Important Pair of 'X602' Stools by Alvar Aalto for Artek, 1954
About the Item
- Creator:Alvar Aalto (Designer),Artek (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 18.12 in (46 cm)Width: 17.33 in (44 cm)Depth: 17.33 in (44 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 1950
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Antwerpen, BE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU7853238574082
Alvar Aalto
An architect and designer, Alvar Aalto deserves an immense share of the credit for bringing Scandinavian modernism to a prominent place in the global arena. In both his buildings and in his vintage furniture — which ranges from chairs, 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 in 1930 as part of his overall design of a Finnish tuberculosis sanatorium. Comfortable, yet light enough to be easily moved by patients, the 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 at the headrest and beneath the knees, creating a sort of pillow effect. Aalto’s use of plywood had 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 his wife, Aino Aalto, 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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Antwerpen, Belgium
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Important 'Model 676' Side Chair by Gio Ponti for Cassina, 1953By Gio Ponti, CassinaLocated in Antwerpen, VANVery rare and beautiful model ‘676’ dining or side chair designed by Gio Ponti around 1953. The architectural frame is made of walnut and it has the original cream-colored leather up...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Walnut
- Unique Pair of 'Bachelor' Chairs by Verner Panton for Fritz Hansen, 1971By Fritz Hansen, Verner PantonLocated in Antwerpen, VANUnique pair of ‘Bachelor’ chairs designed by Verner Panton for Fritz Hansen in 1953. These examples were bought around 1971 together with a rare matching table which still has the la...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Swedish Pair of 'Frisco' Side Tables by Folke Ohlsson for Tingstrøms, 1960sBy Folke Ohlsson, TingströmsLocated in Antwerpen, VANWonderful pair of ‘Frisco’ side tables designed by Folke Ohlsson for Tingstrøms during the 1960s. They are made of solid teak and have a very high level of finishing with a raised ed...Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Side Tables
MaterialsTeak
- Early Pair of 'Pot' Lounge Chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, 1950sBy Arne Jacobsen, Fritz HansenLocated in Antwerpen, VANFantastic pair of ‘Pot’ chairs designed by Arne Jacobsen for the Royal SAS Hotel in Copenhagen in 1959. These are early editions which have been professional...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Pair of 'Paper Knife' Easy Chairs by Kai Kristiansen for Magnus Olesen, 1956By Magnus Olesen, Kai KristiansenLocated in Antwerpen, VANMagnificent pair of ‘Model 121’ easy chairs designed in 1956 by Kai Kristiansen and produced by Magnus Olesen in Denmark. Beautifully crafted solid teak frames with the signature arm...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Teak
- Rare Pair of 'Pirate' Lounge Chairs by Elsa & Nordahl Solheim for Rykken, 1960sBy Elsa and Nordahl Solheim, Rykken and Co.Located in Antwerpen, VANMagnificent pair of easy chairs designed by Elsa & Nordahl Solheim for Rybo Rykken and Co. in Norway during the 1960s. A very interesting design with frames made of chromed flat stee...Category
Mid-20th Century Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Alvar Aalto “X602” Stool for Artek, Finland 1960By Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Amsterdam, NLA beautiful and rare stool, model “X602”, designed by Alvar Aalto and manufactured by Artek in Finland around 1960. This is an exceptional piece of mid-century Scandinavian design! ...Category
Vintage 1960s Finnish Stools
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Alvar Aalto X602 Stool for Artek, circa 1950By Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Barcelona, Barcelona'Fan leg' stool, model no. X602 designed by Alvar Aalto. Manufactured by Artek, Finland, circa 1950. In good original condition, with minor wear consistent with age and use, pres...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- 1954 Alvar Aalto stool model X602 in rich patinated birch and Niger leatherBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in København K, 84Presenting the 1954 Alvar Aalto stool model X602 in a super rich patinated birch upholstered in premium reddish brown Niger goat leather. Produced by Artek in 1960s. ( A matching sto...Category
Vintage 1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Stools
MaterialsLeather, Birch
- 1954 Alvar Aalto stool model X601 & X602 in patinated birch and Niger leatherBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in København K, 84Presenting the 1954 Alvar Aalto stools model X601 & X602 in a super rich patinated birch upholstered in premium reddish brown Niger goat leather. Produced by Artek in 1960s. (Avail...Category
Vintage 1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Stools
MaterialsLeather, Birch
- Alvar Aalto Stool X602, 1950s Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas AbBy Alvar Aalto, Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, ArtekLocated in Helsinki, FIAlvar Aalto stool model X602, manufactured in Finland by Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab back in the 1950s. A rare model, the X-leg stool is one of the simplest yet most brill...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Stools
MaterialsLeather, Bentwood
- Alvar Aalto, Stool X601 for ArtekBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Helsinki, FIThis stool was designed by Alvar Aalto for Artek originally in the 1950s. We have noticed through the years that this stool has been often used as a bed side table. It can also be us...Category
Vintage 1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Stools
MaterialsLeather, Birch
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The Very Modern Love Story of Mid-Century Design Duo Alvar and Aino Aalto
A power couple before the term existed, the influential pair made work that still resonates today.
What Makes Scandinavian Modernism and Nordic Design So Irresistible?
Andrew Duncanson, founder of the Stockholm- and London-based gallery Modernity, weighs in on the masters of mid-century furniture and decorative arts.