easy Chair by Axel Einar Hjorth
About the Item
- Creator:Axel Einar Hjorth (Designer),NK (Nordiska Kompaniet) (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 31.89 in (81 cm)Width: 22.84 in (58 cm)Depth: 24.02 in (61 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1930
- Condition:Reupholstered. Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Borås, SE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU6694228310112
Axel Einar Hjorth
Swedish furniture designer Axel Einar Hjorth created tables, chairs, cabinets and other pieces that were as elegant as they were functional, and he frequently worked in references to a litany of inspirations including French Art Deco, Gustavian style and modernism. Ahead of his time, his style was refined and daringly simple.
Born in Krokek, Sweden, Hjorth grew up in a foster family and at 20 moved to Stockholm where he studied architecture and design at the Högre Konstindustriella Skolan (now the University of Arts, Crafts & Design). Although he dropped out when his foster father died, he went on to work for some of the largest furniture manufacturers in Sweden during the 1920s.
Hjorth’s work was featured in the 1923 Gothenburg Exhibition world’s fair, and he exhibited a birch and cherry cabinet in the 1927 “Swedish Contemporary Decorative Arts” exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. His role as the head of the furniture department at Nordiska Kompaniet (NK), an upscale department store in Stockholm, from 1927 to 1938, further brought his designs to widespread acclaim, including pieces exhibited at the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition.
At the 1930 Stockholm Exhibition, an influential event in the emergence of functionalism in Swedish design, Hjorth exhibited a dozen room settings that featured examples of sportstugemöbler. These furniture lines were named for islands in Sweden’s archipelago — Utö, Blidö and Torö — with designs intended for cabins and vacation homes. The use of solid Swedish pine in these pieces revealed a love of traditional rustic furniture while the simple forms boldly looked to the future. He also brought his eclectic influences to armchairs formed from tubular metal, blocky case pieces made from birch and upholstered sofas with neoclassical details, each exuberantly mixing form and function.
Find vintage Axel Einar Hjorth furniture today on 1stDibs.
NK (Nordiska Kompaniet)
Since its inception, luxury retailer Nordiska Kompaniet, known affectionately to its customers as “NK,” has offered an influential platform for innovators in furniture design. Its department stores in Stockholm and Gothenburg, Sweden, have been home to many of the top names in mid-century modern design and in Scandinavian modernism. Admired for its production of high-quality pieces, it continues to support forward-looking designers.
Nordiska Kompaniet was founded in 1902 through the merger of the companies K.M. Lundberg and Joseph Leja. Its founder, Josef Sachs, envisioned a department store as a cultural arena that would rival the luxury stores of Paris. He opened a flagship store in Stockholm in 1915. Early on, the brand set its sights on quality furniture making, bringing on master cabinetmaker Axel Einar Hjorth, who headed its production from 1927 to 1938.
The Stockholm Exhibition of 1930 was pivotal for both Nordiska Kompaniet and the world of design as a whole. NK’s installation, designed by Sven Markelius, positioned the artist as a key influencer and force majeure of Swedish functionalism.
Nordiska Kompaniet has continued to hire renowned designers throughout its operations, including such luminaries as Carl Bergsten, David Rosen and Gio Ponti. Many iconic sofas, lounge chairs, bookcases and dining room tables from the mid-century modern period originated in its furniture shop. The brand has also been at the forefront of textile, ceramic and wallpaper design, with artists Berndt Friberg, Josef Frank, Stig Lindberg and Elsa Gullberg among those who have contributed to NK’s brand legacy.
To cater to its growing customer base, Nordiska Kompaniet opened a second store in Gothenburg in 1971. Today, NK continues to provide patronage to top designers, remaining a leader in high-end furniture production.
