As the descendant of four generations of Swedish master cabinetmakers, Bruno Mathsson was born to design furniture. Mathsson was known as a methodical perfectionist who made usefulness the fundamental attribute of his iconic lounge chairs, tables, armchairs and other works, yet he was also a ceaseless experimenter, who constantly searched for improvements in form, materials and methods of design.
Like the Finnish designer Alvar Aalto, Mathsson was one of the first Scandinavians to embrace undulating, biomorphic forms in furniture. His early pieces such as the Eva and Pernilla series of chairs incorporate dramatically flowing bent beechwood frames, making them some of the most instantly recognizable works of 20th-century design.
Mathsson was also a pioneer of ergonomics — he is said to have based the contours of his chairs on the impression his body made when he sat in a snow bank — and used supple, accommodating woven webbing for seats. His concern for practicality is shown by pieces such as the Maria table. An elegant design with gate legs and hinged leaves, the table measures more than nine feet long when fully extended, but folds down to just nine inches in thickness.
From the mid-1940s through the 1950s, Mathsson focused on architecture, designing and building houses with insulated, triple-glazed window walls and heated floors — construction that flew in the face of traditional wood-clad Swedish residential design, and consequently met with some skepticism. He returned to furniture in the 1960s, employing an entirely new suite of materials: Stainless-steel framing and mesh seats feature in pieces like the Jetson chair; with the mathematician Piet Hein, Mathsson designed the Super-Elliptical table, which has a laminate top and four-part tubular steel legs that sprout like flower stems from a single base.
Bruno Mathsson’s stylistic flexibility as a designer made him a creator whose pieces meet all tastes and needs.
Find vintage Bruno Mathsson dining tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Bruno Mathsson wall shelf, Sweden, 1970s
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Wall shelf model designed by Bruno Mathsson during the 1970s, produced by Bruno Mathsson International, Sweden. Very good vintage condition.
Steel
Bruno Mathsson Shelf Model MI 1050, Sweden, 1960s
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Wall shelf model MI 1050 designed by Bruno Mathsson during the 1960s, produced by Bruno Mathsson International, Sweden. Very good vintage condition.
Birch
Bruno Mathsson wall shelf, Sweden, 1970s
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Wall shelf model designed by Bruno Mathsson during the 1970s, produced by Bruno Mathsson International, Sweden. Very good vintage condition.
Steel
Bruno Mathsson 'Anita' Shelving System, 1970s
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Lacquered steel, birch and beech wood. Measures: height 250 cm Depth 34 cm. Width 145.5 cm.
Steel
Swedish Designer, Wall Shelf, Pine, Sweden, 1960s
Located in High Point, NC
A pine wall shelf or cabinet designed and produced in Sweden, c. 1960s. Currently missing wall mounting brackets. Will require professional installation.
Pine
Tomado modular shelving system Teak 1950s Holland
By Adriaan Dekker, Tomado
Located in Den Haag, NL
Tomado wall shelf from the 50s, it is made up of 2 black metal uprights dyed in the mass and stamped + 3 teak wood shelves with fixings included. The whole is in very good condition ...
Teak
Mid-Century Italian Three-Section Teak Shelving System
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Three-section freestanding teak shelving system features four round-section vertical uprights connected by open shelves across all bays, with distinctive circular disc brackets at ea...
Teak
$2,550
H 27.56 in W 59.45 in D 10.24 in
Rare Glass and Brass Wall Shelf System, Ahti Taskinen, 1960/1970s
Located in Helsinki, Uusimaa
Rare glass and brass wall shelf system, designed by Ahti Taskinen, 1960/1970s. Brass frame, glass shelves. Good vintage condition, patina consistent with age and use. Timeless Scandi...
Brass
606 Shelving System, Dieter Rams for Vitsœ, Vintage
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Neuss, NW
Modular 606 shelving system by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ from the 1960s. High-quality construction consisting of eight aluminum E-Tracks, eleven shelves and three containers with up and ...
Aluminum
1960s Wall shelf, Kai Kristiansen, FM Møbler
By Kai Kristiansen, FM Møbler
Located in Neuss, NW
Classic shelving system from the 1960s in teak veneer with four shelves and two aluminium ladders veneered in teak. Quality Features: accomplished design: perfect proportions a...
Aluminum
Solid teak wall shelf, 1960s Germany.
Located in Landgraaf, NL
Solid teak wall shelf, 1960s Germany. C-shaped shelf made from solid teak. The wood has a beautiful grain. The style is similar to the famous wall shelf by Walter Wirz for Wilhelm Re...
