Alvar Aalto, Wardrobe from Paimio Sanatorium, 1932
View Similar Items
Alvar Aalto, Wardrobe from Paimio Sanatorium, 1932
About the Item
- Creator:Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy (Manufacturer),Alvar Aalto (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 80.32 in (204 cm)Width: 31.5 in (80 cm)Depth: 11.82 in (30 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1932
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Uppsala, SE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3440318619902
Alvar Aalto
An architect and designer, Alvar Aalto deserves an immense share of the credit for bringing Scandinavian modernism to a prominent place in the global arena. In both his buildings and in his vintage furniture — which ranges from chairs, tables and lighting to table- and glassware — Aalto’s sensitivity to the natural world and to organic forms and materials tempered the hardness of rationalist design.
Relatively few Aalto buildings exist outside Finland. (Just four exist in the United States, and only one — the sinuous 1945 Baker House dormitory at M.I.T. — is easily visited.) International attention came to Aalto, whose surname translates to English as “wave,” primarily through his furnishings.
Instead of the tubular metal framing favored by the Bauhaus designers and Le Corbusier, Aalto insisted on wood. His aesthetic is best represented by the Paimio armchair, developed in 1930 as part of his overall design of a Finnish tuberculosis sanatorium. Comfortable, yet light enough to be easily moved by patients, the chair’s frame is composed of two laminated birch loops; the seat and back are formed from a single sheet of plywood that scrolls under at the headrest and beneath the knees, creating a sort of pillow effect. Aalto’s use of plywood had enormous influence on Charles and Ray Eames, Arne Jacobsen, Marcel Breuer and others who later came to the material.
Concerned with keeping up standards of quality in the production of his designs, Aalto formed the still-extant company Artek in 1935, along with his wife, Aino Aalto, whose glass designs were made by the firm. In the latter medium, in 1936 the Aaltos together created the iconic, undulating Savoy vase, so-called for the luxe Helsinki restaurant for which the piece was designed.
Artek also produced Aalto pendants and other lighting designs, many of which — such as the Angel’s Wing floor lamp and the Beehive pendant — incorporate a signature Aalto detail: shades made of concentric enameled-metal rings graduated down in diameter. The effect of the technique is essential Alvar Aalto: at once precise, simple, and somehow poetic.
Find a collection of vintage Alvar Aalto stools, vases, dining tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- Chest of Drawers by Ole Wanscher for A.J. Iversen, 1940sBy A. J. Iversen, Ole WanscherLocated in Uppsala, SEChest of drawers or tall boy with curved front and eight drawers designed by Ole Wanscher for A.J. Iversen in the 1940s. Made of walnut and red beech with metal handles. Very good co...Category
Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsMetal
- Swedish Art Nouveau Creamware Vase from Rörstrand, 1910sBy RörstrandLocated in Uppsala, SELarge creamware vase / urn manufactured by Swedish porcelain gigant Rörstrand in the early part of the 20th century. It has a green/blue glaze that fades from a dark to light. Inside...Category
Early 20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vases
MaterialsCreamware
- Mid-century female mannequin from Siegel & Stockman, Paris, 1950sBy Siegel ParisLocated in Uppsala, SEVery decorative female mid-century mannequin made by Siegel for Stockmann, Paris, size 46. The torso stands on a tripod wooden base of birch or beech. The whole construction is demou...Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Sculptures and Carvings
MaterialsFabric, Birch
- Swedish Mid-Century Teak Chest of Drawers by Treman, 1960sBy TremanLocated in Uppsala, SEMid-century teak chest of drawers with 5 drawers and round brass handles made by Swedish company Treman in the 1960s. The lower part of the lags has a darker staining which makes a n...Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsBrass
- Swedish mid-century Zebrano chest of drawers, ca 1950sLocated in Uppsala, SESwedish mid-century Zebrano chest of drawers in a minimalist style. Unusual detail of the lowest drawer that is slightly curved at the bottom which makes the overall shape a bit mor...Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsWood
- Swedish Modern Pyramid Mahogany Chest of Drawers, ca 1940sLocated in Uppsala, SESwedish Modern chest of drawers in book matched Pyramid Mahogany from the 1940s. Very nice mahogany pattern on the frontside of the three equally size...Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsMetal
- Alvar and Aino Aalto A820 WardrobeBy Alvar Aalto, Aino AaltoLocated in 東御市, JPalvar and aino aalto design wardrobe. This is very rare not on the vintage market. Like museum piece.Category
Vintage 1940s Finnish Modern Wardrobes and Armoires
MaterialsBirch
$20,000 Sale Price20% Off - Pankalangu Wardrobe by Trent Jansen from the Broached Monster CollectionBy Trent JansenLocated in Beverly Hills, CABroached monsters by Trent Jansen. The vast majority of mainstream Australian mythology commonly used as a foundation for Australian identity is culturally exclusive. Both Indigenous myths, including post-colonial myths and precolonial dreaming stories, and non-indigenous Australian myths, including the bush legend, ANZAC tradition and convict legend, focus on the historical role that the race of authorship has played in building the nation. However, a contemporary understanding of Australian history...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Wardrobes and Armoires
MaterialsBrass, Copper
- 18th Century Baroque Oak Wood Wardrobe / Cabinet from GermanyLocated in Darmstadt, DEThis big Baroque wardorbe from Germany is made 1747. This cabinet is made of solid oak with walnut fillings in the doors. All locks, fittings and the key are original. The cabinet i...Category
Antique Mid-18th Century German Baroque Wardrobes and Armoires
MaterialsOak, Walnut
$10,764 Sale Price21% Off - Pankalangu Wardrobe by Trent Jansen from the Broached Monster CollectionBy Trent JansenLocated in Beverly Hills, CABroached monsters by Trent Jansen. The vast majority of mainstream Australian mythology commonly used as a foundation for Australian identity is culturally exclusive. Both Indigeno...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Wardrobes and Armoires
MaterialsBrass, Copper
- French 19th Century Louis XV Style Armoire or Wardrobe from NormandyLocated in Miami, FLSteeped in history, this captivating French 19th Century Louis XV Style Wedding Armoire from Normandy is crafted from warm French white oak, embodies the charm of the Louis XV style. The ornately carved frieze and raised panels showcase a graceful interplay of delicate floral and leaf motifs, hinting at the springtime of marriage. A touching detail, a centrally carved heart adorns the shaped apron, a traditional symbol of love gifted to newlyweds. Gleaming brass hardware and an original lock and key complete the picture of enduring quality. This French 19th Century Louis XV Style Armoire boasts two interior shelves, this heirloom piece not only whispers stories of the past but also offers functional storage for cherished belongings in your modern home. Our French 19th Century Louis XV Style Oak Armoire or Wardrobe is a perfect piece of furniture for clothing, bed and bath linens...Category
Antique 19th Century French Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
$5,390 Sale Price30% Off - Light Yellow 2-Door Wardrobe in Ash WoodBy Éric GizardLocated in Landivy, FRShelf Cabinet designed by the parisian Designer Eric Gizard is equipped with 2 adjustable lacquered shelves and 2 doors with a push loose opening. The Kube itself (without the fe...Category
2010s French Scandinavian Modern Cabinets
MaterialsWood, Ash
$2,195 / item
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The Very Modern Love Story of Mid-Century Design Duo Alvar and Aino Aalto
A power couple before the term existed, the influential pair made work that still resonates today.
What Makes Scandinavian Modernism and Nordic Design So Irresistible?
Andrew Duncanson, founder of the Stockholm- and London-based gallery Modernity, weighs in on the masters of mid-century furniture and decorative arts.