Alvar Aalto for Artek Birch Drawer Cabinets, Set of 2
View Similar Items
Alvar Aalto for Artek Birch Drawer Cabinets, Set of 2
About the Item
- Creator:Alvar Aalto (Designer),Artek (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 25.99 in (66 cm)Width: 15.16 in (38.5 cm)Depth: 21.86 in (55.5 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:1990-1999
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1990s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. One cabinet no longer has a key. Both cabinets are marked with some signs of damage to the wood, especially around the drawers and edges. The top drawer in one of the cabinets has ink marks inside.
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:Seller: ST000231stDibs: LU4510226879962
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.
- Kelly Hoppen Grey Lacquered Shield CabinetBy Kelly HoppenLocated in London, GBDesigned by British Interior designer Kelly Hoppen as part of her signature furniture range, the Shield cabinet offers an elegant modern storage solution. Constructed from wood in...Category
2010s British Cabinets
MaterialsStainless Steel
- Maxalto B&B Italia Mida Dark Oak and Red CabinetBy B&B Italia, MaxaltoLocated in London, GBOriginally designed by Maxalto in 2003, the Mida storage range is a fantastic example of modern Italian design. Constructed from grey oak, the cabinet sits on a slimline steel bas...Category
Early 2000s Italian Modern Cabinets
MaterialsOak
- British Pinch Green Alba Large Oak Kitchen Storage CabinetLocated in London, GBDesigned by Pinch and manufactured in Essex, the Alba armoire is a fantastic example of locally crafted British design. Inspired by a Ben Nicholson relief artwork, the front of the armoire features panelled doors, with four levels of intricately intersecting blocks, creating a layered texture. Finished in a green lacquer, the armoire sits on wooden legs and opens to reveal a multifunctional storage space. There are four compartments at the top, with two rows for storing up to 20 wine bottles below and four large drawers at the bottom. A beautifully constructed piece of storage, this Alba kitchen...Category
2010s British Dry Bars
MaterialsOak, Lacquer
- Bespoke Media Cabinet With Hand Painted Oriental Silk PrintLocated in London, GBAn intriguing cabinet, crafted in wood with solid brass handles. There is brass detailing on the edges framing the dark wood. A special technique of hand printed silk on its doors f...Category
21st Century and Contemporary British Chinoiserie Cabinets
MaterialsSilk, Wood
- Bespoke Marble Effect Wood SideboardLocated in London, GBThe Bespoke Marble Effect Side Board is a sleek, modern design with a mix of materials. The dark wooden panelling contrasts beautifully with the lighter and brighter colours of the m...Category
21st Century and Contemporary British Cabinets
MaterialsMarble
$3,826 / item - Hans Wegner Midcentury Armchairs for GETAMA, Set of TwoBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in London, GBDesigned by Hans J. Wegner for GETAMA, this set of GE 151 armchairs are a Classic example of Mid-Century Modern design. Featuring angular black painted beechwood frames and arms, the newly restored...Category
Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsFaux Leather, Wood
- 1960s Four-Drawer Cabinet by Alvar Aalto for ArtekBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Sagaponack, NYA birch cabinet resting on a recessed plinth base with four (4) drawers that lock and have integrated pulls. Designed in the 1940s and produced for decades, this cabinet was likely p...Category
Vintage 1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Cabinets
MaterialsBirch
$3,800 / item - Finnish Birch Cabinet in Alvar Aalto Style, 1940sBy Alvar AaltoLocated in Helsinki, FIFinnish birch cabinet in Alvar Aalto style from the 1940s. Birch. Good vintage condition, minor patina consistent with age and use. Beautiful Scandin...Category
Vintage 1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Cabinets
MaterialsBirch
- Rare cabinet '808' by Alvar Aalto for AB Artek in Hedemora, Sweden, 1940sBy Alvar AaltoLocated in Eskilstuna, SECabinet '808' by Alvar Aalto. Rare piece of furtniture and even more so when its produced by Aaltos factory in Hedemora, Sweden. AB Artek in Hedemora opened 1946 in order to produc...Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Cabinets
MaterialsBirch
- Aino Aalto, Very Rare Pine Cabinet for Artek, 1940s'By Aino Aalto, ArtekLocated in Helsinki, FIArchitect Aino Aalto( 1894-1949) was the great unknown factor behind her internationally renowned husband Alvar Aalto. As a designer, Aino was primarily known for her work in glass. ...Category
Vintage 1940s Finnish Modern Cabinets
MaterialsPine
$4,393 Sale Price41% Off - Birch Mid-Century Modern 112B Wall Shelf by Alvar Aalto for Artek, 1950sBy Artek, Alvar AaltoLocated in Amsterdam, NLStunning and elegant Mid-Century Modern wall shelf 112B. Design by Alvar Aalto for Artek Finland. Striking Finnish design from the 1950s. Original bi...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch
- Alvar Aalto Pair of Shelves Model 112-2, ArtekBy Artek, Alvar AaltoLocated in Helsinki, FIA pair of shelves designed by Alvar Aalto for Artek in the 1930s. They are made from bent laminated birch, solid birch, and plywood birch. The items ca...Category
Vintage 1930s Finnish Shelves
MaterialsBirch
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.