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Alvar Aalto Highback Tank Arm Chair Model A 38 in Sheepskin, Artek 1940s

About the Item

A beautiful early version of the A38 “high back” Tank chair by Alvar Aalto. A substantial and commanding piece, this is among the rarer chair models in Aalto’s oeuvre and remains seldom seen on the market. The chair is in beautiful condition and has been newly reupholstered in a mink colour sheepskin that complements the warmth of the bent birch frame. This version of the iconic Tank chair features the distinctive high back with subtle “ears,” reminiscent of the model 401 armchairs, yet executed here on a much grander and heavier scale. The proportions are generous, the presence architectural. It is a chair that does not merely furnish a room but defines it. The design originates from the 1930s, with this example dating to the 1940s. The model has not been in production for Artek for decades, which further enhances its rarity and desirability among collectors. Alvar Aalto (1898–1976) was one of the most influential architects and designers of the twentieth century. Throughout his career, he created holistic environments, designing not only buildings but also the furniture, lighting, textiles, and glassware that inhabited them. He never considered himself simply an artist; rather, he saw painting and sculpture as branches of a larger architectural vision. From early Classicism to Modernism and later to a softer, organic language from the 1940s onward, Aalto’s work reflects a constant evolution. Together with his wife Aino Aalto, he shaped interiors down to the smallest detail. His technical innovations in bent plywood furniture became cornerstones of Scandinavian Modernism and had a lasting influence on Mid-Century design internationally. Today, Aalto’s works are highly sought after, achieving strong results at auction and holding places in important private collections and major museums worldwide.

Creator:
Artek (Retailer),Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy (Manufacturer),Alvar Aalto (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 36.62 in (93 cm)Width: 29.93 in (76 cm)Depth: 36.62 in (93 cm)Seat Height: 15.75 in (40 cm)
Style:
Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Birch,Sheepskin
Place of Origin:
Finland
Period:
1940-1949
Date of Manufacture:
1940s
Condition:
Refinished. Reupholstered. Wear consistent with age and use. The overall impression is good and a beautiful vintage patina.
Seller Location:
Helsinki, FI
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU6346248903642

Shop All Alvar Aalto

Alvar Aalto

An architect and designer, Alvar Aalto deserves an immense share of the credit for bringing Scandinavian modernism and Nordic design to a prominent place in the global arena. In both his buildings and his vintage furniture — which ranges from chairs, stools, 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 with his wife, Aino Aalto, in 1930 as part of the overall design of a Finnish tuberculosis sanatorium.

Comfortable, yet light enough to be easily moved by patients, the Paimio 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 the headrest and beneath the knees, creating a sort of pillow effect. Aalto’s use of plywood had an 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 Aino, 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.