Alvar Aalto Early ‘Mod. 31′ Armchair, Finland 1930s
About the Item
- Creator:Alvar Aalto (Designer),Wohnbedarf (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 24.81 in (63 cm)Width: 24.02 in (61 cm)Depth: 29.93 in (76 cm)Seat Height: 13 in (33 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1930s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Rotterdam, NL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1117235973642
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: Rotterdam , Netherlands
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- Luigi Caccia Dominioni armchair for Azucena, Italy ca. 1960By Luigi Caccia Dominioni, AzucenaLocated in Rotterdam, NLRare easy chair by Luigi Caccia Dominioni for Azucena, Italy ca. 1960. Strong yet elegant design created out of cylindrical and arch shapes which communicates in an interesting way. ...Category
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- French Art Deco reclining Lounge chair, 1930sLocated in Rotterdam, NLArt Deco reclining Lounge chair, France 1930s. Interesting powerful and masculine design made from solid French Oak. The structure shows many strong...Category
Vintage 1930s French Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMohair, Oak
- Philippe Starck 'Miss Dorn' chairs for Disform, 1982 - set of fourBy Philippe Starck, DisformLocated in Rotterdam, NLMiss Dorn chairs by Philippe Starck for Disform, 1982. Black coated tubular steel frames and round cylindrical black leather seats. The combination of their primary shapes and hard l...Category
Vintage 1980s French Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsSteel
- Yrjö Kukkapuro ‘Experiment’ Lounge Chair, Finland, 1980sBy Avarte, Finland 1, Yrjö KukkapuroLocated in Rotterdam, NLYrjö Kukkapuro easy chair from the 'Experiment series' for Avarte, Finland 1982. Experimental outspoken design hence the name 'experimental series', experimental yet restrained with ...Category
Vintage 1980s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsMetal, Chrome
- Gae Aulenti bed mod. ‘Tennis’ for Gavina, Italy 1972By Gavina, Gae AulentiLocated in Rotterdam, NLLarge king size bed by Gae Aulenti mod. ‘Tennis’ for Gavina, Italy 1972. Unique and iconic bed from the ‘Tennis‘ series referring to the round shapes and th...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Beds and Bed Frames
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Table lamp mod. ‘Galdino’ by Harvey Guzzini, Italy 1973By Carlo Urbinati, Harvey GuzziniLocated in Rotterdam, NLTable lamp mod. 'Galdino' by Carlo Urbinati for Harvey Guzzini, Italy 1973. Nice and playful design that can be placed in many different positions and heights. Primitive shapes which...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsChrome
- Early Model 402 Armchair by Alvar Aalto for Artek, Made in Finland, 1930sBy Alvar AaltoLocated in Detroit, MIThe Model 402 lounge chair or ‘Atelje’ chair was designed by Alvar and Aino Aalto in 1933 for and is considered a masterpiece of modernist furniture design. The Classic, well-balance...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Birch, Bentwood
- Rare, Early Alvar Aalto Model 31/42 Cantilevered Armchairs, Finland, 1930sBy Alvar AaltoLocated in London, GBRare, early Alvar Aalto model 31/42 cantilevered armchairs, Finland, 1930s, designed and produced in the 1930s. Painted birch-veneered bent plywoo...Category
Vintage 1930s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBirch, Plywood
- Alvar Aalto 31 ArmchairBy Alvar AaltoLocated in London, EnglandAlvar Aalto 31 armchair.Category
Vintage 1930s Italian Armchairs
MaterialsBentwood
- Rare Alvar Aalto Armchair No. 31, Early Example, circa 1934By Alvar AaltoLocated in Stockholm, SEAlvar Aalto armchair No. 31. Produced by Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Oy Turku, circa 1934-1935. Bent laminated birch frame, seat in laminated birch root veneer.Category
Vintage 1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBirch
- Alvar Aalto Armchairs with Black Straps, Finland, 1960'sBy Alvar AaltoLocated in Austin, TXModel 45 armchairs, designed in 1947 by Alvar Aalto and manufactured later by Artek. Beech frames and woven black nylon seat and back make a comfortable and sought after combination ...Category
Vintage 1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsNylon, Beech
- Early Alvar Aalto 'Model 2' Arm Chair, 1930By Alvar Aalto, O.Y.HuonekaluLocated in Los Angeles, CAOriginal early Alvar Aalto 'Model 2' armchair for O.Y. Huonekalu- ja Rakennustyötehdas A.B., in molded plywood and solid birch. Unrestored condition with partly significant wear. Lat...Category
Vintage 1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsPlywood
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.