During the mid-20th century, Finnish furniture designer Ilmari Tapiovaara worked with pine, teak and his country’s native birch to create sleek and sculptural chairs, dining room tables and bookcases in the Scandinavian modern style. Tapiovaara’s areas of expertise expanded beyond furniture to include interior architecture, wooden sculptures, film posters and cutlery.
After completing his studies at the Central School of Applied Arts in Helsinki, Tapiovaara embarked on a design career that would envelop his entire life. As a young man, Tapiovaara idolized revered architect and furniture designer Alvar Aalto — whom, with his wife, Aino Aalto, cofounded Artek, the company that would eventually manufacture the majority of Tapiovaara’s creations. The budding designer had one of Aalto’s chairs in his apartment while he was a student. After graduating, he worked as an assistant in an office at Le Corbusier, then as a designer and artistic director at Asko.
By 1951, Tapiovaara and his wife, Annikki, had established their own studio. A few years previous, the pair had designed the now-legendary Domus chair while creating interiors and furnishings for a new student housing complex in Helsinki. Made of molded plywood and easily stackable, the ergonomic Domus chair, with its slender form, featured a modest silhouette — its lightweight structure allowed for easy exporting, and iconic mid-century modern furniture manufacturer Knoll added a low-backed version to its offerings in the early 1950s. (It was marketed as the Finn chair in the United States.)
Tapiovaara went on to design pieces for Pihlgren ja Ritola and Santa and Cole. His experience earned him teaching positions at the Institute of Applied Arts, the Helsinki University of Technology and the Illinois Institute of Technology. While in Chicago for the latter, he worked in the office of Mies van der Rohe.
Tapiovaara centered his passion for design on social responsibility. He wanted his creations to be accessible to everyone, which was the concept behind his democratic approach. In Finland’s postwar era, the goal was exemplary, affordable designs. With this in mind, he created products such as stackable chairs and “knock-down” pieces packed flat, so they shipped efficiently and cost less.
An influential champion of his profession, he spent two decades as a United Nations ambassador, working to improve design’s contribution to society. His lasting, collectible furniture is a testament to the designer’s goal to create humane, radiant and intimate spaces. The United Nations project included traveling to Paraguay to create much-needed furniture. A similar project followed in Mauritius.
Tapiovaara’s success as an industrial and mass producer of everyday furniture was widely recognized and awarded. He received six gold medals for his chairs alone at the Milan Triennials. He also accepted a Good Design award, the Finnish State Design Award, a prize from the Finnish Culture Foundation and the Furniture Prize of the SIO Interior Architects’ Association of Finland.
Find vintage Ilmari Tapiovaara seating, tables and lighting on 1stDibs.
Pair of Mid-Century Teak Drawer Chests, Ilmari Tapiovaara for Asko, 1950s
By Ilmari Tapiovaara, Asko
Located in Helsinki, FI
A very elegant and distinct pair of teak drawer units designed by Ilmari Tapiovaara and manufactured by Asko in Finland in the 1950s. Among Tapiovaara’s most popular designs, admired...
Teak, Birch
Mid-Century Ilmari Tapiovaara Teak Drawer Chest for Asko, 1950s
By Asko, Ilmari Tapiovaara
Located in Helsinki, FI
A very elegant and distinct teak drawer/sideboard designed by Ilmari Tapiovaara and manufactured by Asko in Finland in the 1950s. One of the most iconic designs by Ilmari Tapiovaara,...
Teak
Sideboard in Teak, Black Lacquered, Mirrored Glass and Glass, 1957-1958
By Ilmari Tapiovaara
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Sideboard in Teak, Black Lacquered, Mirrored Glass and Glass by Ilmari Tapiovaara, 1957-1958 Additional Information: Material: Teak, black lacquered, ...
Brass
$10,382
H 31.89 in W 88.19 in D 19.69 in
Contemporary Architectural Lacquered Sideboard/Antique Brass Base
Located in New York, NY
Sideboard with 4 doors, inside shelf and metal base. Cabinet is lacquered with top veneer walnut, metal base in epoxy powder. Custom sizes and finishes upon request. Top is also of...
Metal
Mid-Century Folding Bar Cabinet, Italy circa 1950s
Located in New York, NY
An Italian modernist folding bar cabinet. Bar folds open in the middle and is finished on all sides to be free standing. Mahogany, teak, patinated...
Mahogany
Danish Teak Cabinet , 1950s
Located in New York, NY
Cabinet on tapered legs, front with two doors, behind which shelves and pull-out trays. Denmark, middle of the 20th century.
Teak
Italian mid-century modern wooden bar cabinet, 1950s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century modern wooden bar cabinet, 1950s Bar cabinet with a dark wood structure. The front is composed of nine square yellow lacquered wooden panels, each featuring a rai...
