"The Nationalmuseum Cabinet," model "881,", Firma Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, likely from the early 1980s.
Upper section veneered with burled vavona, mahogany framework on a walnut base, nineteen various-sized drawers with brass handles, the back also veneered. Width 90 cm, depth 45 cm, height 119.5 cm.
Insignificant wear.
The present cabinet was shown at the tribute exhibition "Firma Svenskt Tenn - 100 Years" at Antikmässan, Älvsjö, Stockholm, March 7-10, 2024
Cabinet model "881", also known as the "Nationalmuseum Cabinet," was originally called "Cabinet with 21 drawers." That is how Josef Frank named it on the original drawing in 1938, but he must have changed his mind at the last minute, as the final version was only adorned with 19 drawers. In 1952, Nationalmuseum purchased a cabinet, which was then incorporated into the permanent collection. Since the 1950s, the cabinet has been crafted by hand at the fine carpentry workshop Eriksson och Söner outside Nyköping.
Josef Frank was born in Austria and studied architecture in Vienna. As an architect, he worked with private home areas, villas and apartment buildings. In 1925 he started his own interior design firm Haus und Garten together with two architect colleagues. In connection with the advance of the Nazis, he emigrated to Sweden and was employed in 1934 at Svenskt Tenn. After the outbreak of World War II, Josef Frank, who came from a Jewish family, was forced into exile in New York. At Svenskt Tenn, he made an impact on the product range for four decades; especially when it comes to furniture and fabric prints.
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