Alvar Aalto Wall Shelf Produced by Artek in Finland
About the Item
- Creator:Alvar Aalto (Designer)
- Design:Wall Shelf 112BWall Shelf 112
- Dimensions:Height: 9.45 in (24 cm)Width: 35.24 in (89.5 cm)Depth: 10.63 in (27 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1940s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Limhamn, SE
- Reference Number:
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: Malmö, Sweden
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- Alvar Aalto Room Divider Model 100 Produced by Artek in FinlandBy Alvar AaltoLocated in Limhamn, Skåne länRoom divider model 100 designed by Alvar Aalto. Produced by Artek in Finland.Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Screens and Room Dividers
MaterialsPine
- Kristian Solmer Vedel Wall Shelf Produced in DenmarkBy Kristian Solmer VedelLocated in Limhamn, Skåne länRare wall shelf designed by Kristian Solmer Vedel. Produced in Denmark.Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBeech, Walnut
- Alvar Aalto Beehive Lamp Model No. A332 Produced by Valaistustyö in FinlandBy Alvar AaltoLocated in Limhamn, Skåne länVery rare Beehive lamp model no. A332 designed by Alvar Aalto. Produced by Valaistustyö in Finland. Measure: Height: 35 (80) cm.Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- Hans Wegner Wall Mounted Shelf Produced by Ry Møbler in DenmarkBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Limhamn, Skåne länWall mounted shelf designed by Hans Wegner. Produced by Ry Møbler in Denmark.Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsOak
- Aino Aalto Dining Chairs Model 615 Produced by Artek in FinlandBy Aino AaltoLocated in Limhamn, Skåne länRare pair of dining chairs model 615 designed by Aino Aalto. Produced by Artek in Finland.Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBirch, Cane
- Alvar Aalto Angel Wing Floor Lamp by Valaistustyö in FinlandBy Alvar Aalto, ValaistustyöLocated in Limhamn, Skåne länRare and 1st production angel wing floor lamp model A805 designed by Alvar Aalto. Produced by Valaistustyö in Finland.Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Floor Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- Artek Wall Shelf by Alvar Aalto, 1980'sBy Artek, Alvar AaltoLocated in Turku, FIArtek's wall shelf 112B is an elegant and practical shelf that can be used for books, decorative lamps or small items. Alvar Aalto designed the wall shelf 112 in 1936. This one was ...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch
- Artek Wall Shelf by Alvar Aalto, 1950sBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Turku, FIArtek's wall shelf 112B is an elegant and practical shelf that can be used for books, decorative lamps or small items. Alvar Aalto designed the wall shelf 112 in 1936. This one was ...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch
- Artek Wall Shelf by Alvar Aalto, 1960sBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Turku, FIArtek's wall shelf 112B is an elegant and practical shelf that can be used for books, decorative lamps or small items. Alvar Aalto designed the wall shelf 112 in 1936. This one was ...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch
- Alvar Aalto Wall Shelf Model 114, 1950s for ArtekBy Alvar Aalto, Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, ArtekLocated in Helsinki, FIThis type wall shelf by Alvar Aalto is very sought after. There is just not enough of them around. As one can see from the archive picture the shelf can be joined with a mirror and ...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch, Teak
- Alvar Aalto Wall Shelf Model 114B, 1950s for ArtekBy Alvar Aalto, Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, ArtekLocated in Helsinki, FIThis type wall shelf by Alvar Aalto is very sought after. There is just not enough of them to go around. As one can see from the archive picture the shelf can be joined with a mirro...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch
- Wall shelf in birch by Alvar Aalto, Artek Hedemora, Sweden 1946-1956By Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Hägersten, SEWall shelf designed by Alvar Aalto. Produced by Svenska Artek in Hedemora, Sweden. Made between 1946-1956. Mad from solid and laminated birch throughout. Beautiful honey toned color ...Category
Vintage 1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern 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.