Alvar Aalto Paimio Chair 41
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Molded from a continuous piece of spring birch plywood on a closed frame, the Paimio Chair was Aalto's design for making a wooden chair "soft".
Birch
Paimio Chair Style after Alvar Aalto
By Alvar Aalto
Located in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon
We didn't want to let them go, we generally don't have replicas in our gallery but this pair of chairs were begging to be restored. The previous owner told us that his parents acquir...
Metal
Vintage Paimio #41 Armchair by Alvar Aalto for Artek, Circa 1960
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Detroit, MI
A tour de force in bentwood, the Paimio chair tested the limits of plywood manufacturing in the early 1930s.
Wood, Birch, Plywood
1970s Aino and Alvar Aalto for Artek Paimio Lounge Chair
By Alvar Aalto, Aino Aalto
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a Paimio Lounge Chair, originally designed by Aino and Alvar Aalto for the Paimio Sanatorium in Finland in 1932.
Birch
Alvar Aalto, Paimio 41 Lounge Chair in Black and Birch, Artek 1960s
By Artek, Alvar Aalto, Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy
Located in Helsinki, FI
The famous Paimio lounge chair model 41, designed by Alvar Aalto for the Paimion Parantola.
Birch, Plywood
Rare Variant Model 41 Paimio Sanatorium Armchair Chair by Alvar Aatlo c. 1960s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Oakland, CA
Model No 41 Paimio armchair in molded birch plywood designed by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. With a black lacquered molded plywood seat and natural finish molded arms creating a ve...
Birch, Lacquer
1932 Artek No. 42 Small Paimio Lounge Chair in Birch by Alvar & Aino Aalto
By Aino Aalto, Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This 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.
Birch, Plywood
alvar aalto PAIR OF ARMCHAIRS, MODEL NO. 44 (padded paimio)
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tomi, Nagano
Pair of mid‑century armchairs, model no. 44, designed by Alvar Aalto. Each chair features Aalto’s characteristic continuous bent‑plywood side frames, where the armrests flow seamles...
Wool, Birch
Model 31 Armchair Alvar Aalto, Finland, 1930s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in London, GB
However, unlike the "Paimio Chair" the model 31 has a cantilevered construction created by the sweeping curves of the laminated birch frame, inspired by the original "Freischwinger" ...
Birch
Alvar Aalto Furniture (Book)
Located in North Yorkshire, GB
He was best know for his use of moulded plywood and tubular metal in his designs and for creating stackable seating both in chairs and stools. The most famous chair he designed was t...
Paper
Alvar Aalto Birch & Leather Chair 611
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Norwich, England
From the late 1920’s, Korhonen worked together with Alvar Aalto on the creation of laminated wood furniture for the Paimio Sanatorium. The chair has the original patina, with the bi...
Leather, Birch
Early Alvar Aalto Spring Chair Model 31, Silver Birch and Birch, Artek 1950s
By Artek, Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, Alvar Aalto
Located in Helsinki, FI
Rare version of one of the most iconic and finest furniture works from Alvar Aalto, the model 31 (later 42) chair, also known as the spring chair, "Pikku Paimio" or Small Paimio in ...
Birch, Plywood
Early Alvar Aalto Spring Chair Model 31, Bent Plywood and Birch, Artek 1950s
By Artek, Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, Alvar Aalto
Located in Helsinki, FI
One of the most iconic and finest furniture works from Alvar Aalto, the model 31 (later 42) chair, also known as the spring chair, "Pikku Paimio" or Small Paimio in English.
Birch, Plywood
Early Alvar Aalto Spring Chair Model 31, Bent Plywood and Birch, Artek 1940s
By Alvar Aalto, Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, Artek
Located in Helsinki, FI
One of the most iconic and finest furniture works from Alvar Aalto, the model 31 (later 42) chair, also known as spring chair, `Pikku Paimio` or Small Paimio in english.
Birch, Plywood
Early Michael Thonet Bistro Dining Table in Bentwood and Cane - Austria
By Michael Thonet, Thonet
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
And bentwood furniture was embraced by a series of design greats — the innovation can be found in the seating that Josef Hoffman designed for Thonet, in the elegant Superleggera chai...
