1950s Alvar and Aino Aalto for Artek Tea Trolley 901 in Birch with Ceramic Tile
About the Item
- Creator:
- Dimensions:Height: 22 in (55.88 cm)Width: 35.43 in (90 cm)Depth: 19.68 in (49.99 cm)
- Style:Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Philadelphia, PA
- Reference Number:
Alvar Aalto
An architect and designer, Alvar Aalto deserves an immense share of the credit for bringing Scandinavian modernism to a prominent place in the global arena. In both his buildings and in his vintage furniture — which ranges from chairs, tables and lighting to table- and glassware — Aalto’s sensitivity to the natural world and to organic forms and materials tempered the hardness of rationalist design.
Relatively few Aalto buildings exist outside Finland. (Just four exist in the United States, and only one — the sinuous 1945 Baker House dormitory at M.I.T. — is easily visited.) International attention came to Aalto, whose surname translates to English as “wave,” primarily through his furnishings.
Instead of the tubular metal framing favored by the Bauhaus designers and Le Corbusier, Aalto insisted on wood. His aesthetic is best represented by the Paimio armchair, developed in 1930 as part of his overall design of a Finnish tuberculosis sanatorium. Comfortable, yet light enough to be easily moved by patients, the chair’s frame is composed of two laminated birch loops; the seat and back are formed from a single sheet of plywood that scrolls under at the headrest and beneath the knees, creating a sort of pillow effect. Aalto’s use of plywood had enormous influence on Charles and Ray Eames, Arne Jacobsen, Marcel Breuer and others who later came to the material.
Concerned with keeping up standards of quality in the production of his designs, Aalto formed the still-extant company Artek in 1935, along with his wife, Aino Aalto, whose glass designs were made by the firm. In the latter medium, in 1936 the Aaltos together created the iconic, undulating Savoy vase, so-called for the luxe Helsinki restaurant for which the piece was designed.
Artek also produced Aalto pendants and other lighting designs, many of which — such as the Angel’s Wing floor lamp and the Beehive pendant — incorporate a signature Aalto detail: shades made of concentric enameled-metal rings graduated down in diameter. The effect of the technique is essential Alvar Aalto: at once precise, simple, and somehow poetic.
Find a collection of vintage Alvar Aalto stools, vases, dining tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Lebanon, PA
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- 1950s Alvar and Aino Aalto for Artek Tea Cart 900 in Birch and RattanBy Alvar Aalto, Artek, Aino AaltoLocated in Philadelphia, PAThis is an original ‘Tea Trolley 900’ Modern Cart, designed in 1937 by Aino and Alvar Aalto for the World Exhibition in Paris. The Aalto’s use of Finnish birch and rattan could be co...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Modern Carts and Bar Carts
MaterialsRattan, Birch
- 1932 Artek No. 42 Small Paimio Lounge Chair in Birch by Alvar & Aino AaltoBy Alvar Aalto, Artek, Aino AaltoLocated in Philadelphia, PAThis is a very special and unusual chair. It is an original Armchair 42, Small Paimio, designed by Alvar Aalto and Aino Aalto for the Paimio Sanatorium in 1932. This particular piece...Category
Vintage 1930s Finnish Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBirch, Plywood
- 1970s Aino & Alvar Aalto for Artek 611 Dining Chairs Set of SixBy Alvar Aalto, Artek, Aino AaltoLocated in Philadelphia, PAThis is a set of six Model 611 chairs designed by Aino and Alvar Aalto in 1929. These examples were produced circa 1970s and have been recently reupholstered...Category
Vintage 1970s Finnish Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBirch
- 2000s Pair of Model 402 Lounge Chairs by Aino & Alvar Aalto for ArtekBy Alvar Aalto, Artek, Aino AaltoLocated in Philadelphia, PAThis is a pair of model 402 lounge ‘Ateljé’ chairs, designed by Aino and Alvar Aalto for Artek in 1933. This particular pair was born in the mid 2000s. These classic cantilever loung...Category
Early 2000s Finnish Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Birch
- New Aino & Alvar Aalto for Artek Golden Bell Pendant Light in Black, Model A330sBy Artek, Aino AaltoLocated in Philadelphia, PAThis is an Artek Pendant Light, Model A330S, originally designed by Alvar and Aino Aalto in 1937. These examples are new in box, dating to 2020. The listed price includes one pendant...Category
2010s Finnish Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal, Steel
- 1950s Pair of Alvar & Aino Aalto N65 Childrens / Childs Chairs With Blue SeatsBy Artek, Aino AaltoLocated in Philadelphia, PAListed for sale is a pair of circa 1950s N65 childs chairs designed by Alvar and Aino Aalto, produced by Artek in Finland. These chairs were ordered with blue/green laminate seats an...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Modern Children's Furniture
MaterialsLaminate, Birch
- Aalto Tea Trolley Model 901 for Artek, 1950sBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Helsinki, FIAalto Tea Trolley Model 901 for Artek, circa 1950s. Model created in the 1930s. White linoleum top with birch frame and white lacquered wood wheels with rubber rings...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
MaterialsRubber, Birch
- Mid-Century Tea Cart Model 901 Trolley by Alvar Aalto for Artek, Finland, 1950sBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Vorst, BETea Cart or Trolley model 901 designed by Aino and Alvar Aalto for Artek. Made in Finland. Manufactured probably in the 1950s. Birch frame, contrasting shelving with black linoleum, ...Category
Late 20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
MaterialsBirch, Plywood
- Tea Trolley Model 901 by Alvar Aalto for Artek, Finland 1990sBy Artek, Alvar AaltoLocated in Greding, DEBeech tea trolley with white disc wheels and black shelves.Category
1990s Finnish Modern Carts and Bar Carts
MaterialsWood
- Serving trolley 901 by Alvar Aalto, Artek FinlandBy Artek, Aino AaltoLocated in Argelato, BOAlvar Aalto's 901 trolley is one of the icons of Finnish modern design, presented for the first time at the Milan Triennale in 1936. The bar or tea trolley features a birch wood frame and white linoleum-covered trays. Soberly elegant, the Aalto trolley...Category
Vintage 1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
MaterialsRubber, Birch
- Tea Trolley by Alvar and Aino Aalto for Artek, Finland, 1936By Alvar AaltoLocated in Chicago, ILAn earlier edition of the Alvar and Aino Aalto Tea Trolled for Artek. Using new technology to bend birch wood, the dynamic design duo created a heritage piece that has stood the test...Category
Vintage 1930s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
MaterialsWood
- Alvar Aalto Tea Trolley / Bar Cart Model 900 for Artek. Birch and Rattan.By Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Kansas City, MOAlvar Aalto iconic Tea Cart 900 produced by Artek. This example is in very good condition with few signs of use. Birch wood frame and rattan basket. Great mid century design. Fun...Category
Vintage 1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
MaterialsRattan, Birch
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The Very Modern Love Story of Mid-Century Design Duo Alvar and Aino Aalto
A power couple before the term existed, the influential pair made work that still resonates today.
What Makes Scandinavian Modernism and Nordic Design So Irresistible?
Andrew Duncanson, founder of the Stockholm- and London-based gallery Modernity, weighs in on the masters of mid-century furniture and decorative arts.