Olle Sjogren

From its humble beginnings as a saddlery more than 100 years ago, O.H. Sjögren has grown into one of Sweden’s largest upholstered furniture manufacturers and a leading contributor to Scandinavian modern style in the 20th and 21st centuries.

O.H. Sjögren was founded in 1902 by Oskar Herbert Sjögren, then a 25-year-old saddlemaker and journeyman, who took over a saddlery in Tranås, Sweden. By 1914, at the onset of World War I, Sjögren’s business had grown as supplies such as pack saddles and life belts were in high demand for Sweden’s military. In 1917, with the war in Europe still ongoing, O.H. Sjögren began a collaboration with the neighboring company Tranås Vagnfabrik to upholster seats for horse-drawn carriages. However, with the carriage market in decline by the 1930s, O.H. Sjögren shifted its operations to furniture upholstery.

From 1936 to 1973, O.H. Sjögren was helmed by Oskar’s sons, Ollie and Gustaf, who were determined to produce impeccable Scandinavian furniture. The manufacturer soon gained its largest and most important client, NK (Nordiska Kompaniet) in Stockholm, followed by renowned Swedish designer Carl Malmsten in 1956.

Malmsten’s partnership with O.H. Sjögren throughout the 1950s and 1960s was a great success. Together, the designer and manufacturer produced a wide variety of mid-century modern seating, such as the plush, classic Samsas sofa, the Lata Greven (Lazy Countess) lounge chair and the popular Farmor armchair.   

In 1973, Ollie’s son Erik became head of O.H. Sjögren and attracted several major design brands, including Svenskt Tenn. Although the Swedish furniture industry was threatened by cheaper, imported, mass-produced furniture from elsewhere in Europe and Asia during the 1980s and 1990s, O.H. Sjögren endured in its success due to its reputation for high quality and formidable designs. 

Since 2005, O.H. Sjögren has been run by its fourth generation from the Sjögren family — Oskar’s great-grandsons Håkan and Jakob. The company continues to produce many of Malmsten’s most popular seating, as well as Svenskt Tenn’s classic designs. 

On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage O.H. Sjögren seating.

With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.

Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.

Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.

The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.

Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.

With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.

Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.

No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.