Svenskt Tenn On Sale
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Tables
Walnut, Burl
Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Stools
Leather, Walnut
Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Stools
Leather, Mahogany
Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Stools
Mahogany
Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Stools
Leather, Mahogany
20th Century Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Nickel
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2010s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Nickel
2010s British Club Chairs
Sheepskin, Beech, Oak, Walnut
2010s British Scandinavian Modern Ottomans and Poufs
Sheepskin, Oak
Vintage 1970s Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Bookcases
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Aluminum
Vintage 1930s American Neoclassical Floor Mirrors and Full-Length Mirrors
Brass
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Hide, Maple
Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Stools
Metal
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Aluminum
Vintage 1950s European Stools
Leather, Wood
2010s Swedish Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
Sheepskin, Elm
Vintage 1950s European Egyptian Revival Stools
Wood
Vintage 1920s French Egyptian Revival Benches
Walnut
Antique 1850s Egyptian Stools
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Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
Brass
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Serving Tables
Mahogany
Vintage 1940s Swedish Art Deco Table Lamps
Brass
Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Table Lamps
Art Glass
Vintage 1970s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Table Lamps
Brass
Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Stools
Leather, Walnut
Vintage 1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Sunburst Mirrors
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1940s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Sunburst Mirrors
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1940s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Sunburst Mirrors
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Daybeds
Linen
Vintage 1940s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
Vintage 1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Sunburst Mirrors
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Fabric, Wood
Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Metal
Vintage 1930s Swedish Art Deco Decorative Bowls
Pewter
Vintage 1930s Swedish Art Deco Decorative Bowls
Pewter
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
Teak
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass, Sheet Metal
Vintage 1950s Swedish Sideboards
Mahogany
Vintage 1930s Swedish Art Deco Decorative Bowls
Pewter
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
Brass
Svenskt Tenn On Sale For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Svenskt Tenn On Sale?
Svenskt Tenn for sale on 1stDibs
Today, the name Svenskt Tenn is associated around the world with the vibrant, modernist textiles and furniture of Josef Frank, who was the Swedish company’s chief designer in the mid-20th century. But the term “svenskt tenn” actually means “Swedish pewter,” and the very first goods the company sold were stylish pewter objects, such as an elegant 1927 candelabra found in the collection of the Saint Louis Art Museum, or a sleek, understated mirror in the collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts. These pieces were designed to appeal to discerning but price-conscious shoppers in 1920s-era Stockholm.
Art teacher and interior designer Estrid Ericson (1894–1981) partnered with pewter artisan Nils Fougstedt (1881–1954) to establish Svenskt Tenn in 1924, and their creations quickly gained a reputation for high quality and affordability, winning a gold medal at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris in 1925 — the design fair that brought global attention to the Art Deco style.
The experience of renovating her own apartment in the 1920s exposed Ericson to Swedish functionalism — or funkis, as it was known in Sweden — a branch of modernism that advocated uncomplicated forms, subdued colors and utility. She was inspired to open an interior design department at Svenskt Tenn, and in 1930 the firm introduced its first line of furniture.
Selections included items produced by the companies Gemla and Bodafors, as well as original designs by Ericson and the architects Uno Åhrén and Björn Trägårdh, who had worked together on the redesign and expansion of the showroom. The trio’s furniture was displayed at Stockholm’s Galleri Modern in 1931, where it was met with praise from critic Gotthard Johansson, a leading proponent of Swedish functionalism. Johansson admired the “pure lines” and “modern austerity” of the furniture, establishing Svenskt Tenn as an important voice in Swedish design.
But the signature partnership that would come to define the look of Svenskt Tenn was in part the result of political turmoil and the emergence of Nazism in Europe. When Josef Frank fled Vienna for Stockholm in 1933, he was already an accomplished architect who questioned modernist orthodoxy in design. He disliked tubular steel furniture and believed that monochromatic surfaces were distressing to viewers, while pattern and ornament gave interiors a sense of warmth and calm. Ericson was an admirer of Frank’s work, and offered him the chance to design products for Svenskt Tenn. Their professional partnership, particularly in textile design, would eventually become one of the hallmarks of Swedish modernism.
Frank and Ericson collaborated from 1934 until Frank’s death in 1967, with Frank creating unmistakable, bold designs and Ericson employing her flair for interiors, merchandising and display. The pair called their shared approach “Accidentism” or “The Happy Chances Philosophy,” mixing and matching the new and antique, the serious with the playful and pattern with solid colors to find eclectic new combinations in their showroom.
Frank’s textiles are like a visual catalogue of exotic plants and flowers, geological formations and maps, inspired in part by Ericson’s world travels and by Frank’s love of folk art. Svenskt Tenn continues to sell fabric, wallpaper and household goods, many of which sport variations of Frank's signature botanical motifs. Antique and vintage Svenskt Tenn pewter, lighting, furniture, textiles and decorative objects are generally priced anywhere from $2,500 to $25,000 depending on scale and condition.
The tenets of Scandinavian modernism are as fresh and relevant now as they were in the 1950s — light-filled and airy rooms with white walls are perfect settings for comfortable furniture upholstered in one of Josef Frank’s indelible patterns, and nearly a century since its founding, the signature aesthetic of Svenskt Tenn remains as distinctive and timeless as ever.
Find antique and vintage Svenskt Tenn mirrors, seating, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.