An architect and designer, Alvar Aalto deserves an immense share of the credit for bringing Scandinavian modernism and Nordic design to a prominent place in the global arena. In both his buildings and his vintage furniture — which ranges from chairs, stools, 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 with his wife, Aino Aalto, in 1930 as part of the overall design of a Finnish tuberculosis sanatorium.
Comfortable, yet light enough to be easily moved by patients, the Paimio 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 the headrest and beneath the knees, creating a sort of pillow effect. Aalto’s use of plywood had an 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 Aino, 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.
Rare Wardrobe, Alvar Aalto, Oy Huonekalu- ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, 1940s
By Alvar Aalto, Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab
Located in Helsinki, Uusimaa
Rare wardrobe by Alvar Aalto for the Varkaus Hospital. Manufactured by Oy Huonekalu- ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, 1940s. Birch and birch plywood. Completely restored. Gorgeous condition,...
Birch, Plywood, Paint
Italian Art Deco 1940s Wardrobe
Located in Milan, IT
Splendid Italian 1940s Art Deco wardrobe.
Wood
$2,694
H 72.05 in W 45.67 in D 23.63 in
1940s Bauhaus-Inspired Wardrobe by Hynek Gottwald – Czechoslovakia
By Hynek Gottwald
Located in Żory, PL
A functional wardrobe designed in the spirit of Bauhaus modernism by Hynek Gottwald, produced in Czechoslovakia during the 1940s. The piece combines utilitarian design with a clean i...
Steel
$6,623
H 68.9 in W 19.69 in D 12.6 in
Alvar Aalto Entryway Console Mirror and Stool Set, 1950s for Artek
By Alvar Aalto, Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, Artek
Located in Helsinki, FI
A beautiful entryway set of a drawer console, mirror and stool by Alvar Aalto for Artek made of solid birch. The set is in original condition with a light surface finishing. The wood...
Birch, Mirror
Paolo Buffa Large Highboard or Wardrobe in Cherry 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Paolo Buffa, wardrobe or large cabinet, cherry, brass, Italy, 1940s This rare wardrobe exudes subtle decorative charm and is the work of the talented Italian designer and architect ...
Brass
$9,590
H 35.04 in W 47.25 in D 18.31 in
Rare cabinet '808' by Alvar Aalto for AB Artek in Hedemora, Sweden, 1940s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Eskilstuna, SE
Cabinet '808' by Alvar Aalto. Rare piece of furtniture and even more so when its produced by Aaltos factory in Hedemora, Sweden. AB Artek in Hedemora opened 1946 in order to produc...
Birch
$27,000
H 73.43 in W 58.47 in D 18.12 in
Andre Sornay Modernist Wardrobe Stamped and Documented circa 1940
By Andre Sornay
Located in CA, CA
This exceptionally proportioned Modernist wardrobe by André Sornay shows why his stature as one of the most important designers of the Art Dec...
Wood
Art Deco Wardrobe Armoire Cabinet, Circa 1940's France
Located in North York, ON
This stunning Art Deco wardrobe armoire, made in France circa 1940s, is crafted from rich Macassar wood and finished in a polished high-gloss that highlights its luxurious grain. Bol...
Brass
$3,200
H 13 in W 19.69 in D 12.6 in
Minimalist Alvar Aalto Drawer Wall Shelf Model B 114, 1950s for Artek
By Alvar Aalto, Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, Artek
Located in Helsinki, FI
A beautiful drawer shelf / console by Alvar Aalto in solid birch and oak veneer for Artek. A small and very practical addition to your entrance or any wall space to keep keys or smal...
Birch, Oak
French Oak Sliding Wardrobe with Brass Pulls, 1940s
By Guillerme et Chambron
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
French Reconstruction workshop, two-door wardrobe, solid oak, France, 1940s-1950s. Each of the two sliding doors is composed of four broad horizontal panels set one above the other,...
Brass
Rare Oak Wardrobe by Italo Gamberini, Tuscany, Italy, 1940s
By Italo Gamberini, Paolo Buffa, Gio Ponti
Located in Brescia, Brescia
Elegant and exceptionally well-crafted wardrobe designed by Italo Gamberini and produced in Tuscany during the 1940s. This refined piece embodies the transition between Italian rat...
Brass
$3,800 / item
H 25.5 in W 15 in D 22 in
Four-Drawer Office Cabinet Attributed to Alvar Aalto for Artek, 1940s
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A birch cabinet resting on a recessed plinth base with four (4) drawers that lock and have integrated pulls. Designed in the 1940s and produced for decades, this cabinet was likely p...
Birch
$3,158
H 23.63 in W 35.44 in D 11.82 in
Alvar Aalto Minimalistic Double Shelf Model 112-2 in Birch, Artek 1940s
By Alvar Aalto, Artek, Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy
Located in Helsinki, FI
This is an iconic minimalist shelf by Alvar Aalto in double deck. Due to the back rail, the shelf is easier to hang with four screws instead of eight. The shelf unit is from the 1940...
Birch, Plywood
Alvar and Aino Aalto A820 Wardrobe
By Alvar Aalto, Aino Aalto
Located in Tomi, Nagano
alvar and aino aalto design wardrobe. This is very rare not on the vintage market. Like museum piece.
Birch
Alvar Aalto, Wardrobe from Paimio Sanatorium, 1932
By Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy, Alvar Aalto
Located in Uppsala, SE
Rare wardrobe from the patient rooms of the Paimio sanatorium that was built in 1932. And manufactured by Hounekalu-ja Rekannustyötehdas Oy. Aalto wa...
Birch, Plywood
1970´s Alvar Aalto Wall-Mounted Hat Shelf in Birch
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Knebel, DK
Wall-mounted Alvar Aalto hat shelf in birch from the 1970s. The hat shelf has been overlooked by our cabinetmaker and is in good condition so it can be pu...
Birch