Vintage Yngve Ekström furniture embodies the beauty and simplicity of the Scandinavian modern style. The Swedish designer, architect and woodworker created clean-lined hardwood pieces with sophisticated details and flourishes. He was known for his comfortable lounge chair designs as well as chic cocktail tables and handsome highboard cabinets.
Ekström was born in 1913 in Småland, home to Sweden’s oldest furniture factory, Hagafors Stolfabrik. After his father died, he began working at the factory. In 1945, Ekström and his older brother, Jerker Ekström, opened ESE Möbler, a furniture company headquartered in their hometown. In 1952, they received acclaim for their innovative Thema chair. The laminated veneer chair was packed flat for easy shipping so customers could assemble it at home. Ekström followed it with the 1955 Arka chair for the furniture manufacturer Stolab. A spindle backrest and spacious curved seat gave the chair comfort and style.
Ekström’s most popular design was the 1956 Lamino chair. Still in production, the minimalist wooden-frame chair features a sinuous and inviting profile with a high backrest. Looking back at his well-loved design, Ekström said: “To have designed one good chair might not be a bad life’s work.”
After Ekström’s brother left the company, he changed the name to Swedese. Ekström sold Swedese in 1974, but continued to design for it until he died in 1988. His furniture is in museum collections around the world, including the National Museum in Stockholm, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Victoria & Albert museum in London. In 1999, Swedish design magazine Sköna Hems named the Lamino chair the “20th-Century’s Best Swedish Furniture Design.”
Swedese, which still occupies its original building in Småland, partnered with artist Kustaa Saksi in 2017 to update the iconic Lamino chair.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Yngve Ekström seating, tables, storage cabinets and more.
Wooden Dish in Teak by Yngve Ekström, 1950s
By Yngve Ekström
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Wooden Dish in Teak by Yngve Ekström, 1950s Additional Information: Material: Wood Style: Scandinavian, Mid century Produced in Sweden Dimensions: (W x D ...
Wood, Teak
Wooden Dish by Yngve Ekström, 1950s
By Yngve Ekström
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Wooden Dish by Yngve Ekström, 1950s Additional Information: Material: Wood Style: Scandinavian, Mid century Produced in Sweden Dimensions: (W x D x H): 38...
Wood
Georges Jouve Ceramic "Apple" Dish, 1950s
By Georges Jouve
Located in Paris, FR
Georges Jouve's Ceramic cup or vide-poches " La pomme " signed Jouve & apollon mark on back in deep enamel. White cracked enamel with a turquoise/green/pink apple Measures: 17 cm ...
Ceramic
Rare 1950s Danish Teak Office Wastebasket
By Hans J. Wegner, Einar Barnes , Illums Bolighus
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Rare and hard to find Danish teak wastebasket, unknown designer.
Teak
Vintage 1950s Italian Enamelled Copper Dish
Located in Torquay, GB
Extraordinary vintage 1950s large copper centrepiece dish. Featuring a burst of multicoloured lava bubble with a textured surface. This is a good sized dish, ideal for coffee tables ...
Copper, Enamel
$407Sale Price|20% Off
H 1.19 in W 6.5 in D 7.49 in
Vintage Leaf Shaped Serving Dish by Stig Lindberg, Gustavsberg, 1950s
By Gustavsberg, Stig Lindberg
Located in Stockholm, SE
A serving dish in faience designed by Stig Lindberg at Gustavsbergs Studio in Stockholm, it is 19 x 16.5 cm (7.6" x 6.6") in diameter. It´s in excellent condition. This dish is paint...
Stoneware
1950s Silver Oval Tray or Dish
Located in London, GB
Continental silver oval dish or tray – perfect for bathroom display, serving dish or as a dressing-table accessory.
Silver
Stig Lindberg 1950s Stoneware Dish, Gustavsberg Studio, Black/Brown
By Stig Lindberg, Gustavsberg
Located in Stockholm, SE
A beautiful platter designed by Stig Lindberg at Gustavsbergs Studio in Stockholm, it is 30.5 cm (12.2") in diameter. It has a black/brown color an...
Stoneware
Stig Sandqvist Sculpted Teak Bowl, Sweden, 1950s
By Stig Sandqvist
Located in Karis, Nyland
This elegant small bowl by Stig Sandqvist showcases the organic modernism of 1950s Scandinavian design. Hand-carved from rich, golden teak, the piece is defined by its fluid, sculptu...
Teak
$1,079Sale Price|40% Off
H 4.34 in Dm 7.09 in
Vintage Italian Ceramic Candy Dish by Guido Gambone, circa 1950s
By Guido Gambone
Located in London, GB
Vintage Italian decorative ceramic candy dish attributed to Guido Gambone (circa 1950s). A flying saucer shaped dish with cover is painted with alte...
Ceramic
Georges Jouve Ceramic Dish, 1950s
By Georges Jouve
Located in Paris, FR
Georges Jouve's Ceramic cup or vide-poches "La Figue" signed with apollon mark Measures: 15 x 15 cm.
Ceramic
Ceramic Dish with Woman's Face Signed by Jacques Innocenti, 1950s
By Jacques Innocenti
Located in Paris, FR
Jacques Innocenti (1926-1958) was born in Paris, and moved to Vallauris as a pottery ceramicist in 1949. Plate or vide poche with woman 's face , Signed on back : Innocenti, Vallauri...
Ceramic
Grete Prytz Kittelsen, Dish, Enamel, Steel, Norway, 1950s
By Grete Prytz Kittelsen
Located in High Point, NC
A enamelled steel "Fjær" dish designed by Grete Prytz Kittelsen and produced by Cathrineholm, Norway, 1950s Wear consistent with age and use Overall Dimensions (inches): 1.0" Heigh...
Enamel, Steel
Dish Designed by Tapio Wirkkala, Finland, 1950s
By Tapio Wirkkala
Located in Stockholm, SE
Dish designed by Tapio Wirkkala, Finland, 1950s. Laminated birch. Signed. Dimensions: W: 19.4 cm/ 7 2/3" L: 36.7 cm/ 14 1/2" Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985) can be described as one of the icons of Finnish design and a symbol of the international success of post-war Finnish design. Tapio Wirkkala studied sculpture at the Helsinki Central School of Industrial Design from 1933 until 1936, but he was also a self-studied artist in many areas, including glass design. His success as a glass artist began in 1946 when he designed one of his most famous works, the Kantarelli vase, for Iittala. Wirkkala gained worldwide success in 1951 at the Milan Triennial, where he received three Grand Prix awards: for the exhibition architecture, glass design and wooden sculptures. Tapio Wirkkala felt a deep relationship with nature and his absolute favourite spot was located in Finland's deepest forests. From the beautiful landscape, Tapio Wirkkala could find inspiration for his works, often characterised by organic shapes. Leaves, birds, ice and water are recurring themes in his design. Tapio Wirkkala was also a furniture designer and a sculptor. He started his career as a sculptor in the 1930s but abandoned the traditional sculpture in the post-war years – in the early 1950s, alongside with other works, he started to develop an entirely new relationship with sculpture and a new technique to be used. The result was a series of unique plywood sculptures which combined form and movement in the vibrant, densely lineated surface of plywood. Wirkkala’s sculptures represented exceptional abstractism and gave Finnish sculpture...
Birch
Ceramic vessels by Yngve Blixt, Sweden, circa 1960
By Yngve Ekström
Located in New York, NY
Sculptural vessels by Swedish ceramic artist, Yngve Blixt for Höganäs. Dimensions: Left to right: 10" H, 7" H, 10" H, 22" H.
Ceramic