Folke Ohlsson For Dux ‘Profil’ Lounge Chair and Ottoman

About the Item

Folke Ohlsson for Dux of Sweden ‘Profil’ lounge chair and ottoman. This is an iconic Swedish design by Ohlsson for two particular reasons; the first being the very forward thinking design. With the U shaped legs to either side of the bentwood arms and the slopping seat with two piece back. The second is the unmatched comfort of the chair paired with the ottoman. The very things that make this pair a standout design are also responsible for the comfort. You sink into the chair with an enveloping relaxation. Scandinavian design made a gigantic mark in American interiors in the 1960s through today. The designs of Ohlsson, Wegner and Juhl among others still resonate with interior designers and their clients because they can seamlessly move between traditional, Modern and post modern interiors. Ottoman measures 25" wide x 18" deep x 15" tall.

Creator:
Dux of Sweden (Manufacturer),Folke Ohlsson (Designer)
Design:
Profil Chair
Dimensions:
Height: 34 in (86.36 cm)Width: 34 in (86.36 cm)Depth: 36 in (91.44 cm)Seat Height: 16 in (40.64 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Teak,Upholstery
Place of Origin:
Sweden
Period:
1960-1969
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1960s
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Very good original condition. Could possibly benefit from an updating of the upholstery.
Seller Location:
Chicago, IL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU841938664582
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Dux of Sweden

Today, Swedish manufacturer DUX’s most popular furniture lines — as well as the furnishings created by its first president, Folke Ohlsson — are synonymous with the work that vintage mid-century modern design obsessives love. Also important, the brand is known for some of the most commonplace means of furniture shipping and production in the modern era.

In Sweden, Studio Ljungs Industrier AB is the large family-owned parent company of Duxiana (in America, DUX). Initially a purveyor of bedding that is today celebrated for its ergonomically guided designs, Ljungs Industrier was founded by entrepreneur (and chocolate maker) Efraim Ljung in 1926. In 1950, Folke Ohlsson, then leading Ljungs Industrier’s design team, decamped to the States to explore how he could expand DUX’s business, which at that point included a wide range of furniture. Ohlsson established a DUX office not long after he arrived in California, first in San Francisco and later in Burlingame.

On the West Coast, the booming postwar American market was eager to embrace DUX’s affordable and practical bedroom furnishings, tables, armchairs and other seating. Characterized by sleek walnut and teak frames and low-slung silhouettes, the brand’s designs were emblematic of a generation of Scandinavian modernism that had gained popularity owing to visionaries such as product designer and architect Greta Magnusson-Grossman, who arrived in California from Sweden a decade prior to Ohlsson, and Finn Juhl, who created a Danish modern line for Michigan’s Baker Furniture Company in 1951.

DUX frequently collaborated with top-tier furniture design talent — among them Bruno Mathsson, Edward Wormley and Alf Svensson, a chief designer in the Malmö, Sweden, office of Ljungs Industrier — expanding the brand’s portfolio and establishing credibility as a design source. Ohlsson’s own designs, such as his comfortable leather lounges and wool-upholstered reclining rocking chairs, continue to be among the brand’s most desirable — and most imitated — however.

In 1949, DUX put into practice an idea that Ohlsson patented for the so-called “knock-down,” or “KD,” chair, a term referencing easy, flat-pack assembly. It saved DUX space in warehouses and money on transportation and was a concept that would provide inspiration to hundreds of subsequent companies — most notably fellow Swedish brand IKEA.

Today, vintage DUX sofas and dining chairs are valuable collector’s items. Find this coveted seating and other authentic DUX furniture on 1stDibs.