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Axel Einar Hjorth "Utö" Bench, Sweden ca 1935
About the Item
This “Utö” bench is from the Swedish designer, Axel Einar Hjorth’s Sportstugemöble furniture line.
This bench has a rather simple, yet well-thought out design. The frame is made of pine, mixing the aesthetics of rural, traditional handcraft with international modernism. Produced by AB Nordiska Kompaniet, this bench belongs to Hjorth's line of modernistic cabin furniture from the 1930's. The seat of the bench is thick and robust, with an oval shaped pine board, assuring sturdiness and stability. The symmetrically carved back with a gap in the middle offers comfort and functionality.
The four tapered legs of the bench follow the shape of the backrests on both sides, accentuating the geometrical aspect, and highlighting the symmetry of this piece.
Condition:
In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use.
Dimensions:
54.92 in W x 18.7 in D x 31.3 in H ; Seat height 15.55 in
139.5 cm W x 47.5 cm D x 79.5 cm H; Seat height 39.5 cm
Literature:
Christian Björk, Thomas Ekström and Eric Ericson, Axel Einar Hjorth: Möbelarkitekt, Stockholm, 2009, pp. 130, 133.
Christian Björk, Thomas Ekström and Eric Ericson, Axel Einar Hjorth: (Svenska arkitekter och formgivare), Stockholm, 2011, pp. 124, 137.
About the designer:
Hjorth’s designs, from the luxury of neo-classicism to the severity of functionalism, are sharply distinctive in style, materials, and character. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Hjorth did not conform to the socially oriented ideas produced by Svensk Form (the Swedish Society of Crafts and Design). He often incorporated playful ornamentation from different historical periods by which he was inspired, such as the French Art Déco which was characterised by the use of mixed exotic woods, bright colors, and textiles.
In the 1930s, Hjorth designed a furniture collection out of pine meant for serial production known as Sportstugemöbler: ‘furniture for holiday houses’. The collection is based on Swedish rural traditions mixed with international modernism, and had its pieces named after Stockholm's archipelago islands including Blidö, Sandhamn, Toro and Lovö. The pieces are well renowned for being very modern and displaying strong proportions, simplicity in construction, and a brilliant union between tradition and modernism. ~H.
- Creator:Axel Einar Hjorth (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 31.3 in (79.5 cm)Width: 54.93 in (139.5 cm)Depth: 18.71 in (47.5 cm)Seat Height: 15.56 in (39.5 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:ca 1935
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Utrecht, NL
- Reference Number:
Axel Einar Hjorth
Swedish furniture designer Axel Einar Hjorth (1888–1959) created pieces that were as elegant as they were functional, and he frequently worked in references to a litany of inspirations including French Art Deco, Gustavian style and modernism. Ahead of his time, his style was refined and daringly simple.
Born in Krokek, Sweden, Hjorth grew up in a foster family and at 20 moved to Stockholm where he studied architecture and design at the Högre Konstindustriella Skolan (now the University of Arts, Crafts & Design). Although he dropped out when his foster father died, he went on to work for some of the largest furniture manufacturers in Sweden during the 1920s. His work was featured in the 1923 Gothenburg Exhibition world’s fair, and he exhibited a birch and cherry cabinet in the 1927 Swedish Contemporary Decorative Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. His role as the head of the furniture department at Nordiska Kompaniet (NK), an upscale department store in Stockholm, from 1927 to 1938, further brought his designs to widespread acclaim, including pieces exhibited at the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition.
At the 1930 Stockholm Exhibition, an influential event in the emergence of functionalism in Swedish design, Hjorth exhibited a dozen room settings that featured examples of sportstugemöbler. These furniture lines were named for islands in Sweden’s archipelago — Utö, Blidö and Torö — with designs intended for cabins and vacation homes. The use of solid Swedish pine in these pieces revealed a love of traditional rustic furniture while the simple forms boldly looked to the future. He also brought his eclectic influences to armchairs formed from tubular metal, blocky cabinets made from birch and upholstered sofas with neoclassical details, each exuberantly mixing form and function.
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Associations
20th Century Specialists
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Utrecht, Netherlands
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
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