Ilmari Lappalainen for Asko "Laila" Armchair in Sheepskin, 1950s

Pair of Finnish 'Laila' armchairs (model ‘238’), designed by Ilmari Lappalainen, 1948. Manufactured by Asko in Finland, late 1940s. Legs in wood, newly upholstered in sahara sheepski...

Finnish ‘Laila’ armchair (model ‘238’), designed by Ilmari Lappalainen (1918-2006). Manufactured by Asko in the late 1940s. The armchair is newly upholstered in Espresso sheepskin. ...

Pair of Finnish ‘Laila’ armchairs (model ‘238’), designed by Ilmari Lappalainen (1918-2006). Manufactured by Asko in the late 1940s. Seats are newly upholstered in Espresso sheepskin...

Armchair model 'Farmor', designed by Swedish designer Carl Malmsten (1888–1972). Manufactured by O.H. Sjögren in the 1950s. Wooden legs, armchair recently reupholstered in Honey shee...

A pair of elegant armchairs designed by Ilmari Lappalainen and manufactured by Asko Oy in Finland in the 1950s. Apart from the reupholstery the chair bodies are in original and very ...

An elegant sofa designed by Ilmari Lappalainen and manufactured by Asko Oy in Finland in the 1940s. The sofa is reupholstered with natural sheepskin and apart from the reupholstery t...

An elegant armchair model 'Laila' designed by Ilmari Lappalainen and manufactured by Asko Oy in Finland in the 1950s. The chair has been reupholstered with high quality white sheepsk...

The “Laila” model by the Finnish designer Ilmari Lappalainen originates from 1948, with the earliest original drawings kept in the Lahti City Museum in their Lappalainen Collection. This pair of “nr. 238” armchairs are from the Finnish designer’s most famous series called “Laila”. The design became sought after by collectors even in its production time, which is quite rare in the case of Nordic mid-century modern furniture. Lappalainen was a renowned designer, famous for his designs’ comfort. Some of his designs even received medical approval because they had such a good seating that it prevented back problems. These armchairs have a cosy modern style, modelled on the Swedish and Danish furniture of the time, including the round edges and generous seat cushion and back with tufted buttons. The bodies have the classic Nordic look, which explains the contemporary popularity of these armchairs both among the public and museums. The modern aesthetic is further elevated by the textured, premium upholstery that complements the shape and the wooden, tapered legs as well. Sheepskin is the ultimate material for comfort, warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It elevates the sheer size and shape of the chair, especially its back. Wood is omnipresent in the Nordics, and Finnish woodworking is world-famous for its traditions. These chairs were created for Asko, the Finnish furniture manufacturing company founded in 1918 by Aukusti Asko Avonius, known for the production of high-quality furniture. By 1930 the company had developed into the largest furniture chain in Finland and the largest supplier of furniture in the Scandinavian countries. After the war, the damage it caused and the new homes of Karelian migrants concentrated production on essential furniture, which the Finnish Ministry of Public Affairs ordered to sell at an affordable price. Favourites of this time included Ilmari Lappalainen’s Laila...