Folk Ohlsson Tingströms 1950, Teak Metamorphic Coffee/ Diner Table Model Sesam

Mid-century coffee table with solid black metal and original black and red handcrafted painted tiles in Vallauris, south of France, in the late 1950s.

Vase A by Cesar Baldaccini for Daum, France, 1970s, is a magnificent work of art that seamlessly combines form and function. Designed by renowned French sculptor Cesar Baldaccini, this multi-faceted vase is a stunning example of his mastery of sculptural forms. Made by renowned French glassmaker Daum, this vase features a highly polished, multi-faceted surface that reflects and refracts light in fascinating ways. The veneers are perfectly aligned and flawlessly executed, creating a breathtaking sense of depth and texture. The vase is signed "Daum France", which adds a touch of authenticity and provenance to the piece. This is a true collector's item, sought after by art lovers and collectors around the world. Functional, the Argos vase is ideal for presenting flowers or other decorative objects. Its sculptural form and multi-faceted surface create a dynamic backdrop that enhances the beauty of any arrangement. Overall, the Argos vase by Cesar Baldaccini for Daum, France, 1970s, is a masterpiece of design and craftsmanship. Its striking form, impeccable craftsmanship and exceptional provenance make it a highly coveted piece that is sure to impress and enchant anyone who sees it. Cesar Badaccini (1921-1998) His parents, Omer and Lelia Baldaccini, Italians of Tuscan origin, ran a bar in Marseille where César was born, with his twin sister Amandine, in 1921 in the popular district of Belle-de-Mai, at 71 rue Loubon, in the 3rd arrondissement1. "I am basically an absolute self-taught," he will say2. At the time, he designed and tinkered with carts for his little brother with cans. Nevertheless, after first working for his father (he also helped a butcher neighbor for a meager salary after leaving school at the age of twelve), he followed the courses of the École supérieure des beaux-arts de Marseille from 1935 to 1939; in 1937, he obtained three prizes, in engraving, drawing and architecture3. Not mobilized during the war (he also escaped the STO), he lived on scams before settling in Paris to be admitted, in 1943, to the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts with Michel Guino, Albert Féraud, Daniel David, Eugène Dodeigne and Philippe Hiquily, like him in the workshop of Marcel Gimond. In 1945, he returned to Marseille to marry Maria Astruc, with whom he set up a business (they divorced in 1959). He returned to Paris in 1946 where he occupied a studio in an old brothel at 21 rue de l'Échaudé, whose rooms, following the Marthe Richard law, had been assigned to students4. There he met Émilenne Deschamps, who would later become one of his muses. Faced with the impossibility for him to work the stone, because of its cost, he turned to other materials3. From 1947, he worked on plaster and iron. In 1949, he was introduced to arc welding in an industrial carpentry in Trans-en-Provence and used lead in pushed sheets and welded iron wires. In 1951, he visited Pompeii and remained marked by the casts of the bodies of the inhabitants caught in the lava3. In 1952, he used inexpensive recovered materials and made his first sculptures in welded scrap metal: his means were then still modest. Thus, for lack of money and to afford marble, César will recover in the scrap dumps the materials of his first sculptures: tubes, bolts, screws that become insects or end up in the powerful curves of the Venus de Villetaneuse (1962). In 1954, he exhibited at the Lucien Durand gallery in Paris and obtained the "collabo" prize for a sculpture entitled Le Poisson5, made in Villetaneuse, a city where he worked for a dozen years thanks to the help of a local industrialist, Léon Jacques6. He gained fame when his work was bought for 100,000 francs in 1955 by the State for the National Museum of Modern Art7. The same year, he exhibited at the Salon de Mai. The following year, the MNAM bought Chauve-souris from 1954 and the museum of modern art in the city of Paris Le scorpion from 1955. From 1954 (Torse, MOMA), he also made sculptures in welded metal, then in partially polished bronze, of busty women (Ginette, 1958, Victoire de Villetaneuse, 1965). In 1956, he participated in the Venice Biennale then in the São Paulo Biennale and in the Documenta II in 1959. In 1958, he signed a contract with the Parisian gallery Claude Bernard3. In 1961, he approached Marino di Teana and joined the group of Nouveaux réalistes, a movement founded by art critic Pierre Restany8, including Arman, Jean Tinguely, Niki de Saint Phalle and Gérard Deschamps. When he could afford a workshop in 1957, rue Campagne-Première in Paris, he married Rosine Groult-Baldaccini (met at the Beaux-Arts in 1948) with whom he had a daughter, Anna, a year later. He also begins to frequent the world of the In 1968, he created at the National Manufacture of Sèvres a porcelain Ashtray published in fifty copies. Made of porcelain with a semi-matt pearly cover, it represents a plaster mold used for the production of the pieces, and was produced from an original aluminum model. In 1971, during a premiere at the Lido, he found more media than him: Salvador Dalí, the master of extravagance. He debates the same year in Italiques with François Truffaut, Lucien Bodard and Asher Ben...

This side table is a classic piece of Scandinavian modern design, therefore it comes as no surprise that this model was awarded the Gold Medal at the California Fair in 1960. Folke Ohlsson was a decorated designer, he won a Gold Medal at the 1951 Milan Triennale and was given the Good Design Award by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. His furniture was also one of the first exhibits featured at Stanford’s art museum. “Frisco” was part of the 'Bra Bohag' production from Tingströms Furnitures, Sweden. ‘Bra bohag’ means‘ good furniture in Swedish, and behind the expression was the lobby organization for better-designed everyday furniture for Swedish homes in the 1950-60s. It consisted of several furniture designers and producers, among them Tingströms AB. This solid wood model has a beautiful veneer that stands out thanks to the simple, uncluttered design. The top features a raised “lip” or edge, a playful and practical design element. Early in his design career Ohlsson almost exclusively designed in natural beech blond wood until critics quickly forced him to move to darker walnut and teak woods. This model was also influenced by this, breaking with the light Swedish modern aesthetic. However, the structure with stretchers set parallel on the legs is still very characteristic of Swedish mid-century modern design, not to mention the top quality. Folke Ohlsson was one of the first Swedish designers who managed to bring “Swedish Modern” design to the United States’ market successfully. According to the story, when Ohlsson arrived in the United States, he took his suitcase and cardboard to hotels all over the country inviting salesmen, department stores, and decorators to view his miniature designs and watch as he disassembled and reassembled his chair design. He quickly became notorious for his patented “knock-down” construction that reduced shipping and storage costs and helped to make the Swedish company Dux a household name in the USA. Condition: In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. Dimensions: 30.11 in W x 22.04 in D x 20.86 in H 76.5 cm W x 56 cm D x 53 cm H About the designer: Folke Ohlsson was a born in Malmö, Sweden in 1919 and died in Atherton California in 2003. Folke studied at the School of the Gothenburg Society of Industrial Design before he began working for the Swedish furniture and bedding manufacturer, Dux. In 1950, he moved to the United States with only a suitcase full of clothes and an exact miniature scaled model furniture...

Folke Ohlsson for DUX of Sweden Mid Century travertine coffee table on a solid teak base. The substantial rectangular travertine top is beautifully figured. The travertine top floats...