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Alvar Aalto Furniture

Finnish, 1898-1976

An architect and designer, Alvar Aalto deserves an immense share of the credit for bringing Scandinavian modernism and Nordic design to a prominent place in the global arena. In both his buildings and his vintage furniture — which ranges from chairs, stools, 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 with his wife, Aino Aalto, in 1930 as part of the overall design of a Finnish tuberculosis sanatorium.

Comfortable, yet light enough to be easily moved by patients, the Paimio 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 the headrest and beneath the knees, creating a sort of pillow effect. Aalto’s use of plywood had an 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 Aino, 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.

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Item type: New and Made To Order
Creator: Alvar Aalto
Alvar Aalto 400 ‘Tank’ 1936 Armchair for Artek
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tilburg, NL
Alvar Aalto 400 ‘Tank’ Armchair for Artek. Designed in 1936. New, current production. As voluminous as it is comfortable, Armchair 400 was created by Alva...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Wood, Leather, Fabric

Alvar Aalto Pair of ‘Tank’ 1936 Armchair for Artek
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tilburg, NL
Alvar Aalto Pair of 400 ‘Tank’ Armchair for Artek. Designed in 1936. New, current production. Please note: the price is for 2 chairs with Kvadat Tonus...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Alvar Aalto Pair of ‘Tank’ 1936 Armchairs in Zebra for Artek
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tilburg, NL
Alvar Aalto pair of 400 ‘Tank’ armchair for Artek. Designed in 1936. New, current production. Please note: the price is for 2 chairs with Artek Zebra uphol...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Alvar Aalto 400 ‘Tank’ 1936 Armchair in Zebra for Artek
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tilburg, NL
Alvar Aalto 400 ‘Tank’ armchair for Artek. Designed in 1936. New, current production. Please note: price is for a 'Tank' armchair in Zebra upholstery and nat...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Leather, Fabric, Wood

Alvar Aalto A330s Polished Brass Wall Light for Artek
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Glendale, CA
Alvar aalto A330s polished brass wall light for Artek. Designed as a pendant in 1937, this iconic lamp has since remained in near constant production...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Alvar Aalto A330s White Metal and Brass Wall Light for Artek
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Glendale, CA
Alvar Aalto A330s white metal and brass wall light for Artek. Designed as a pendant in 1937, this iconic lamp has since remained in near constant production by its original manufacturer, Artek of Finland. This newly customized wall lamp...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Alvar Aalto A330s Chrome Wall Light Light for Artek
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Glendale, CA
Alvar Aalto A330s chrome wall light light for Artek. Designed as a pendant in 1937, this iconic lamp has since remained in near constant production b...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Alvar Aalto A805 ‘Angel Wing’ Floor Lamp 1954 for Artek
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Tilburg, NL
Alvar Aalto A805 ‘Angel Wing’ Floor Lamp for Artek. Designed in 1954. New, current production. Floor Light A805 features a hand-riveted shade formed from d...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Related Items
Pendant by Alvar Aalto for Valaistostyo
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Long Island City, NY
A pendant designed by Alvar Aalto to Valaistostyo Ky, Finland. Model A-203, Circa 1950th. Lacquered metal with brass elements. Stamped by manufacturer. Existing wires, rewiring avai...
Category

1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Metal

Pendant by Alvar Aalto for Valaistostyo
Pendant by Alvar Aalto for Valaistostyo
H 45.3 in W 26.75 in D 11.4 in
Brass 'Kultakello' Model A 330 'Golden Bell' Pendant by Alvar Aalto
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Utrecht, NL
Model A330 is the more complex variation of the popular and more simple model A330S / 'The Golden Bell” that was originally designed in 1936 by Alvar Aalto and his wife Aaino for the...
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

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Brass

Alvar Aalto Pair of Artek Cantilever Armchairs Model 402, 1950s
By Alvar Aalto, Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy, Artek
Located in Helsinki, FI
A beautiful pair of mid-century Alvar Aalto cantilever 'spring' chairs model 402, also known as Pikkupaimio (small paimio) associated with the legendary Paimio Sanatorium designed by Aalto. The chairs are lightweight and can be situated practically in any room or interior, and are easily moved around due to their lightness, both in weight and in appearance. The chairs have beautiful patina and are reupholstered in black premium fabric. Both chairs are stamped "Artek Aalto design Made in Finland...
Category

1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Metal

Alvar Aalto Pair of Artek Cantilever Armchairs Model 401, 1950s
By Artek, Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy, Alvar Aalto
Located in Helsinki, FI
A beautiful pair of mid-century Alvar Aalto cantilever 'spring' chairs model 401. This chair is similar to the iconic one known as Pikkupaimio (small paimio) but with a higher back a...
Category

