Alvar Aalto 401 Wingback Chair by Artek Finland, 1970s
About the Item
- Creator:Alvar Aalto (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 32.68 in (83 cm)Width: 24.81 in (63 cm)Depth: 25.99 in (66 cm)Seat Height: 13.39 in (34 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1970s
- Condition:Reupholstered. Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU5317232498872
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: London, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Alvar Aalto, Solid Birch Bentwood Stackable E60 Pascoe Stool for Artek, 1960'sBy Alvar AaltoLocated in London, GBThis is a rare piece deigned by Alvar Aalto. Boasting elegant simplicity, this piece encapsulates the beauty of mid century Modernist design. About the designer: As one of the key...Category
Vintage 1960s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsBirch
- Alvar Aalto Hallway Chair, Model No.403, Finmar 1930'sBy Alvar AaltoLocated in London, GBAn early and exceptionally rare Alvar Aalto Hallway chair, which was originally designed for the Paimio Sanitorium. Bent ply seating rests on...Category
Vintage 1930s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsBentwood
- Alvar Aalto, Pair of Armchairs Model 402 for Finmar, 1930'sBy Alvar AaltoLocated in London, GBWith bent beechwood sculptural frame and cantilevered wooden design, these chairs are a classic Aalto, encapsulating the beauty of mid-Century modernism. They armchairs have been n...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Art Deco Chairs
MaterialsBeech
- Pair of Murano Glass Wall Sconces by Kalmar, 1970s AustriaBy Kalmar LightingLocated in London, GBAn amazing and rare pair of Murano glass wall sconces by Kalmar, 1970s Austria. The glass is clear with white marbling held by brass brackets on a metal back plate. Recently re...Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsMurano Glass
- Rare Mid Century Brass Arch Floor Lamp by Florian Shulz, Germany, 1970sBy Florian SchulzLocated in London, GBA Rare Mid 20th century Brass arch floor lamp by Florian Shulz, Germany, cira 1970s. A heavy and high quality piece, this lamp features an adjus...Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- Vintage Hillebrand Glass Pendant Ceiling Light, 1970sBy HillebrandLocated in London, GBVintage Hillebrand glass pendant ceiling light, 1970's Germany. This beautiful and rare light Features 8 elegant frosted glass shades ha...Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsGlass
- Wingback 36/401 cantilever lounge chair by Alvar Aalto for ArtekBy Artek, Alvar AaltoLocated in Kleinburg, ONThe 36/401 Wingback Lounge Chair by Alvar Aalto for Artek is a classic example of Scandinavian modernism. Designed in 1933, this chair features a cantilevered frame made of laminated...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Birch, Bentwood
- Alvar Aalto Armchair Model 401, ArtekBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Helsinki, FIA beautiful original Alvar Aalto armchair model 401, which was first designed in 1933. The 401 chair was part of the iconic Paimio Sanatorium that basically launched the Aalto name t...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Birch
- Alvar Aalto Pair of Artek Cantilever Armchairs Model 401, 1950sBy Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy, Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Helsinki, FIA beautiful pair of mid-century Alvar Aalto cantilever 'spring' chairs model 401. This chair is similar to the iconic one known as Pikkupaimio (small paimio) but with a higher back a...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Pair of Alvar Aalto Armchair 45, Produced by Artek, 1970sBy Artek, Alvar AaltoLocated in Stockholm, SEProduced during the 1970s by Artek, Finland. Good vintage condition with signs of patina and usage.Category
Vintage 1970s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBirch, Cane
- Vintage Model 401 Armchair by Alvar AaltoBy Alvar AaltoLocated in London, GBAn iconic and rare vintage model 401 armchair by Alvar Aalto. This was made in Finland by Artek, it dates from around the 1970’s. It is of exceptional quality and is extremely comfo...Category
Vintage 1970s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBouclé, Bentwood
- Pair of Model 401 Alvar Aalto Wing ChairsBy Alvar AaltoLocated in Stamford, CTA pair of laminated birch wood wingback armchairs designed by Alvar Aalto. Unmarked but presumed to be produced by Arte in the 1970s. Newly upholstered i...Category
Vintage 1970s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
MaterialsBirch
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.