Cane, Bentwood
Unavailable
H 23.63 in W 24.41 in D 30.71 in
Pair Of Alvar Aalto Chairs Model 44 'Padded Paimio' Chairs
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Dorchester, GB
A pair of Alvar Aalto model 44 ‘Padded Paimio’ chairs produced by Artek. These chairs date from the 1990s and are in very good condition.
Fabric, Plywood
Unavailable
H 30.12 in W 21.26 in D 26.38 in
Paimio Sanatorium Armchair "Hallway Chair" Model 403 by Alvar Aalto
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Reichenschwand, DE
The Hallway Chair was a part of the Paimio Sanatorium’s carefully curated environment, designed to promote both health and well-being.
Birch, Maple
Unavailable
H 30.32 in W 21.26 in D 23.23 in
Alvar Aalto Early Hallway Chair 51/403 for Paimio Sanatorium 1932, Finland
By Alvar Aalto, Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy
Located in Turku, FI
Alvar Aalto designed this chair in 1932 for the Paimio Sanatorium hospital for tuberculosis patients.
Birch, Bentwood
Unavailable
H 30.32 in W 21.26 in D 23.23 in
Alvar Aalto Early Hallway Chair 51/403 for Paimio Sanatorium 1932, Finland
By Alvar Aalto, Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy
Located in Turku, FI
Alvar Aalto designed this chair in 1932 for the Paimio Sanatorium hospital for tuberculosis patients.
Birch, Bentwood
Unavailable
H 30.32 in W 21.26 in D 23.23 in
Alvar Aalto Early Hallway Chair 51/403 for Paimio Sanatorium 1932, Finland
By Alvar Aalto, Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy
Located in Turku, FI
Alvar Aalto designed this chair in 1932 for the Paimio Sanatorium hospital for tuberculosis patients.
Birch, Bentwood
Alvar Aalto Stool for Artek
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Belmont, MA
In 1929, Aalto won a competition to design a new sanatorium in Paimio for patients convalescing from tuberculosis; a total Gesamtkunstwerk, Aalto designed everything at Paimio, from ...
Birch
Paimio Chair by Alvar Aalto
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Long Island City, NY
Paimio Chair by Alvar Aalto, an authentic edition, chair #41, designed in 1941 by Alvar Aalto for Artek of Finland.
Bentwood, Plywood
Paimio Chair by Alvar Aalto
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Long Island City, NY
Paimio Chair by Alvar Aalto, an authentic edition, chair #41, designed in 1941 by Alvar Aalto for Artek of Finland.
Bentwood, Plywood
Alvar Aalto armchair 41, "Paimio" Chair
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Dronten, NL
Paimio Chair, designed by Alvar Aalto in 1932. This example manufactured by Artek, circa 1978.
Birch
Alvar Aalto Paimio Chair 41
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Molded from a continuous piece of spring birch plywood on a closed frame, the Paimio Chair was Aalto's design for making a wooden chair "soft".
Birch
Sold
H 25.6 in W 24 in D 32.2 in
Alvar Aalto Paimio Chair 41.. Classic Bauhaus Design. Modernist/ Scandinavian
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Buffalo, NY
Molded from a continuous piece of spring birch plywood on a closed frame, the Paimio Chair was Aalto's design for making a wooden chair "soft".
Birch, Plywood
Vintage pair of "Paimio" chairs by Alvar Aalto
Located in Dallas, TX
Vintage pair of "Paimio" lounge chairs designed by Alvar Aalto. This pair was purchased in the 70's by the original owner.
Sold
H 29.73 in W 23.63 in D 26.58 in
Set of Early Model 42 'Little Paimio' Chairs by Alvar Aalto, 1930s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Helsinki, Uusimaa
Se of early Alvar Aalto model 42 cantilevered 'Little Paimio' armchairs, Finland, circa 1930s. Bented birch-veneered plywood. Manufactured by O.Y. Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas A.b....