1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Metal

Artek Pendant Light A331 “Beehive“ by Alvar Aalto
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Centreville, VA
The A331, nicknamed “Beehive,” is one of Alvar Aalto’s most popular lighting designs. Suitable for homes and public spaces alike, “Beehive” creates a warm, diffuse light when switche...
Category

1950s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Hans Bergström for ASEA Belysning Wall Light in Brass and White Glass
By Hans Bergström, ASEA
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Hans Bergström for ASEA Belysning, wall light, brass, matted glass, Sweden, 1950s This cone-shaped wall light is held by filigree brass details ending in a small rectangular plate. Due to the matted glass in opaque white the light gets smooth and cozy. The combination of the golden metal and the white matted glass creates a beautiful design. Hans Bergström (1910-1996), a luminary figure hailing from the realm of Swedish architecture and design, was born on November 4, 1910, in Karlshamn, Sweden. After his completion of secondary school in 1927, Hans embarked on an internship at Ystad Metall, a local craft industry situated near his grandfather's farm. In 1929, he sought further education and enrolled at the esteemed School of Art and Design in Stockholm. Remarkably, even before his graduation from this institution, at the age of twenty, Hans showcased his prowess as a designer for Ystad Metall at the prestigious Stockholm Exhibition in 1930. In the 1920s, Hans encountered his future wife Verna during the summer holidays in his native town of Karlshamn. In 1934, the couple jointly established the company ateljé Lyktan, a venture that combined their collaborative efforts in luminaire design and various artistic pursuits. Bergström undertook various commissions spanning a wide range of architectural environments, including churches, private residences, and public buildings. It was from this point forward that Bergström spearheaded a revolution in Swedish luminaire manufacturing, fundamentally transforming the perception and application of electric lighting in the coming decades. During the advent of the 1950s, the emergence of plastic as a novel material in modern lighting captured Hans' attention. As the United States gradually introduced plastic as a material of significance, Bergström encountered a method involving the application of sprayed plastic onto a rotating wire frame, facilitated by a spray gun. Interestingly, this technique bore certain resemblances to the later approach employed by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in the creation of their Viscontea Lamp...
Category

1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Brass

Set of 2 Alvar Aalto A110 Hand Grenade Pendant Lamps in Black with Brass Detail
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Very nice sleek hanging lamp designed by Alvar Aalto for the building of the Finnish Engineers Association and the council chamber of the town hall of Säynätsalo. The lamp with model...
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Brass and White Alabaster Wall Light
Located in Tourcoing, FR
Brass and white Alabaster wall light, elegant, presence and class all in transparency. New item, never used.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary European Art Deco Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Alabaster, Brass

Brass and White Alabaster Wall Light
Brass and White Alabaster Wall Light
Free Shipping
H 13 in W 5.52 in D 3.94 in
Rare Alvar Aalto Cantilever Armchair Model 26, Artek, Finland
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Espoo, FI
Very hard to find Model 26 armchair is designed by Alvar Aalto for Artek with frame in steel tube, painted matt black and with seat form pressed birch plywood, lacquered in black. Aalto designed Lounge Chair 26...
Category

Late 20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Metal

Alvar Aalto Armchair 41 "Paimio" by Artek, 1970s
By Artek
Located in Stockholm, SE
Produced late 1970s by Artek. Excellent condition, no signs of usage. Designed by Alvar Aalto in 1932, Armchair 41 was created for the interior of a tuberc...
Category

1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Birch

Alvar Aalto Armchair 41 "Paimio" by Artek, 1970s
Alvar Aalto Armchair 41 "Paimio" by Artek, 1970s
Free Shipping
H 25.2 in W 23.63 in D 31.5 in
Pair of mid-century Alvar Aalto bar stools for Artek
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in London, GB
Pair of mid-century Alvar Aalto bar stools for Artek, good honey colour.
Category

20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Plywood

Böhlmarks, Wall Light, Brass, Metal, Sweden, 1940s
By Bohlmarks
Located in High Point, NC
An adjustable two-armed brass and black-lacquered metal wall light designed and produced in Sweden, 1940s. Dimensions variable Overall Dimensions (inches): 16” H x 12” W x 5.25” D ...
Category

1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Previously Available Items
Alvar Aalto A805 Angel Wing Floor Lamps
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Dronten, NL
Angel Wing floor lamp model A805, originally designed by Alvar Aalto in 1954. The base and stem have been wrapped in hand sewn black leather, nickel plated stem. White enameled lo...
Category

2010s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Steel, Nickel

Alvar Aalto A805 Angel Wing Floor Lamps
Alvar Aalto A805 Angel Wing Floor Lamps
H 68.9 in W 20.48 in L 68.9 in
Artek 406 Armchair by Alvar Aalto
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in New York, NY
Armchair 406 combines simple elegance with comfort. Since wood changes over time, the armrests are formed from a single piece that is then split in half, ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Wood

