Carl Malmsten
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attributed to, a mahogany-stained birch Swedish Grace desk, Svenska Möbelfabrikerna Bodafors, Sweden ca 1925.
Architect Ivar Tengbom's own desk. Reportedly designed for the Stockholm Concert Hall. The top with a geometrical decoration, one drawer, stylized lion's paw feet, stamped with maker's mark. 200 x 60 cm, height 78 cm. Key included.
Wear.
Provenance
Ivar Tengbom, architect (1878-1968).
Thence by descent.
Tengbom was one of the leading architects in Sweden during the early 20thC. His most recognized works are the Stockholm Concert Hall and Tändstickspalatset ( the Swedish Match Palace). On these two projects he collaborated closely with Carl Malmsten who designed the furnishings in an exquisite Swedish Grace manner.
Designer
Carl Malmsten is one of Sweden's most famous furniture designers. Many of his furniture are considered modern design classics, for example, the cane chair "Lilla Åland", the armchair "Farmor", the sofa "Samsas", the cabinet "Herrgården", and the furniture series "Vardag".
Both "Lilla Åland" and "Vardag" adopted the ideals of "beautiful everyday goods" of the 1940s. Their neat shape and frugal design quickly became timeless interior details that we still see in many homes today.
At the beginning of his career, Malmsten interned at various carpentry workshops and studied furniture at Nordiska museet and Skansen. He had his breakthrough in 1916 when he was commissioned to design part of the interior of Stockholm's City Hall.
During his career, Malmsten collaborated with several architects, such as Ragnar Östberg, Ivar Tengbom, and Ferdinand Boberg. He designed furniture for Stockholm's concert hall and Ulriksdal castle. He participated in the now iconic hosing exhibition at Liljevalchs gallery in 1917, where the term "Beautiful everyday goods" was coined.