Rare Bench by Yngve Ekstrom for Småland, Sweden circa 1950

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Rare Bench by Yngve Ekstrom for Småland, Sweden circa 1950

About the Item

Beautiful rare bench designed by Yngve Ekstrom, manufactured by Småland in Sweden around 1950. This unique piece is completely made of beautiful green stained birch wood. It comes with a comfortable wool cushion that gives it a nice finishing touch. In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use, preserving a beautiful patina. Yngve Ekström (1913-1988) was an architect, woodworker, and furniture designer from Sweden. At the age of thirteen Ekström began working in the country’s oldest furniture factory, Hagafors Chair Factory. Between the carpentry aptitude inherited from his family and the new skills acquired at the factory, Ekström emerged from his formative years already with a wealth of artisanal expertise. At the age of eighteen, he began to pursue a career as a designer, first enrolling in drawing, painting, and sculpture courses, and then visiting the Röhsska Museum for decorative and applied arts in Gothenburg. In 1945, Ekström, together with his older brother Jerker (1911-2006) and friend Bertil Sjöqvist, founded ESE Furniture in their hometown. After a rough start, the company made its big break with Thema (1952), a chair made out of laminated veneer—a specialty of theirs—that could be flat-packed for efficient shipping and easily self-assembled by customers. Fifteen years later, after Sjöqvist left, the company became known as Swedese. The company sold in 1974, but Ekström continued to be an active contributor to the company until his death in 1988. Ekström—along with other designers like Alvar Aalto (1898-1976), Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971), and Poul Kjærholm (1929-1980)—played a key role in the development of the midcentury style known as “Scandinavian modern.” The Lamino Chair for Swedese (1956) is among Ekström’s best-known works, and it remains in production today. This undulating, minimalist armchair comprises a simple, wooden frame of layered bentwood supported by bent tubular steel legs. In 1999, Swedish magazine Sköna Hems named the chair the “20th-Century’s Best Swedish Furniture Design.” It also received the 2003 Design Innovation Award from IMM Cologne. Other well-known designs in Ekström’s portfolio include the Ruster seating collection for Pastoe (1950s)—which features low-back and high-back models sofas and chairs made from solid teak with signature triangle armrests—as well as the spindle-back Arka Chair for Stolfabrik (1955), the modular Fakta shelving system for Swedese (1958), and a series of teak tea trolleys (1959, 1962). Ekström’s designs can be found in many permanent collections.

Creator:
Småland (Manufacturer),Yngve Ekström (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 27.17 in (69 cm)Width: 47.25 in (120 cm)Depth: 20.87 in (53 cm)Seat Height: 13.78 in (35 cm)
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Birch,Wool
Place of Origin:
Sweden
Period:
1950-1959
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1950
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Amsterdam, NL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU103985950013

Shop All Yngve Ekström

Yngve Ekström

Vintage Yngve Ekström furniture embodies the beauty and simplicity of the Scandinavian modern style. The Swedish designer, architect and woodworker created clean-lined hardwood pieces with sophisticated details and flourishes. He was known for his comfortable lounge chair designs as well as chic cocktail tables and handsome highboard cabinets.

Ekström was born in 1913 in Småland, home to Sweden’s oldest furniture factory, Hagafors Stolfabrik. After his father died, he began working at the factory. In 1945, Ekström and his older brother, Jerker Ekström, opened ESE Möbler, a furniture company headquartered in their hometown. In 1952, they received acclaim for their innovative Thema chair. The laminated veneer chair was packed flat for easy shipping so customers could assemble it at home. Ekström followed it with the 1955 Arka chair for the furniture manufacturer Stolab. A spindle backrest and spacious curved seat gave the chair comfort and style.

Ekström’s most popular design was the 1956 Lamino chair. Still in production, the minimalist wooden-frame chair features a sinuous and inviting profile with a high backrest. Looking back at his well-loved design, Ekström said: “To have designed one good chair might not be a bad life’s work.”

After Ekström’s brother left the company, he changed the name to Swedese. Ekström sold Swedese in 1974, but continued to design for it until he died in 1988. His furniture is in museum collections around the world, including the National Museum in Stockholm, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Victoria & Albert museum in London. In 1999, Swedish design magazine Sköna Hems named the Lamino chair the “20th-Century’s Best Swedish Furniture Design.”

Swedese, which still occupies its original building in Småland, partnered with artist Kustaa Saksi in 2017 to update the iconic Lamino chair.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Yngve Ekström seating, tables, storage cabinets and more.