Arne Norell "Thumb" Chair for Gösta Westerberg, Sweden, 1952
View Similar Items
Arne Norell "Thumb" Chair for Gösta Westerberg, Sweden, 1952
About the Item
- Creator:Arne Norell (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 31.3 in (79.5 cm)Width: 28.35 in (72 cm)Depth: 30.91 in (78.5 cm)Seat Height: 16.34 in (41.5 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1952
- Condition:Reupholstered. Wear consistent with age and use. Newly upholstered 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.
- Seller Location:Utrecht, NL
- Reference Number:Seller: 201902411stDibs: LU2947329585422
Arne Norell
Arne Norell’s enduring designs mixed leather and metal as well as turned wood and bentwood in pieces that allowed the natural beauty of these materials to shine. Simple and casual yet sophisticated, his vintage sofas, lounge chairs and other furniture epitomize the Scandinavian modern style that took post–World War II design by storm.
Although he created versatile furnishings that promoted comfort along with style, Norell is lesser known than many other mid-century designers, with some of his work produced only after his death. Born in Åsele, Sweden, Norell opened a furniture workshop in Solna, just north of Stockholm, in 1954. In 1958, he established Møbel AB Arne Norell on a farm in Småland. (This region is also the birthplace of IKEA, which opened its first store that same year.) The beauty and tranquility of this location were a source of inspiration.
In Småland, Norell created his most well-known designs, among them the Inca armchair with visible wooden dowels and plush leather, the Indra and Ilona sofas and the spare but elegant wood-framed Sirocco chair (1964). For many of his designs, Norell looked to the same military-style campaign furniture that had, decades prior, inspired the revered Safari chair (1933) crafted by Kaare Klint, a legendary Danish designer and Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts professor who taught the likes of Hans Wegner, Ole Wanscher and others.
Like these earlier furniture designers, Norell was committed to making comfortable and practical furniture. Using leather and warm woods as the building blocks of his work, he eschewed glue and screws, instead securing his designs with buckles and leather straps. In 1973, Norell earned posthumous recognition from the British Furniture Manufacturers Association for his sumptuous Ari chair, a luxurious lounge set on a chrome-plated steel frame with foam cushions covered in leather.
During his lifetime, Norell’s work was popular among European interior designers. However, it became more widely known after 1971, when many of his designs were finally put into production. Norell’s furnishings, as well as work by his daughter Marie Norell-Möller and other Swedish designers, are still crafted by hand in the Aneby, Sweden, factory operated by Norell Furniture, which has remained a family-run company.
Find a collection of authentic vintage Arne Norell furniture today on 1stDibs.
- Arne Norell "Sirocco" Safari Chair for Norell Möbel AB, Sweden 1960sBy Arne NorellLocated in Utrecht, NLThe original Sirocco chair was designed by Arne Norell in 1964 and was handmade in Sweden in the same factory that Norell established in the 1960s. This model is a modern classic wit...Category
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Arne Norell "Jupiter" Armchairs for Norell Möbel AB, Sweden 1960sBy Arne Norell, Norell Möbel ABLocated in Utrecht, NLThis rare armchair model was designed by Arne Norell in the 1960s and was handmade in Sweden in the factory that Norell established in the same decade. These chairs are modern classi...Category
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- 'Pilot’ Easy Chairs by Arne Norell for Norell möbel AB, Sweden 1960sBy Norell Möbel AB, Arne NorellLocated in Utrecht, NLSwedish designer, Arne Norell’s conceptual designs, gained recognition for their use of traditional materials and forms like fabrics and wood combined with simple and vanguard lines....Category
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- 'Merkur' Lounge Chairs by Arne Norell for Norell möbel AB, Sweden 1960sBy Arne Norell, Norell Möbel ABLocated in Utrecht, NLSwedish designer, Arne Norell’s conceptual designs, gained recognition for their use of traditional materials and forms like fabrics and wood combined with simple and vanguard lines....Category
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsCowhide, Wood
- "Eva" Chair by Arne Dahlén for Dahléns Dalums Fåtöljindustri AB, Sweden 1960sBy Arne Dahlén, Dahlens DalumLocated in Utrecht, NLSwedish furniture design is a modernist story of enduring style. With its elegant shell shape, this lounge chair embodies the timeless appeal of Swedish furniture that was set in the...Category
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Erik Bertil Karlén Curved Easy Chair for Firma Rumsinteriör, Sweden 1940sLocated in Utrecht, NLThe dark wood, the beautiful upholstery, and Erik Bertil Karlén’s timeless design makes this rare easy chair a beautiful representation of Swedish m...Category
Vintage 1940s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Scandinavian Modern Ari Easy Chair Arne Norell AB SwedenBy Arne NorellLocated in Minneapolis, MNThis classic lounge designed by Arne Norell for Arne Norell AB Sweden is crafted from a chromed steel frame and boasts new high quality upholstery in Italian leather by Studio Art. ...Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsStainless Steel
- Asymmetric Chair Attributed to Arne Norell, Sweden, 1950sBy Arne NorellLocated in London, GBA Swedish Modern asymmetrical chair, attributed to Arne Norell, 1950s. Reupholstered in Rose Uniacke French Chalk linen. Fast shipping worldwide. ...Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Beech
- Arne Noréll Safari Chair, Norell Mobel, Sweden, 1960sBy Norell Möbel AB, Arne NorellLocated in Antwerp, BESirocco Safari chair by Arne Norrél, Sweden, 1960s. Designed by Swedish architect Arne Norell in circa 1962 and made by his own company 'Norell Möbel AB' in Sweden. Frame in solid w...Category
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Pair Arne Norell Leather Chesterfield Club ChairsBy Arne NorellLocated in New York, NYPair of Arne Norell Leather Chesterfield Club Chairs with rear casters.Category
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather
$11,000 / set - Arne Norell Sirocco Easy Chair by Arne Norell AB in SwedenBy Arne NorellLocated in Limhamn, Skåne länEasy chair model Sirocco designed by Arne Norell. Produced by Arne Norell AB in Aneby, Sweden.Category
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Easy Chair in Beech and Leather by Arne Norell, 1960sBy Arne NorellLocated in Limhamn, Skåne länEasy Chair in Beech and Leather by Arne Norell, 1960s Additional Information: Material: Dark stained beech, original green leather and brass Styl...Category
20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsBeech