Rauni Peippo "Apila" Stool for Stockmann Orno, Finland, 1960s

Finnish designer, Carin Lisa Johansson-Pape, was among the most significant Finnish lighting designers in the second half of the 1900s. She designed furniture for Stockmann from 1937...

Sauna stools have been in use for centuries, predominantly in Japan and in Finland. While this form of furniture is mostly a utilitarian object, vintage sauna stools - like this set of four - from these countries are artisanal, beautiful pieces. From Antti Nurmesniemi’s sauna stool (which is part of the MoMA’s collection) to the Japanese Hinoki stools, these vintage wooden pieces are perhaps even more treasured today than in the 50s. Sauna stools are traditionally used as a perch while washing up in the bathhouse before entering the soaking tub. They also make good shower stools or bath-side caddies also because the woods used - pine in this case - are naturally bacteria- and mildew-resistant and withstand humidity well. Stools traditionally have a simple, functional construction, however, these Finnish stools have elaborately carved tops that move beyond the strictly functional role. The tops are composed of four interconnecting parts in a shape that resembles a Celtic knot. These individual parts are connected by two dowel pins to each other leaving the design airy and functional as water has an easy way to flow through. The legs are in a simple, slightly tapered form to support the sitter with similar dowel pins connecting them to the seats. These mid-century sauna stools were made for Finnsauna Lagerholm...