Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 21

Swedish Folk Art bridge bookshelf, designed by Petrus & Sture Lundström 1925

About the Item

A wonderful and skilfully executed piece of Swedish Folk Art. In 1925 readers of the Swedish family magazine Allérs familj-journal, would have found instructions for building this impressive towered suspension-bridge bookshelf, designed by Petrus and Sture Lundström, Tranās. They were then instructed to make the detailed Bookshelf from Wood, copper, paper and cord, using a high degree of skills to create this attractive Folk Art piece. Craft traditions have long been vibrant in Sweden, where the population was primarily rural through the late 1800s. Swedish children grew up learning handicrafts — carpentry, carving, knitting, weaving and sewing as household skills and used whatever materials were available to make their playthings. In spite of the fact that Sweden faced widespread famine and crippling poverty in the 19th century, these toys, like present a very pure, simple, kind of Disney-esque view of living in the countryside. They’re a way of revisiting childhood nostalgia and preserving and documenting the life of children. A great many such toys did not survive, however as in past centuries they were often discarded or burned as kindling, making this a rare and fine example which has been lovingly kept for nearly 100 years. In the mid-19th century, crafts, or slöjd, started to be taught in schools, to help children learn skills like attention to detail, self-reliance, problem solving and discipline. The courses were also intended to preserve Sweden’s traditions in the face of modernisation, and working with wood, which was plentiful, and was a particular focus. As Sweden began to modernize, “there was a renewed confidence, a growing nationalism and a romantic embrace of the countryside and Swedish identity. * * An abstract taken from the 1stdibs introspective-magazine/swedish-wooden-toys/ in which the Swedish Folk Art bridge bookshelf, designed by Petrus & Sture Lundström in 1925 features. Please note that the image depicting the directions for assembly are for illustration purposes only and do not come supplied with the bookshelf bridge. Weight 6.3kg We invite you to follow us and look at our Storefront for further 20th Century Design pieces. General note: Shipping quotes, as supplied by 1stdibs, are only indicative. Please contact us directly with your shipping requirements and we will source the most competitive shipment method (and rate) for every individual piece that is fully insured and professionally packed.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 13.19 in (33.5 cm)Width: 47.25 in (120 cm)Depth: 8.67 in (22 cm)
  • Style:
    Folk Art (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1925
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses.
  • Seller Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU2868336485312

More From This Seller

View All
Large Rörstrand Ashtray Table by Gunnar Nylund, 1950s Swedish Ceramic, Signed
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in London, GB
Large Rörstrand Ashtray Table by Gunnar Nylund, 1950s Swedish Ceramic, Signed A large and distinctive ashtray table produced by Rörstrand, Sweden, in the 1950s. Designed by Gunnar N...
Category

Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Ashtrays

Materials

Ceramic

Mid-Century Modern Danish Designed Teak Tray by Jens Quistgaard Made by Dansk
By Jens Quistgaard, Dansk
Located in London, GB
A Mid-Century Modern (Scandinavian Modern) Danish teak tray designed by Jens Quistgaard for Dansk of the USA. A Teak tray designed by the highly regarded and very collected Jens H...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Platters and Serveware

Materials

Teak

Original Barcelona Summer Olympic Poster 1992 Designed by Addison
Located in London, GB
The 1992 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad and commonly known as Barcelona '92, were an international multi-sport even...
Category

1990s Spanish Modern Posters

Materials

Paper

Large Rörstrand Ashtray by Gunnar Nylund, 1950s Swedish Ceramic, Organic Form
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in London, GB
Large Rörstrand Ashtray by Gunnar Nylund, 1950s Swedish Ceramic, Organic Form A striking large ashtray, shell-like in its design, produced by the esteemed Swedish ceramic maker Rörs...
Category

Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Ashtrays

Materials

Ceramic

Scandinavian Modern Swedish Bowl by Carl Harry Stalhane and Maker Rorstrand
By Carl-Harry Stålhane, Rörstrand
Located in London, GB
Swedish ceramic artist Carl-Harry Stålhane (1920- 1990) played a major role in popularizing Swedish pottery during the 20th century, working for more than three decades at Rörstrand, one of the oldest ceramics manufacturers in Europe. During his long tenure at Rörstrand, Stålhane was responsible for small-batch studio pieces, mass-produced tableware , and all manner of decorative accessories . Born in 1920 in Mariestad, Sweden, Stålhane began working at Rörstrand in 1939 as a decorative painter, assisting Danish-Finnish ceramic artist, designer, and sculptor Gunnar Nylund (1904-1997). During this time, Stålhane decorated various ceramic pieces, most notably Nylund’s Flambé range (1939s), quickly establishing himself as a talented ceramic artist. Inspired by the desire for new products during the postwar economic boom, Stålhane went from being a talented decorator to an exceptional ceramic artist. In 1943, Stålhane caught the eye of Swedish artist Isaac Grünewald (1889-1946), who was visiting Rörstrand. Grünewald was so impressed with Stålhane’s work that he took him on as a student, and from 1943 to 1946, Stålhane studied art at Grünewald's Art School in Stockholm. Subsequently from 1947 until 1948, he studied sculpture at Académie Colarossi in Paris. During the 1950s, Stålhane’s work appeared in several solo exhibitions in Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. His Blanca Tableware range (c. 1955) won numerous international prizes and was in high-demand. In 1958, Stålhane succeeded Nylund as Artistic Director and Chief Designer at Rörstrand. In 1960, Stålhane unveiled a new collection at Stockholm’s Galerie Blanche. Featuring dark stoneware pieces made from local clays, this collection represented a bold departure from the soft, restrained shapes of the 1950s. It has since been praised for its precient aesthetic that would influence the look of ceramics for more than a decade. From 1963 until 1971, Stålhane taught ceramics at the Art Industrial School in Gothenburg. For a short time, he also was the Design Director at the Swedish factory Upsala Ekeby, which in addition to porcelain, produced tile, brick, and glass. Stålhane eventually left Rörstrand in 1973 in order to establish his own ceramic company, Designhuset, in Lidköping, where he further experimented with local clays and minerals. Stålhane continued to work until his death in 1990. Today, Designhuset is a school for ceramists and model-makers. Over the course of his career, Stålhane created several public works for The Commerce Trust Company in Kansas City, Missouri, and for Volvo in Gothenburg, Sweden. His work is represented at several international museums, including Stockholm’s Nationalmuseum and New York’s MoMA. Rörstrand is the second oldest brand of ceramics in Europe and can be found in homes all across Sweden and Europe. Rörstrand’s long legacy includes some of Europe’s most iconic ceramics collections including Swedish Grace, Mon Amie, Ostindia, Filippa...
Category

Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic, Stoneware, Pottery

Original 1992 Barcelona Olympic Poster Designed by Jean-Michel Folon
By Jean-Michel Folon
Located in London, GB
Jean-Michel Folon (1 March 1934 – 20 October 2005) was a Belgian artist, illustrator, painter, and sculptor The first exhibition of his watercolors was in New York in 1969 in the Lefebre Gallery. One year later he exhibited in Tokyo and in the Il Milione gallery in Milan. He also participated in the XXVth Venice Biennale. In 1973 he joined the selection of Belgian artists in the XXVth São Paulo Biennale, where he was granted the Grand Prize in Painting. Over the years his work concentrated on different techniques, including watercolor, etching, silkscreen, illustrations, mosaics, and stained glass, which showed the diversity of his art. His work Ein Baum stirbt - Un albero muore, 1974, is by Museo Cantonale d’Arte [de] of Lugano. He also designed numerous posters, often for humanitarian causes. Around 1988 he created his first sculptures made out of wood. He then moved on to creating sculptures in clay, plaster, bronze and marble, while continuing to paint. Several museums dedicated exhibitions to him, among them the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 1971, the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam in 1976, the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London in 1977, the Musée Picasso in Antibes...
Category

1990s Belgian Modern Posters

Materials

Paper

You May Also Like

Antique Child's Folk Art Sleigh
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Handmade antique child's wood Folk Art sleigh.
Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Folk Art Toys

Materials

Wood

Mexican Folk Art Woodcarving Guelaguetza Folkloric Art Oaxaca
By Manuel Cruz Prudencio
Located in Queretaro, Queretaro
One of a kind piece by master artisans, husband and wife Manuel and Ruby Cruz, represents a lifetime of dedication to the art of wood carving. Beautiful Folk Art sculpture of the tra...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Folk Art Toys

Materials

Acrylic, Wood

Great Folk Art Elephant Riding Toy
Located in Branford, CT
Exceptional folk art child's ride-on toy elephant with head-turning mechanism. Carved wood with original, beautifully executed paint. Original cording tail, fabric trunk, and leather...
Category

Antique 1890s American Folk Art Toys

Materials

Fabric, Wood, Paint

Folk Art Wood Horse Pull Toy
Located in Garnerville, NY
Fantastic hand crafted carved wood horse pull toy. Possibly made from scraps of wood during the Depression Era resembling a Trojan Horse of sorts. Carv...
Category

Early 20th Century American Folk Art Toys

Materials

Pine

Folk Art Wood Horse Pull Toy
$680 Sale Price
20% Off
Folk Art Steamship of Large-Scale
Located in Buchanan, MI
Charming Folk Art steamship of impressive scale.
Category

Early 20th Century American Folk Art Models and Miniatures

Materials

Wood

Folk Art Steamship of Large-Scale
$1,120 Sale Price
20% Off
Weathered Folk Art Miniature Shop Counter 1950s
Located in Meer, VAN
Weathered Folk Art Miniature Shop Counter, Europe, 1950s. This miniature shop counter likely started its life as a well loved toy. Now is a very attractive decorative folk art piece...
Category

Mid-20th Century European Folk Art Toys

Materials

Wood

Recently Viewed

View All