Wood
$2,039Sale Price|20% Off
H 47.25 in W 34.65 in D 16.93 in
Cees Braakman CB06 Cabinet for Pastoe, Teak and Beech, 1950s
By Cees Braakman
Located in Balen, BE
A Mid-Century linnen cabinet 'model CB06', designed by Cees Braakman in the 1950s and manufactured by Pastoe in the Netherlands. This is a rare example in the birchwood series with...
Birch, Teak
J.C. Mahey Brass Black Lacquered Sideboard Bar Cabinet 1970s
By Roche Bobois, Jean Claude Mahey
Located in Paris, IDF
A timeless vintage piece, this mid-century cabinet bar sideboard feels imposing and glamourous, with thick, straight lines of brass adorning its exterior of reflective black lacquer. Glossy black lacquer, paired with bright brass accents, feels crisp and luxe. Its boxy, simple style, featuring four doors and one drawers, is typical of both the 1970s and designer Jean Claude Mahey for Roche Bobois design. The two external doors...
Brass
Pair of Oak Cabinets, Spain, 1950s
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
J.A.D.A Galerie presents: A pair of Spanish cabinets from the middle of the twentieth century, built in the carpentry tradition of the northern provinces, where domestic furniture k...
Iron
$48,371
H 63.78 in W 206.7 in D 13 in
Ilmari Tapiovaara 'Palan' Bookshelf for Asko, Finnish Design, 1957
By Ilmari Tapiovaara, Asko
Located in Diest, BE
This monumental bookshelf "Pala" or "Palan" is by Finnish designer Ilmari Tapiovaara (1914-1999) for Asko, Finland 1950's. Expositions: The exhibition of industrial form, Helsinki ...
Wood, Teak
Pair of Severin Hansen Rosewood Nightstands, 1950s
By Severin Hansen, Haslev Mobelsnedkeri
Located in London, England
Severin Hansen, Rosewood Bedside Nightstand, 1950s. Pair of bedside tables with single, oak-lined slim drawers. Produced by Haslev Mobelsnedkeri, Denmark in highly figured rosewood ...
Rosewood
$14,327 / set
H 20.48 in W 23.63 in D 14.18 in
Kai Kristiansen Pair of Danish Rosewood Nightstands, 1950s
By Aksel Kjersgaard, Kai Kristiansen
Located in London, England
Kai Kristiansen - Model 384 Rosewood Nightstand, c1950s An exquisite pair of rosewood bedside cabinets, produced by cabinetmaker Aksel Kjaersgaard in Odder, Denmark circa 1950s. Thi...
Rosewood
$10,712 / set
H 33.27 in W 70.87 in D 11.82 in
Guillerme et Chambron Mid-Century Pair of Oak Bookcases, France, 1950s
By Guillerme et Chambron
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Jada Galerie presents: Guillerme et Chambron Mid-Century Pair of Oak Bookcases, France, 1950s. This pair of French low bookcases is composed as a play of solid and void. In each uni...
Oak
$4,950
H 35.44 in W 35.44 in D 18.9 in
Hvidt & Mølgaard Nielsen for Søborg Møbelfabrik Chest of Drawers in Teak
By Hvidt & Mølgaard
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for Søborg Møbelfabrik, chest of drawers, teak, Denmark, 1950s. This chest of drawers executed in solid teak is a design by the Danish designers ...
Teak
Bodil Kjær 1950s Rosewood 2-Drawer Cabinet
By Bodil Kjaer
Located in San Francisco, CA
designed in 1959 by Bodil Kjær to accompany her iconic ‘James Bond’ desk in a well-figured and deeply patinated rosewood; manufacrtured by E. Pedersen & Søn for Jason Møbler; fitted ...
Rosewood
Arne Vodder Mid Century Danish Teak Chest of Drawers, Circa 1950s
By Arne Vodder, Sibast
Located in Germantown, MD
A rare danish teak chest of drawers by Arne Vodder for Sibast Mobelfabrik, 1950s. This elegant Danish Modern fine-drawer chest on chest of drawers is in very good vintage condition. ...
Brass
Contemporary Sideboard in Walnut and White Ceramic Top
Located in New York, NY
Sideboard in American walnut veneer with 4 push-pull doors, inside glass shelf and metal base. Metal stripe in the middle of the cabinet in dark bronze finish. Base finish: Dark br...
Metal
Sold
H 51.19 in W 79.14 in D 17.33 in
Ilmari Tapiovaara Wood Cabinet Chest of Drawers for Selettiva Di Cantù 1950s
By Ilmari Tapiovaara, La Permanente Mobili Cantù
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
Midcentury modern design large chest of drawers or cabinet, designed by Finnish designer Ilmari Tapiovaara for Selettiva di Cantù, wooden structure with two large sliding doors and modular drawers...
Brass