Rare Ilmari Tapiovaara "Dr. No" Wicker Rocking Chair
View Similar Items
Rare Ilmari Tapiovaara "Dr. No" Wicker Rocking Chair
About the Item
- Creator:Ilmari Tapiovaara (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 37 in (93.98 cm)Width: 21.5 in (54.61 cm)Depth: 29.5 in (74.93 cm)Seat Height: 14 in (35.56 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950's
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Excellent vintage condition.
- Seller Location:North Miami, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: 15070680971833
Ilmari Tapiovaara
During the mid-20th century, Finnish furniture designer Ilmari Tapiovaara worked with pine, teak and his country’s native birch to create sleek and sculptural chairs, dining room tables and bookcases in the Scandinavian modern style. Tapiovaara’s areas of expertise expanded beyond furniture to include interior architecture, wooden sculptures, film posters and cutlery.
After completing his studies at the Central School of Applied Arts in Helsinki, Tapiovaara embarked on a design career that would envelop his entire life. As a young man, Tapiovaara idolized revered architect and furniture designer Alvar Aalto — whom, with his wife, Aino Aalto, cofounded Artek, the company that would eventually manufacture the majority of Tapiovaara’s creations. The budding designer had one of Aalto’s chairs in his apartment while he was a student. After graduating, he worked as an assistant in an office at Le Corbusier, then as a designer and artistic director at Asko.
By 1951, Tapiovaara and his wife, Annikki, had established their own studio. A few years previous, the pair had designed the now-legendary Domus chair while creating interiors and furnishings for a new student housing complex in Helsinki. Made of molded plywood and easily stackable, the ergonomic Domus chair, with its slender form, featured a modest silhouette — its lightweight structure allowed for easy exporting, and iconic mid-century modern furniture manufacturer Knoll added a low-backed version to its offerings in the early 1950s. (It was marketed as the Finn chair in the United States.)
Tapiovaara went on to design pieces for Pihlgren ja Ritola and Santa and Cole. His experience earned him teaching positions at the Institute of Applied Arts, the Helsinki University of Technology and the Illinois Institute of Technology. While in Chicago for the latter, he worked in the office of Mies van der Rohe.
Tapiovaara centered his passion for design on social responsibility. He wanted his creations to be accessible to everyone, which was the concept behind his democratic approach. In Finland’s postwar era, the goal was exemplary, affordable designs. With this in mind, he created products such as stackable chairs and “knock-down” pieces packed flat, so they shipped efficiently and cost less.
An influential champion of his profession, he spent two decades as a United Nations ambassador, working to improve design’s contribution to society. His lasting, collectible furniture is a testament to the designer’s goal to create humane, radiant and intimate spaces. The United Nations project included traveling to Paraguay to create much-needed furniture. A similar project followed in Mauritius.
Tapiovaara’s success as an industrial and mass producer of everyday furniture was widely recognized and awarded. He received six gold medals for his chairs alone at the Milan Triennials. He also accepted a Good Design award, the Finnish State Design Award, a prize from the Finnish Culture Foundation and the Furniture Prize of the SIO Interior Architects’ Association of Finland.
Find vintage Ilmari Tapiovaara seating, tables and lighting on 1stDibs.
- Rare Tall Back Brass Chiavari Chairs with Truncated LegsLocated in North Miami, FLThese fantastical and rare Italian brass Chiavari chairs have tall exaggerated backs and very low seats on truncated 9" legs. Professionally polished, two are newly upholstered in a nubby off-white, thick linen blend, the third in a rich tweed raw silk with a yellowy, vanilla custard hue. Fabulous and unique accent chairs...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Stripe's Own Custom Roma ChairsLocated in North Miami, FLInspired by 1950s Italian design and ours exclusively, the Roma chair features sleek midcentury styling with a scale well-suited to an apartment or boudoir. Individually bench-made w...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBronze
$3,750 / item - 1940s Lounge Chair by Ernst SchwadronBy Ernst SchwadronLocated in North Miami, FLSink into the comfy down-filled cushion on this voluptuous 1940s lounge chair designed by Austrian emigré Ernst Schwadron. Produced in the workshop of Illi Kagan (Vladimir's father),...Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Walnut, Down
- Stripe's Own Custom Milano Lounge ChairsLocated in North Miami, FLInspired by a 1950s Italian original, our bench-made Milano lounge chair features bold square arms and clean masculine lines evocative of the stylish, no-nonsense city it was named a...Category
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBrass
$3,750 / item - Pair of Jens Risom Lounge ChairsBy Jens RisomLocated in North Miami, FLStylish and comfortable, these meticulously restored pair of American mid-century modern lounge chairs by Jens Risom have new silver boucle upholstery on walnut bases. Originally bor...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Walnut
$8,500 / set - Pair of Milo Baughman Mid-Century Scoop Lounge ChairsBy Milo BaughmanLocated in North Miami, FLPair of comfortable and stylish iron-framed Scoop lounge chairs designed by Milo Baughman for James Mfg., circa 1960, newly upholstered in comfy faux shearling. An iconic Mid-Centu...Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsIron
- Ilmari Tapiovaara Attr White Lacquered Rocking ChairBy Ilmari Tapiovaara, AskoLocated in Los Angeles, CABeautiful Ilmari Tapiovaara (attr) white lacquered wood rocking chair in impressive overall condition with light wear consistent with age and use. Other rocking chairs also available...Category
Vintage 1960s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Rocking Chair by Ilmari Tapiovaara for Asko, 1950sBy Asko, Ilmari TapiovaaraLocated in Vienna, ATBlack lacquered beech structure seating in blond wood, designed in the late 1950s by Ilmari Tapiovaara for Asko, Finland. Traces of use on the armrests and on the footrest.Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
MaterialsBeech, Bentwood
- Rocking Chair Made of Beech by Ilmari Tapiovaara, 1950sBy Ilmari TapiovaaraLocated in Faversham, GBA fabulous Ilmari Tapiovaara designed rocking chair for Asko. Made of beech with a blond seat and black lacquered frame, it is a classic piece of mid-century modern design. Finland...Category
20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
MaterialsBeech
- Midcentury Rocking Chair Designed by Ilmari Tapiovaara, Finland, 1960sBy Ilmari TapiovaaraLocated in Praha, CZ- Good original condition. - Partly renovated, refreshed. jrCategory
Vintage 1960s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Danish Design Rocking Chair Ilmari Tapiovaara Model Fanett Scandinavian, 1960sBy Ilmari TapiovaaraLocated in Boven Leeuwen, NLMid-Century rocking chair by Ilmari Tapiovaara for the 60's. Made in Finland, very comfortable!.Category
Vintage 1960s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Scandinavian Modern Vintage Black Teak Rocking Chair Ilmari Tapiovaara, 1950sBy Asko, Ilmari TapiovaaraLocated in Vienna, ATScandinavian Modern vintage rocking chair by Ilmari Tapiovaara for Asko 1950s, Finland. A wonderful rocking chair from black lacquered beech and natural brown teak with comfortable armrests. Ideal for a fireplace as a cosy chair...Category
Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
MaterialsBeech, Teak