Find antique and vintage Nordiska Kompaniet tables, seating, mirrors, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Borås, Sweden
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- "Record" Cabinet by Axel Einar HjorthBy NK (Nordiska Kompaniet), Axel Einar HjorthLocated in Borås, SE"Record" cabinet by Axel Einar Hjorth. ca. 1932 Flamed birch, Macassar border. Nickel feet. Marked with metal tag “NK R 36914 C 22 11 35”. Designed by Axel Einar Hjorth i...Category
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Cabinets
MaterialsNickel
- Armchair by Uno ÅhrénBy Svenskt TennLocated in Borås, SEArmchair by Uno Åhrén ca. 1930s Mohair velvet, stained wood feet. Designed ca. 1930 by Uno Åhrén. Produced by Firma Svenskt Tenn. Uno Åhrén (1897...Category
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsWood, Upholstery
- Pair of Armchairs by Lars W. Schlyter for Slöjdföreningens SkolaLocated in Borås, SEc. 1929 Leather upholstery, Macassar Ebony. Designed by Lars W. Schlyter for Slöjdföreningens School in Gothenburg, Sweden for the Stockholm Exhibition 1930. H 90 cm/35,4 in...Category
Vintage 1920s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Macassar
- "Vilstol 36" Lounge Chair by Bruno MathssonBy Bruno Mathsson, Firma Karl MathssonLocated in Borås, SE"Vilstol 36" lounge chair by Bruno Mathsson. ca. 1936. Laminated beech, bleached linen webbing. Replaced webbing. Manufacture label dated 1939. Designed by Bruno Mathsson in 1936, produced by Firma Karl Mathsson. One of the earliest commercial designs of Bruno Mathsson. Literature: Hedqvist, Hedvig, Bruno Mathsson, Orosdi-Back, Stockholm, 2014, p. 50, 72 Bruno Mathsson (1907-1988) is one of Swedens most internationally recognised designers. He made a breakthrough with his first exhibition held at Röhsska Konstslöjdmuseet in Gothenburg in 1936. He continued to gain attention at the Paris Expo...Category
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Beech
- Set of Four Chairs by Lars W. Schlyter for Slöjdföreningens SkolaLocated in Borås, SEc. 1929 Leather upholstery, Macassar Ebony. Designed by Lars W. Schlyter for Slöjdföreningens School in Gothenburg, Sweden for the Stockholm Exhibition 1930. H 90 cm/35,4 in. x SH...Category
Vintage 1920s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Macassar
- Sofa by Märta BlomstedtBy Märta BlomstedtLocated in Borås, SESofa by Märta Blomstedt. ca. 1938 White wool fabric, stained birch feet. Designed by Märta Blomstedt ca. 1938. Similar to the furniture which ...Category
Vintage 1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Birch
- Pair of Scandinavian Pine Easy Chairs Attributed to Axel Einar HjorthBy Axel Einar HjorthLocated in Norwalk, CTAdd an utterly unique dose of rustic charm with this exceptional pair of Early Modern armchairs attributed to Axel Einar Hjorth. Luxuriate in the rich natural texture of the solid pi...Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Pine
- Rare Axel Einar Hjorth ‘Lido’ Lounge Chair in Patinated LeatherBy Axel Einar HjorthLocated in Waalwijk, NLAxel Einar Hjorth for Nordiska Kompaniet, lounge chair ‘Lido’, leather, lacquered birch, Sweden, 1932 Rare lounge chair by Swedish designer Axel Einar Hjorth designed and manufactur...Category
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Birch
- ‘Lovö’ Chair by Axel Einar HjorthBy Nordiska Kompaniet, Axel Einar HjorthLocated in Long Island City, NY‘Lovö’ Chairs by Axel Einar Hjorth, produced by Nordiska Kompaniet , Sweden , Circa 1930th. Stained pine. Metal braces on sides later added. Pencil marked ...Category
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsPine
- Axel Einar Hjorth, "Utö" Side Chairs, Pine, Sweden, 1930sBy NK (Nordiska Kompaniet), Axel Einar HjorthLocated in High Point, NCA pair of solid pine "Utö" side chairs, designed by Axel Einar Hjorth and produced by Nordiska Kompaniet, Sweden, 1930s. 17.25” seat height.Category
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Side Chairs
MaterialsPine
- Pair of Axel-Einar Hjorth "Birka" chairs by Nordiska Kompaniet, 1930sBy Axel Einar Hjorth, NK (Nordiska Kompaniet)Located in Stockholm, SEModel Birka. Produced by NK, 1930s. Newly upholstered in honey colored sheep skin.Category
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsAsh, Beech
- Axel Einar Hjorth, Sandhamn Chairs, 1929By Nordiska Kompaniet, Axel Einar HjorthLocated in Berlin, DEA pair of side or dining chairs by Swedish designer & architect, Axel Einar Hjorth, executed by Nordiska Kompaniet in April 1929. Registrated number in the NK drawing index. Both ma...Category
Vintage 1920s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsWrought Iron