Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 15

Elsa Gullberg Armchair in Taupe Velvet and Elm, Sweden, Late 1930s

$11,142.74
£8,293.50
€9,300
CA$15,262.76
A$16,975.52
CHF 8,864.09
MX$206,574.06
NOK 113,207.96
SEK 106,169.10
DKK 70,797.65
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

This rare armchair was produced by AB Elsa Gullberg in the late 1930s. The organically shaped arms of the chair and the carved, tapered legs give the chair a sculptural and modern feel. The chair is upholstered in a taupe/grayish velvet fabric, the legs are in solid elm wood. This design was exhibited at several important exhibitions at the time: Liljevalchs, Stockholm 1936, Paris World Fair 1937 and at Vi Bo in Ribbershus, 1938. The architects Rolf Engströmer, Carl Axel Acking, Nils Ahrbom and Helge Zimdal all worked for Elsa Gullberg at this time. Elsa Gullberg herself also designed some furniture pieces. Elsa Gullberg (1886-1984) Swedish textile artist Elsa Gullberg studied art and design in Stockholm in the early 1900s. In 1927 she started her own firm Elsa Gullberg Textilier, initially intending to design both handwoven and machine made carpets and upholstery materials. Not only did she create and produce individual home items, her firm also took on major public projects such as creating the entire interior of the luxurious Swedish cruise liner MS Kungsholm in 1928. This effectively made Gullberg the first interior decorator in Sweden, establishing her reputation for reliability, an awareness of current style and quiet elegance. She was very actively involved in the Swedish Society of Crafts and Design, who believed that well-designed goods should be produced by the industry in order to be affordable for everyone. Gullberg was a committee member of the Liljevalchs Exhibition in 1917 and of the influential 1930 Stockholm exhibition. One of the few women in a male dominated field, Elsa Gullberg was an influential pioneering figure who can be regarded as one of the forerunners of the Swedish Modern era. Literature references Form: Svenska slöjdföreningens tidskrift, Svenska slöjdföreningen, Stockholm, 1938. sp 156-188. Svenska Slöjdföreningen archive AB Elsa Gullberg company archive.
  • Creator:
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 31.89 in (81 cm)Width: 30.71 in (78 cm)Depth: 29.53 in (75 cm)Seat Height: 15.75 in (40 cm)
  • Style:
    Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Late 1930s
  • Condition:
    Reupholstered. Wear consistent with age and use. Very good condition, recently reupholstered in a taupe/grayish velvet fabric.
  • Seller Location:
    The Hague, NL
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1803315615142

More From This Seller

View All
Paul Boman Wingback Chair in Pearl Bouclé Fabric and Beech, Finland, 1940s
By Paul Boman
Located in The Hague, NL
This rare armchair was designed by Paul Boman and produced by his company Oy Paul Boman AB in Finland in the 1940s. The design offers a nice contrast between the curved lines of the ...
Category

Vintage 1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Bouclé, Upholstery, Beech

Axel Larsson Armchair in Bouclé and Mahogany, Sweden, 1940s
By Axel Larsson, SMF Svenska Möbelfabriken Bodafors, Slagelse Mobelvaerk
Located in The Hague, NL
This rare armchair was designed by Axel Larsson and produced in Sweden in the 1940s. The elegant and dynamic design is formed by the curved shape of the armrests and backrest. The le...
Category

Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Wool, Bouclé, Upholstery, Wood

Sven Staaf Easy Chair in Pierre Frey Linen and Elm, Almgren & Staaf, Sweden 1953
By La Maison Pierre Frey, Sven Staaf, Almgren & Staaf
Located in The Hague, NL
This rare easy chair was designed by Sven Staaf in the early 1950s. This particular model number 1765 was manufactured by Almgren & Staaf in Helsingborg, Sw...
Category

Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Linen, Upholstery, Elm

Runar Engblom Armchair Designed for Hotel Vaakuna Helsinki, Boman, Finland, 1951
By Boman OY, Runar Engblom
Located in The Hague, NL
This rare armchair was designed by Runar Engblom for the Vaakuna Hotel in Helsinki in 1951. The chair was specifically produced for the hotel interior by the Finnish manufacturer Bom...
Category

Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Upholstery, Ash

Rare Carl Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs Armchair, Hiort Tuote Puunveisto, Finland, 1940s
By Hiort Tuote Puunveisto, Carl Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs
Located in The Hague, NL
This exceptionally rare armchair was designed by Carl Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs in the 1940s and produced by his company, Hiort Tuote Puunveisto, in Finland. It is one of Hiort af Ornäs'...
Category

Vintage 1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Upholstery, Velvet, Beech

Exceptional Guglielmo Ulrich Armchair in Velvet and Fluted Walnut, Italy, 1940s
By Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in The Hague, NL
This exceptionally rare armchair was designed by Guglielmo Ulrich in the 1940s. The elegant design is marked by the distinct, curved lines of the winged backrest and the rounded li...
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Velvet, Walnut

You May Also Like

Ilmari Lappalainen 'Laila' Armchair in Espresso Sheepskin, 1950s
By Asko, Ilmari Lappalainen
Located in Prague, New Town
Finnish 'Laila' armchair, model '238', designed by Ilmari Lappalainen. Manufactured by Asko in Finland, 1950s. Wooden legs, newly upholstered in Espresso sheepskin. Dimensions: Heig...
Category

Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Sheepskin, Wood

Kerstin Hörlin-Holmqvist "Stora Eva" Armchair by Nordiska Kompaniet Sweden 1950s
By Kerstin Horlin Holmquist, NK (Nordiska Kompaniet)
Located in Stockholm, SE
Very rare Swedish mid century armchair model "Stora Eva" by Kerstin Hörlin-Holmqvist from the "Triva" series produced by Nordiska Kompaniet Sweden, 1950s. In good vintage condition w...
Category

Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Velvet, Beech

1970s, Danish armchair, velour, beech wood, original excellent condition.
Located in Tarm, 82
1970s, Danish armchair in original excellent condition. Used not too much from the 1970s. Light green furniture velour, beech wood legs. Springs ...
Category

Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Velvet, Beech

Carl Malmsten armchair 'Stora Furulid' in sheepskin for O.H.Sjögren ca. 1950
By O.H. Sjögren, Carl Malmsten
Located in SON EN BREUGEL, NL
A stunning armchair by the famous furniture designer- Carl Malmsten. This iconic chair provides great comfort and is of enduring quality. Back tufted by buttons, elegant arm curves ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Sheepskin, Wood

Alfred Christensen Upholstered Armchair for Slagelse Møbelfabrik, Denmark 1940s
By Alfred Christensen
Located in Utrecht, NL
Danish Modern focused more on the aesthetics of modern design whilst employing the exquisite technique and material familiarity of highly skilled craftsmen known as cabinetmakers. Alfred Christensen’s present armchair in this style is a rare and exquisite example of this. Clean and pure lines define this armchair that are coupled with expert craftsmanship and delicate research into proportions, materials and the requirements of the human body, adapting design to modern-day needs. Adopting the trend of abandoning ornamentation to benefit the form, Christensen maintained the beauty and warmth inherent to traditional Danish cabinetmaking. In consequence, this armchair has a beautiful, warm look with rounded edges and an open look. The only ornamentation is the piping cord that runs along the edges of the body. The unique colour of the velour upholstery in combination with the dark, stained beech legs create warm elegance, perfect to bring a modern touch to any space. While Danish designers, including Alfred Christensen, had many principles, above all, all designers...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

1960s, Danish armchair, furniture velour, beech wood, original.
Located in Tarm, 82
1960s, Danish armchair. Original good condition: no smells, no stains, stable construction. Original green/yellow furniture velour with patina: slight abrasion of fabric. Beech wood ...
Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Brass