“An object shall stand the wear of the eye!” proclaimed Swedish entrepreneur Sven Lundh (1925–2015), who took over operations at revered furniture company Källemo in 1971. For decades, the innovative brand has accomplished just that with a range of original and unconventional pieces that draw on — and regularly push the boundaries of — Scandinavian modern and postmodern design.
Based in Vänamo in southern Sweden, Källemo was originally established in 1947 before it was taken over by Lundh in 1971. Lundh’s vision for Källemo was to evolve the company and to create sustainable furniture that would be both functional and wholly sculptural. The interest in creating forward-looking seating, case pieces, tables and more that are as much furniture as they are art deepened for Lundh during the 1980s, when Swedish designers began to explore the ideas that underpin postmodernism in their work.
Lundh sought to secure long-term partnerships with modernist and postmodernist Swedish and European artists and designers such as Jonas Bohlin, the creator of the scandalous Concrete chair, which caught Lundh’s attention at Konstfack’s student exhibition in 1982. Bohlin’s minimalist armchair, featuring an angular steel frame and concrete seat and headrest, was meant to be presented as a sculpture, but it fit Lundh’s idea of “artistic furniture.” Källemo produced the Concrete chair as a limited-edition series, and it became one of the company’s best known pieces.
Over the years, Källemo has collaborated with Gustav Persson — designer of Källemo’s Bank bench — Mats Theselius, John Vedel-Rieper, Jens Harald Quistgaard, Gunnar Myrstrand and numerous other artists and designers to create its unique collection of furniture. In 1996, Lundh’s son Erik and daughter Karin took the helm at Källemo, which remains a family-owned firm. Today Källemo pieces are held in permanent museum collections throughout Sweden and Europe.
Find Källemo seating, tables, case pieces and storage cabinets on 1stDibs.
Concrete Chair Jonas Bohlin, Sweden, 1980s
By Källemo, Jonas Bohlin
Located in Stockholm, SE
Concrete and steel. Designed in 1980. Produced by Källemo, Sweden, 1987. Signed.
Concrete
$8,073 / item
Aluminium Easy Chair
By Mats Theselius, Källemo
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Mats Theselius designed the Aluminum armchair in 1990. Today it belongs to the real Swedish classics and is used extensively both in homes and in the public environment. Manufactured...
Leather, Foam
"El Rey" by Mats Theselius, 1999
By Mats Theselius, Källemo
Located in Stockholm, SE
Limited edition of 360 pcs produced 1999. This example is number 146. Brass frame. Seat and back in crocodile patterned prime leather. Leatherclothes-wound armrests.
Brass
$59,803 / set
Rare pair of "El Rey" by Mats Theselius, 1999
By Källemo, Mats Theselius
Located in Stockholm, SE
Brass frame, seat and back in crocodile patterned prime leather. Leatherclothes-wound armrests. Limited edition of 360 chairs produced in 1999. This is chair #234 and #235. Excellent...
Brass
$59,803 / set
Rare pair of "El Rey" by Mats Theselius, 1999
By Mats Theselius, Källemo
Located in Stockholm, SE
Brass frame, seat and back in crocodile patterned prime leather. Leatherclothes-wound armrests. Limited edition of 360 chairs produced in 1999. This is chair...
Brass
$18,957 / item
Bridland Easy Chair, Limited Edition
By Mats Theselius, Källemo
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Frame in birch, milled and chromed steel details, armrests in Corian, Tärnsjö leather. Frame in stainless steel, chromed frame and milled fittings, corian armrest, leather Indian re...
Steel
$59,803 / set
Rare pair of "El Rey" by Mats Theselius, 1999
By Källemo, Mats Theselius
Located in Stockholm, SE
Brass frame, seat and back in crocodile patterned prime leather. Leatherclothes-wound armrests. Limited edition of 360 chairs produced in 1999. Excellent condition.
Brass
$956 / item
NON Rubber Chair
By Källemo, Komplot Design
Located in Courbevoie, FR
If the comfort and credential of being in the permanent collection of the MoMA isn’t enough, I’m sure that the fact you can turn over this chair and show the credits to your friends ...
Rubber
$9,927 / item
Copy and Paste Chair, Limited Edition
By Källemo
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Oak, red, black, white and natural with poly carbonate plates. Limited edition of 99 pcs.
Oak
Italian Chairs - 1980s - Set of 4
By Mario Sabot
Located in Milano, IT
This set, consisting of 4 chairs, attributed to the production of the Sabot company, recently reupholstered in brown Alcantara, are made of gilded metal tubulars with a square cross-...