Teak
Olof Pira Modular Teak Shelving System, Sweden, 1950s
By String Design AB, Olof Pira
Located in Rødekro, DK
A refined example of Scandinavian Modern design, this modular shelving system was designed by Olof Pira in Sweden during the 1960s. The system features beautifully grained teak shel...
Stainless Steel
1960s Wall shelf, Kai Kristiansen, FM Møbler
By FM Møbler, Kai Kristiansen
Located in Neuss, NW
Classic shelving system from the 1960s. The high-quality containers and shelves are veneered in teak. The system consists of six shelves, a writing surface, one container with two do...
Aluminum
$3,600Sale Price|40% Off
H 80 in W 134 in D 12 in
Kajsa & Nisse Strinning White Laminate 4 bay String wire wall shelf unit Sweden
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid century Kajsa & Nisse Strinning White Laminate 4 bay String wire wall unit circa 1970 Sweden. Great unit very high end laminate with chrome hinges and white leather pulls. Has all hardware in tack. Great mid century Swedish wall unit...
Metal
Danish Vintage Royal Shelving System by Poul Cadovius
By Heal's, Poul Cadovius, Cado
Located in London, GB
An outstanding Danish vintage royal shelving system by Poul Cadovius, made in Denmark by Cado. This dates from the 1960’s and was originally purchased in Heal’s. It is a very versat...
Wood
$144
H 4.73 in W 32.29 in D 8.27 in
Shelf With Suspension Model Excellent In Rosewood By Albert Hansen From 1960s
By Albert Hansen
Located in Lejre, DK
Shelf in rosewood with black lacquered metal suspension, designed by Albert Hansen as part of the Model Excellent series from the 1960s. The distinctive grain patterns and fine propo...
Rosewood
Sold
H 83.08 in W 27.56 in D 11.82 in
Shelving Systems Designed by Bruno Mathsson for Mathsson International
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Shelving systems designed by Bruno Mathsson for Mathsson International, Sweden, 1960s. Pine and lacquered wood. Measu...
Wood, Pine, Lacquer
Sold
H 92.92 in W 78.75 in D 15.75 in
Shelving system designed by Bruno Mathsson for Mathsson International, 1960s.
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Shelving system designed by Bruno Mathsson for Mathsson International, Sweden, 1960s. Beech and lacquered steel. Dimension...
Steel
Sold
H 10.24 in W 19.69 in D 11.03 in
Book Cradle Designed by Bruno Mathsson for Karl Mathsson, Sweden, 1941
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Birch. Measures: H 26 cm/ 10 1/4" W 50 cm/ 19 11/16" D 28 cm/ 11 1/32".
Birch
Shelving System Designed by Bruno Mathsson, Sweden, 2015
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Shelving system designed by Bruno Mathsson, Sweden, 2015. Lacquered wood and copper.
Wood
Wall-Mounted Shelves / Bookcase by Bruno Mathsson, Sweden
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Utrecht, NL
Large beech wall-mounted shelves / bookcase by Bruno Mathsson, Sweden. Versatile shelves for kitchen display, study or living room setting. Excellent condition.
Metal
Sold
H 42.13 in W 62.21 in D 11.42 in
Bruno Mathsson Wall Mounted Bookcase by Bruno Mathsson International in Sweden
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Wall-mounted bookcase designed by Bruno Mathsson. Produced by Bruno Mathsson International in Sweden.
Steel
Two Hung Bookshelves Designed by Bruno Mathsson
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Wall hung bookshelves designed by Bruno Mathsson for Karl Mathsson, Sweden. 1940s. Lacquered steel and pine.
Sold
H 10.63 in W 19.69 in D 10.63 in
Bruno Mathsson 'Book Crib' Bookshelf by Karl Mathsson, Dated 1963
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Utrecht, NL
Smaller birch bookshelf named 'Book Crib' Model T-704 on laminated wooden legs by Bruno Mathsson for Karl Mathsson. Signed with production date 1963, accordi...
Birch
Bruno Mathsson wall shelf model Mi 1050 by Bruno Mathsson International
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Bruno Mathsson wall shelf / bookcase model Mi 1050. Produced by Bruno Mathsson International in Sweden.
Beech
Shelving System Designed by Bruno Mathsson, Sweden
By Karl Mathsson, Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Shelving system for magazines designed by Bruno Mathsson for Karl Mathsson, Sweden, designed in the 1940s. This example is made 1964. In birch and steel.
Steel