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Carl Malmsten Console Tables

Swedish, 1888-1972

Carl Malmsten, a prominent furniture designer and educator associated with Swedish modernism, enjoyed immense popularity for his shapely sofas and armchairs in luscious color palettes. Malmsten believed that light — much like our eyes and bodies — doesn’t like to bump into sharp objects. Smooth edges, on the other hand, are kinder to the eye and and to our touch, and allow light to softly bounce off surfaces. Malmsten felt that if his furniture didn’t “serve well” in the home, it had no business being there.

Malmsten’s career essentially began in 1915, when his submissions for a competition to furnish the new Stockholm City Hall were first- and second-place prize winners. In the 1920s, his profile soared. He won a prize at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts — the show that brought the Art Deco style to worldwide attention — and quickly became one of the most sought-after designers of commercial seating in Sweden.

Malmsten was soon contracted to design chairs, tables and other furniture for the Stockholm Concert Hall, the Swedish Institute in Rome and the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York. His famous Art Nouveau-influenced Stadshusstolen chair, designed for Stockholm City Hall in 1916, is a highlight of the city’s recently opened Museum of Furniture Studies. Malmsten expanded into interior design and created a luxurious, well-appointed living room in the palace of then-Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf and his bride, Crown Princess Louise.

In the 1930s, Malmsten clashed with critics when he voiced his opposition to functionalism. Like Danish modernist Kaare Klint, he favored using quality local materials and prized traditional craftsmanship. Malmsten’s furniture draws on graceful neoclassical influences, and he said that extreme functionalism contributed to “sterile” interiors — while the curving contours of his work may share ground with furniture designed by Alvar Aalto or Bruno Mathsson, Malmsten differed with Bauhaus eminences and some Scandinavian modernists on their prioritization of functionalism.

For an exhibition in 1956 at the Röhsska Museum in Gothenburg, Malmsten designed furniture that was intended for mass production — and his striking designs began to make their way into middle-class Swedish homes owing to Malmsten’s partnerships with manufacturers such as O.H. Sjögren. Until then, he had built his pieces at the school he founded in the 1930s or had them made by artisans at several small local workshops.

Malmsten founded a number of schools for design and collaborated with other designers who shared his philosophy of “hand and mind in creative collaboration.” These included the esteemed textile artist Märta Måås Fjetterström, whose pieces he included in exhibits and even his own home.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Carl Malmsten seating, tables, cabinets and more.

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Creator: Carl Malmsten
Console Table "Sportstugemöbel" by Carl Malmsten, Sweden, 1950s
Console Table "Sportstugemöbel" by Carl Malmsten, Sweden, 1950s

Console Table "Sportstugemöbel" by Carl Malmsten, Sweden, 1950s

By Carl Malmsten

Located in Hägersten, SE

Console or dining table designed by Carl Malmsten in 1953 model "Visingsö", This early example from the Beginning of the 1950s without the added screws on the short ends and visible ...

Category

1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Carl Malmsten Console Tables

Materials

Pine

Small pine console table by Carl Malmsten, Sweden 1940s
Small pine console table by Carl Malmsten, Sweden 1940s

Small pine console table by Carl Malmsten, Sweden 1940s

By Carl Malmsten

Located in Eskilstuna, SE

Lovely console table by Carl Malmsten in Sweden during the first half of the 20th century. Made in pine with a elegant design.

Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carl Malmsten Console Tables

Materials

Pine

CARL MALMSTEN. “The Sled” Nesting Tables in birch, Sweden, 1950s
CARL MALMSTEN. “The Sled” Nesting Tables in birch, Sweden, 1950s

CARL MALMSTEN. “The Sled” Nesting Tables in birch, Sweden, 1950s

By Carl Malmsten

Located in New York, NY

CARL MALMSTEN. Nest of tables, 3 parts, birch, "Släden", brand marked CM, Åfors Möbelfabrik. A beautifully proportioned set of “The Sled” nesting tables designed by Carl Malmsten, o...

Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carl Malmsten Console Tables

Materials

Birch

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Dining table 'Pyramid', Designed by Carl Malmsten Sweden, 1940s
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Located in Stockholm, SE

Dining table 'Pyramid', Designed by Carl Malmsten, Sweden, 1940s H: 73.5 cm / 2' 5" Dia: 124.5 cm / 4' 1" L (total): 274 cm / 8' 11 7/8" L (of 3 leaves): 50 cm / 1' 7 11/16" (each)

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Göran Malmvall Dining Table for Karl Andersson & Söner, Sweden 1950s
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Göran Malmvall Dining Table for Karl Andersson & Söner, Sweden 1950s

By Goran Malmvall

Located in Utrecht, NL

This “Svensk Fur” or ‘Swedish Pine’ dining table is a nod to modernist design with traditional Swedish craftsmanship. The design relays an insight about the society and culture in which it was produced: closeness to nature, the appreciation of a clutter-free environment and the value of quality handiwork. The Malmvall pieces that appeal to most are the models designed for Karl Andersson & Söner, for the sheer fact that they seem completely contemporary and undated. The pieces of the line, such as this table, are often compared to the designs of Axel Einar Hjorth, even though Malmvall’s designs are exceptional on their own merit. Self-taught, Göran Malmvall was a highly skilled cabinetmaker with considerable technical expertise and was renowned for the boldness of his innovations. This table holds a natural expression with its airy and organic design, which is dominated by the natural beauty of the material and the creative use of the tenon and mortise joinery. The rectangular tabletop showcases the solid pine’s pattern, reinforcing the rustic feel. The legs have carved out vertical lines, a smart detail that elongates them optically. Göran Malmvall, the youngest son of Karl Andersson, was a highly skilled cabinetmaker with considerable technical expertise and was renowned for the boldness of his innovations. His expertise can be traced not only in this detail, but also in the legs’ joinery technique. Swedish modern – despite its name – in many ways transcends the word ‘modern’, and so does Malmvall. Like the style, the Svensk Fur pieces can be incorporated successfully into contemporary and traditional interiors alike, lending themselves to a timeless and universal appeal. Condition: In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. Some minor scratches and marks on the wood. Dimensions: 51.18 in W x 31.1 in D x 28.34 in H 130 cm W x 79 cm D x 72 cm H About the Designer: Göran Malmvall (1917–2001) was the youngest son of the manufacturing company’s founder, Karl Andersson. He studied furniture design under Carl Malmsten and was involved with the family business from an early age until 1982, mainly in the capacity of an in-house furniture designer. Self-taught, he was a highly skilled cabinet-maker with considerable technical expertise, and was renowned for the boldness of his innovations. His most notable designs include Svensk Fur, Svitjod and, not least, the KA 72 cabinet...

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1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Carl Malmsten Console Tables

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Functionalist "Sketching Table" desk by Carl Malmsten, Sweden, 1930s
Functionalist "Sketching Table" desk by Carl Malmsten, Sweden, 1930s

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By Carl Malmsten

Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län

Striking desk by Carl Malmsten, in a rustic design, model called “Skissbordet” (“The Sketching Table”). Made from pine with clean lines, discreet drawer under the table top.

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Located in Eskilstuna, SE

A refined coffee table designed by Carl Malmsten in the 1940s. The Berg model features a beautifully patterned alder root veneer top resting on an elegant solid beech tripod base. ...

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Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län

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Carl Malmsten Seating Group Produced by Svensk Fur in Sweden

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Rare set of 6 easy chairs and coffee table designed by Carl Malmsten. Produced by Svensk fur in Sweden. Dimensions easy chairs (W x D x H): 45 x 52 x 74.5 cm, SH: 34.5 cm. Dimensio...

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Modernist Pine console table by Carl Malmsten, Sweden, 1930s

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Carl Malmsten Console, Sweden, circa 1950s
Carl Malmsten Console, Sweden, circa 1950s

Carl Malmsten Console, Sweden, circa 1950s

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H 29.75 in W 44 in D 17 in

Carl Malmsten Console, Sweden, circa 1950s

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Located in New York, NY

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Located in Long Island City, NY

Ingmar Bergman owned one of these handsome "Stora salen" (Great Hall) tables. Designed in 1946 by Carl Malmsten, it possesses a graceful modernity. Many notable details: the wishbone...

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Console table by Carl Malmsten
Console table by Carl Malmsten

Console table by Carl Malmsten

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H 29.5 in W 53.75 in D 23.75 in

Console table by Carl Malmsten

By Carl Malmsten

Located in New York, NY

Elegant console table by Carl Malmsten for NK Sweden ca. 1930. Birch with darkened woods accent. Burned "CM" to underside with metal tag from NK. 53.75"L x 23.75"D x 29.5"H

Category

20th Century Swedish Carl Malmsten Console Tables

Materials

Birch

Carl Malmsten console tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Carl Malmsten console tables 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 Carl Malmsten console tables, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original console tables by Carl Malmsten were created in the Scandinavian Modern style in sweden during the 1950s. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider console tables by and Axel Einar Hjorth. Prices for Carl Malmsten console tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $5,391 and can go as high as $5,391, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $5,391.