Metal
$201Sale Price / item|25% Off
H 23 in W 13.5 in D 15.7 in
Dietiker Rey Jr, Children Solid Wood Chair in Blue by Bruno Rey
By Dietiker, Bruno Rey
Located in Stein am Rhein, CH
Referred to as "the most successful piece of Swiss Furniture of all time" by the Swiss Museum of Design in Zurich, the Rey chair is a Swiss design icon since 1971. This is the children's version of the famous Rey chair that was designed in 1971. Designed by Bruno Rey, the Rey chair is famed internationally for its elegance and style. Like the original, the Junior edition is constructed with Dietiker’s patented screwless wood-to-metal connection. The solid execution and rounded edges are perfectly suited for children. The chair is made with care from solid beech wood, with die-cast aluminum consoles and glides. - rounded edges for children safety - timeless design - unique screwless patented wood-metal connection - Rey Junior chair...
Beech
$201Sale Price / item|25% Off
H 23 in W 13.5 in D 15.7 in
Dietiker Rey Junior Chair, Mid-Century Modern, Beech Wood, Designed by Bruno Rey
By Dietiker, Bruno Rey
Located in Stein am Rhein, CH
This is the children version of the famous Rey chair. Referred to as "the most successful piece of Swiss Furniture of all time" by the Swiss Museum of Design in Zurich, the Rey chair is a Swiss design icon since 1971. Designed by Bruno Rey, the Rey chair is famed internationally for its elegance and style. Like the original, the Junior edition is constructed with Dietiker’s patented screw less wood-to-metal connection. The solid execution and rounded edges are perfectly suited for children. The chair is made with care from solid beechwood, with die cast aluminum consoles and glides. - rounded edges for children safety - timeless design - unique screwless patented wood-metal connection - Rey Junior...
Beech
Mats Theselius PS Longue Chair For IKEA 1990.
By Mats Theselius
Located in Čelinac, BA
Mats Theselius PS Longue Rattan Chair for IKEA 1990
Rattan
Fritz Hansen Pair of Easy Chairs, Model 1669
By Fritz Hansen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Pair of Fritz Hansen easy chairs, model 1669, circa 1930s. Sculptural chairs re-upholstered in wool, legs of stained beech. All reupholstery work carried out with filling in organic ...
Sheepskin, Beech
Vintage Rey chair by Bruno Rey, 1971
By Dietiker, Bruno Rey
Located in Athens, Attiki
Vintage Very Red Rey chair designed by Bruno Rey, produced by Dietiker 1971. (Not Hay) Rey chair became one of the most iconic pieces of Swiss industrial design. Made of local beech ...
Wood, Beech
$1,736
H 32.68 in W 165.36 in D 20.48 in
Gaulinetta Chair, by Oscar Tusquets, Black, Lacquered, LIMITED EDITION
By Oscar Tusquets Blanca
Located in Barcelona, ES
Inspired by Enzo Mari and his Tonietta chair, Oscar Tusquets created an adaptation of his Gaulino: The Gaulinetta. Tusquets’ reduction of the Gaulino armrests generates a sleek mode...
Hide, Ash
Pedro Friedeberg Butterfly Chair. 1980s. Signed.
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Kansas City, MO
Original Pedro Friedeberg Butterfly Chair. Beautiful mix of hand painted colors. Some wear around the edges and light scratches, but no distractions. Great example.
Wood, Giltwood
Thonet Style Red Dining Chair, 1980s
Located in Ljubljana, SI
Thonet Style Red Dining Chair made by Dal Vera, Italy, 1980s. Made of bent beechwood and finished in bright red colour. The seat in cane/rattan. In o...
Cane, Hardwood, Bentwood
Mats Theselius IKEA PS Collection Nätön
By Mats Theselius
Located in Farsta, SE
Mats Theselius is arguably one of Swedens most influensal designers of his generation. And this was his first collaboration with IKEA PS Collection, Nätön. Mats Theselius rattan an...
Bamboo, Rattan
Viggo Boesen Easy Chair for E.V.A. Nissen & Co.
By Viggo Boesen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Rare Viggo Boesen rattan easy chair designed 1938 and made at E.V.A. Nissen & Co., Denmark.
Rattan
Concrete Chair Jonas Bohlin, 1980's
By Jonas Bohlin
Located in Uccle, BE
Iconic chair designed by Swedish designer Jonas Bohlin for Källemo. Signed by designer Provex JB. The chair was produced in 1981 and only 100 chairs were made.
Concrete, Cut Steel
Leather and Steel Scandinavian Desk Chair by Mats Theselius for Källemo
By Mats Theselius, Källemo
Located in Highclere, Newbury
Fully adjustable bespoke leather and steel desk chair by Mats Theselius for Källemo, Model 'Sheriff' Mats Theselius designed the 'Sheriff' chair as part of a suite of products for...
Steel
Concrete Chair by Jonas Bohlin
By Källemo
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Sculptural chair "Concrete" consisting of 2 cast concrete slabs enclosed by an iron pipe. Designed in 1981 as a departure project for the Art School's Ex...