a black lacquered table with a pewter top by Nils Fougstedt, Svenskt Tenn ca 1930. Alva & Gunnar Myrdal Collection.
Model 743, the pewter top with engraved decoration, motifs from the garden of Eden, black lacquered wooden base. 69 x 69 cm, height 32 cm.
Wear. The pewter with small repairs.
Alva & Gunnar Myrdal. Thence by descent.
Firma Svenskt Tenn, catalogue 1931, this model is depicted.
Hedvig Hedqvist, Rikard Jacobson, Jan von Gerber, 'Modernt Svenskt Tenn', Stockholm 2004, see this model depicted on p 60: 'Uno Åhrén was the one to design the first tables for Svenskt Tenn. They were stained black as was very much in fashion in the 1920s. Different artists were hired to decorate the engraved pewter tops'. This actual table was decorated by Estrid Ericson's business partner at Svenskt Tenn, Nils Fougstedt, with the motif 'Garden of Eden'.
Model nr 743 by Uno Åhrén is recorded in the Svenskt Tenn archives as designed in 1928 with two optional engraved tops designed by Tyra Lundgren. This table might be a custom made design with the decoration by Fougstedt instead.
Family anecdote:
"The pewter top table was always placed at a central spot in our different living rooms. When we were little we used to copy the delicate engraved patterns on the top. A worse incident was when the next generation broke off some pieces of pewter from the edge in order to make tin soldiers".