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.
Wall shelves 'Mi 1050' Designed by Bruno Mathsson for Firma Karl Mathsson
By Bruno Mathsson, Firma Karl Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Model Mi 1050 is a wall-mounted shelving system designed by Bruno Mathsson and produced by Karl Mathsson in Värnamo during the 1960s. Crafted in birch and pine, the system is defined...
Steel
Original Photo of furniture by Bruno Mathsson / Sweden - 1945
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Praha, CZ
- Czechoslovakia, 1952 - Museum of decorative Arts in Czech republic - suitable for framing - photographed by Illek and Paul jr
Paper
Vintage Boho Original Yale Swim Team Photo
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Immerse your space in the nostalgic charm of classic Americana with this vintage sepia-toned photograph of the Yale University swim team. Likely dating to the early 20th century, thi...
Glass, Wood, Paper
A Pair of Carved Gilt Wood Wall Shelves
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A pair of giltwood wheat motif wall shelves, Italy, mid 20th Century, the good size measuring 15 inches high, 12.5 inches wide, and 6 iches deep.
Giltwood
Vintage Boho Original Yale Swim Team Photo
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Add a distinguished touch of collegiate history to your walls with this captivating vintage photograph of the Yale University swim team. Dating back to the early 20th century, this s...
Glass, Wood, Paper
$1,518Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 3.15 in Dm 21.66 in
Tableau Wall Decoration Shelf Designed by Sara Ferrari for Mingardo
By Mingardo
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Tableau is a functional painting, a wall decoration designed to frame everyday objects. Materials: Iron with brassed details Dimensions: Ø 55 cm.
Brass, Iron
$4,856Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 48.8 in W 59 in D 11 in
"Correas" Wall Mounted Bookshelf Designed by Miguel Mila' for Dessie'
By Miguel Milà, Dessie Studio
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Correas" is a wall mounted bookshelf, designed by Miguel Mila' and manufactured by Dessie', featuring 3 or 4 shelves, fixed to two or three uprig...
Stainless Steel
$566Sale Price|20% Off
H 26.78 in W 20.48 in D 2.76 in
Utensilo II Wall Organizer by Dorothee Maurer Becker for Design M, Germany, 1970
By Dorothee Maurer-Becker, Ingo Maurer, M Design
Located in Bingen am Rhein, RP
This original 70s Uten.Silo II is a design by Dorothee Maurer Becker. This Utensilo is an old original of the company Design M. It was still produced by the company of her husband, t...
Plastic
Pair of Blue Velvet Wall Shelves or Brackets
Located in New York, NY
Pair of blue velvet wall shelves or brackets. Handmade and covered in silk-rayon velvet. Measures: 12" x 6" x 9" H each.
Velvet, Wood
$280Sale Price|20% Off
H 11 in W 14 in D 0.5 in
Vintage 1950s Male Original Nude Photo of Brothers Playing Records
By Bruce of Los Angeles
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A rare original b & w photograph of 2 brothers listening to records on the floor nude. Many decades ago we saw a second image from this series and it was listed as the models were brothers. Listening to Les Baxter and Dinah Washington albums! Mid 1950s. I believe the photo to be an “Athletic Model Guild” photo, a competitor of the equally famous, Bruce Bellas aka Bruce of Los Angeles. The 8x10 photograph has a 11x14 white acid free matt. Ready for framing. If you would like this framed for a gift, we can frame it in a simple black frame for $100. Without a frame, it is easy to be shipped UPS. Makes a great gift for collectors of Male Nude and Beefcake Physique photography. These high quality originals are very difficult to come by. They are NOT computer generated...
Paper
Pair Early 20th Century Moroccan Wall Shelves
Located in Houston, TX
Pair 1920s or earlier Moroccan wood inlay wall shelves. These wonderful Múdejar design shelves feature abstract geometry, horseshoe, multifoil arches, and honeycombed vaults called m...
Wood
Pair of Louis XV Style Painted Wall Shelves
Located in Houston, TX
A 20th century carved wall shelves, each with one-drawer and lovely hand painted floral detail.
Wood
$1,238
H 8.27 in W 11.82 in D 0.2 in
Original Photo Signed by the Provocative Japanese Photographer Nobuyoshi Araki
By Nobuyoshi Araki
Located in Sofia, BG
Black and white original gelatin silver print signed by the Japanese photographer, Nobuyoshi Araki, who is primarily known for his provocative images that combine fine art and photog...
Paper
Original Photo of "El Santo" a Famous Mexican Wrestler
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Circa 1970, We offer this Original Photo of "El Santo" a famous Mexican Wrestler. Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta (23 September 1917 – 5 February 1984), known profes...
Paper
Early Magazine Shelf in Birch by Bruno Mathsson, Sweden
By Bruno Mathsson, Firma Karl Mathsson
Located in Goteborg, SE
Together with Alvar Aalto, Bruno Mathsson was the first Scandinavian designer to use bentwood technique. During the early period of his production the only way to buy his furniture was to call or write a personal letter directly to his company. This rare and early shelf...
Birch