Birch, Plywood
Alvar Aalto, Artek, 41 Paimio Scroll Chair
By Artek
Located in London, GB
Moulded from a continuous piece of spring birch plywood on a closed frame, the Paimio Scroll Chair was Aalto's brainstorm for making a wooden chair "soft".
Bentwood
Little Paimio Cantilevered Chair by Alvar Aalto, Model 31/42
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Turku, Finland
"Little Paimio" chair 31/42 was originally created for the interior of a tuberculosis sanatorium in the Finnish city of Paimio, this is considered one of Aalto’s masterpieces.
Birch, Plywood
Vintage Paimio #41 Plywood Armchairs by Alvar Aalto for Artek
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Detroit, MI
The sleek curved contours and simple, yet striking form of these chairs have become iconic. A tour de force in bentwood, the Paimio chair tested the limits of plywood manufacturing i...
Wood, Birch, Plywood, Lacquer
Alvar Aalto Paimio 41 Lounge Chair
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Saint Paul, MN
The Paimio 41 lounge chair, designed by renowned architect Alvar Aalto, epitomizes the perfect fusion of form and function.
Birch
Alvar Aalto Paimio 41 Chair for Arket in Black
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is an amazing and rare early Paimio 41 chair by Alvar Aalto for Arket. This piece is from the estate of the great composer Gary Geld and is in excellent condition.
Wood
Alvar Aalto Armchair 41 Paimio
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Designed by Aalto in 1932 for the Paimio Sanitorium in Finland , this example originated in Sweden and would have been produced at the Hedemora factory in the late 1940's or early 50...
Sold
H 26.97 in W 23.82 in D 30.32 in
Alvar Aalto 31 Lounge Chair for the Paimio Sanitorium, Finland, 1931
By Alvar Aalto
Located in London, GB
His sensitivity to the natural world, organic forms and materials tempered the hardness of rationalism. The 31 lounge chair is an incredibly rare original piece of Scandinavian mod...
Birch
Sold
H 29.93 in W 21.26 in D 25.6 in
Alvar Aalto, c.1950's Hallway chair model 402, for Paimio Sanatorium
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Turku, Varsinais-Suomi
Originally designed for the Paimio Sanatorium, this chair is a testament to Alvar Aalto's mastery of form and function.
Birch
Alvar Aalto Hallway Chair Model No.403 by Finmar
By Finmar, Alvar Aalto
Located in London, GB
An early and exceptionally rare Alvar Aalto Hallway chair, which was originally designed for the Paimio Sanitorium.
Birch, Plywood
Pair of Paimio Lounge Chairs by Alvar Aalto
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Stamford, CT
A pair of Paimio lounge chairs in lacquered wood and birch by designer Alvar Aalto and the Finnish firm of Artek.
Wood
Pair of Paimio Lounge Chairs by Alvar Aalto
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Pair of 'Paimio' steamed bentwood lounge chairs by Alvar Aalto for Artek circa mid 1960's.
Wood
Sold
H 38 in W 22.45 in D 19.3 in
Early Michael Thonet N.17 Bistro Dining Armchairs in Bentwood and Cane - Austria
By Thonet, Michael Thonet
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
And bentwood furniture was embraced by a series of design greats — the innovation can be found in the seating that Josef Hoffman designed for Thonet, in the elegant Superleggera chai...
Cane, Bentwood
Sold
H 29.53 in Dm 33.67 in
Early Michael Thonet N.17 Bistro Dining Set in Bentwood and Cane - Austria
By Thonet, Michael Thonet
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
And bentwood furniture was embraced by a series of design greats — the innovation can be found in the seating that Josef Hoffman designed for Thonet, in the elegant Superleggera chai...
Cane, Bentwood
Alvar Aalto Paimio Chair, Artek
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Paimio Chair in bentwood frame with white laminate seat.
Laminate, Bentwood
Sold
H 24.75 in W 24 in D 33.5 in
Alvar Aalto Paimio Chair 41 - Vintage Modernist Bentwood Armchair for Artek
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Decatur, GA
Paimio Chair or Chair 41 by Alvar Aalto for Artek.
Birch, Plywood, Lacquer
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.