Artek 406 Armchair by Alvar Aalto
Artek 406 Armchair by Alvar Aalto
H 34.26 in W 23.63 in D 28.35 in
Set of Artek 60 Brown, Black, Gray and White Stools
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in New York, NY
2 stools available, one brown and one black. Can buy one or both. Alvar Aalto’s iconic stool 60 is the most elemental of furniture pieces, equally suitable as a seat, a table, stor...
Category

2010s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Birch

Set of 2 Mix and Match Artek 69 Chairs
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in New York, NY
Chair 69 is one of Artek’s most popular chairs, universal wooden chair in the tradition of Classic kitchen and café chairs. With a broad seat and supportive b...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Birch

Set of 2 Mix and Match Artek 69 Chairs
Set of 2 Mix and Match Artek 69 Chairs
H 29.93 in W 18.51 in D 17.33 in
Set of 2 Artek Beige 611 Chairs
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in New York, NY
Chair 611 brings together a solid birch frame with a woven fabric seat and backrest. Designed to offer comfort and practicality, the fabric webbing yields to...
Category

2010s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Birch

Set of 2 Artek Beige 611 Chairs
Set of 2 Artek Beige 611 Chairs
H 31.5 in W 19.1 in D 19.3 in
Set of 2 Artek Black 611 Chairs
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in New York, NY
Chair 611 brings together a solid birch frame with a woven fabric seat and backrest. Designed to offer comfort and practicality, the fabric webbing yields to...
Category

2010s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Birch

Set of 2 Artek Black 611 Chairs
Set of 2 Artek Black 611 Chairs
H 31.5 in W 19.1 in D 19.3 in
Set of Five Artek Hallway Chairs by Alvar Aalto
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in New York, NY
Artek Hallway chairs by Alvar Aalto Armchair 403 “Hallway” is a stackable chair originally designed for the Paimio Sanatorium in Finland in 1932. Finished with a clear lacquer, the...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Birch

Set of Five Artek Hallway Chairs by Alvar Aalto
Set of Five Artek Hallway Chairs by Alvar Aalto
H 31.89 in W 23.63 in D 20.48 in
Alvar Aalto A110 'Hand Grenade' Black Pendant Light for Artek
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Glendale, CA
Alvar Aalto A110 'Hand Grenade' black pendant light for Artek. Produced by its original manufacturer, Artek of Finland. Executed in black painted meta...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Brass, Metal

Alvar Aalto A330S 'Golden Bell Savoy Edition' All Brass Pendant Light for Artek
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Glendale, CA
Alvar Aalto A330S 'Golden Bell Savoy Edition' all brass pendant light for Artek. Golden Bell Savoy is a commemorative version of the iconic A330S pendant launched in 2017 for the 80t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Furniture

Materials

Brass

Alvar Aalto furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Alvar Aalto furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Alvar Aalto furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 448 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 8 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Alvar Aalto were created in the Scandinavian Modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Ilmari Tapiovaara, Oy Stockmann AB, and Yrjö Kukkapuro. Prices for Alvar Aalto furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $113 and can go as high as $80,707, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,662.
Questions About Alvar Aalto Furniture
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024
    The style most commonly associated with Alvar Aalto is Scandinavian modern. As an architect and designer, Aalto deserves an immense share of the credit for bringing Scandinavian modernism and Nordic design to a prominent place in the global arena. In both his buildings and his vintage furniture, Aalto's sensitivity to the natural world and organic forms and materials tempered the hardness of rationalist design, as is indicative of Scandinavian modern pieces. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Alvar Aalto furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 1, 2024
    Alvar Aalto is known for bringing Scandinavian modernism and Nordic design to global prominence. In his designs for buildings and furniture, Aalto's sensitivity to the natural world and to organic forms and materials tempered the hardness of rationalist design. One of his most famous pieces is the Paimio armchair, which he designed in 1930 for a Finnish tuberculosis sanatorium. Comfortable yet light enough to be easily moved by patients, the Paimio chair's frame is made of two laminated birch loops. The seat and back are formed from a single sheet of plywood that scrolls under the headrest and beneath the knees, creating a pillow effect. Aalto's use of plywood had an enormous influence on Charles and Ray Eames, Arne Jacobsen, Marcel Breuer and many others. On 1stDibs, shop an assortment of Alvar Aalto furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2024
    The Paimio chair, designed by Alvar Aalto, is a type of armchair created in 1932. Also called the Armchair 41, it was intended to help people breathe easier and was designed for a tuberculosis sanatorium in the Finnish city of Paimio. For the chair's frame, Aalto and his wife, Aino, opted to use Finland's native birchwood, which is strong and inexpensive and felt warmer and more organic than the tubular steel found in similarly shaped pieces. Laminated wood loops form the arms, legs and a pair of flat skids, while its sculptural seat and back are built from a single piece of thin plywood. Shop a variety of Alvar Aalto Paimio chairs on 1stDibs.

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