Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Although now dubbed the King of Slovenian Design, Niko Kralj was for many years one of the great unsung heroes of industrial design.
The late architect and furniture designer Kralj was known for groundbreaking seating and tables that seamlessly blend functionality with an elegant economy of line. He received little recognition outside his own country, despite registering 120-plus patents and models, including those for the Mosquito bar stool — named for its winglike seat and first produced in 2012 — and a number of inventive “foldables,” like the Rex coffee table and Rex daybed for children.
Sleek and space-saving, Kralj's iconic foldable Rex rocking chair was created in 1956 — it epitomizes his sleek and laconic minimalism, conveying a sense of strength and fluidity, both in its pleasingly geometric open form and its gracefully arching folded silhouette. A contemporary version of Kralj’s mid-century masterwork is produced by the Ljubljana-based furniture company Rex Kralj.
Over the course of his career, Kralj also established close ties with such design giants as Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Buckminster Fuller, Olof Pira and Ilmari Tapiovaara, all proponents, like him, of an aesthetic that inhabits the sweet spot between elegant simplicity and pragmatism.
Today, Kralj’s timeless rocking chairs are in the collections of a number of international museums, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen’s Designmuseum Denmark and the National Technical Museum Prague.
Find vintage Niko Kralj furniture on 1stDibs.
2010s Slovenian Mid-Century Modern Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Oak
2010s Slovenian Mid-Century Modern Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Oak
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Chrome, Metal, Steel
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Aluminum
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Walnut
2010s American Modern Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Cut Steel
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Wicker, Rattan, Bamboo
1960s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Beech, Oak
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Wood
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Niko Kralj Rocking Chairs
Walnut