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Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Finnish, 1898-1976

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.

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Creator: Alvar Aalto
Alvar Aalto Pair of 400 ‘Tank’ 1936 Armchairs in Leather for Artek
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tilburg, NL
Alvar Aalto Pair of 400 ‘Tank’ Armchairs in leather for Artek. Designed in 1936. New, current production. As voluminous as it is comfortable, Armchair 400 was created by Alvar Aalto...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Fabric, Wood

Alvar Aalto ‘Tank’ Lounge Chair in Red Velvet, Finland 1940s
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Prague, New Town
A rare cantilever lounge chair, model ’37/400′ (also known as the ‘Tank’ chair), designed in 1936 by Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto (1898-1976). Manufactured by Artek in ...
Category

1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Velvet, Birch

Alvar Aalto Pair of 400 ‘Tank’ 1936 Lounge Chairs in Fabric and Birch for Artek
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tilburg, NL
Alvar Aalto Pair of 400 ‘Tank’ Armchairs in fabric upholstery and lacquered birch for Artek. Designed in 1936. New, current production. Price noted is for a pair of Tank chairs in f...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Fabric, Wood

Rare Alvar Aalto Armchair No. 31, early 1930s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Stockholm, SE
Alvar Aalto armchair No. 31. Produced by Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Oy Turku, produced early 1930s.. Bent laminated birch frame, seat in laminated birch root veneer.
Category

1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Alvar Aalto 400 ‘Tank’ 1936 Armchair for Artek
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tilburg, NL
Alvar Aalto 400 ‘Tank’ Armchair for Artek. Designed in 1936. New, current production. As voluminous as it is comfortable, Armchair 400 was created b...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Fabric, Wood

Armchair Model 35, Alvar Aalto, Oy Huonekalu- ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, 1940s
By Alvar Aalto, Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab
Located in Helsinki, Uusimaa
Armchair Model 35, designed by Alvar Aalto, manufactured by Oy Huonekalu- ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, 1940s. Birch frame with wool fabric upholstery. Rich patina consistent with age and...
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1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Wool, Birch

Alvar Aalto 400 ‘Tank’ Armchair in Zebra for Artek
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tilburg, NL
Alvar Aalto 400 ‘Tank’ armchair for Artek. Designed in 1936. New, current production. Please note: price is for a 'Tank' armchair in Zebra upholstery and nat...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Fabric, Wood

Alvar Aalto Scandinavian Modern Armchair Model 45 Birch & Linen Webbing, 1970s
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Odense, DK
Vintage Alvar Aalto 45 armchair made in the 1970s by Artek. Great condition with patinated cane on the arms and original flax linen webbing. The load-be...
Category

1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Linen, Birch

Alvar Aalto Scandinavian Modern Armchair Model 45 Birch & Linen Webbing, 1970s
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Odense, DK
Vintage Alvar Aalto 45 armchairs made in the 1970s by Artek. Great condition with patinated cane on the arms and original dark blue flax linen webbing. ...
Category

1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Linen, Birch

Early Alvar Aalto 'Model 2' Arm Chair, 1930
By O.Y.Huonekalu, Alvar Aalto
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Original early Alvar Aalto 'Model 2' armchair for O.Y. Huonekalu- ja Rakennustyötehdas A.B., in molded plywood and solid birch. Unrestored condition with partly significant wear. Lat...
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1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Plywood

Early Alvar Aalto Spring Chair Model 42, Bent Plywood and Birch, Artek 1940s
By Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Helsinki, FI
One of the most iconic and finest furniture works from Alvar Aalto, the model 42 chair, also known as spring chair, `Pikku Paimio` or Small Paimio in english. It is regarded as an i...
Category

1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch, Plywood

'Tank chair' by Alvar Aalto, Finland, 1940s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Stockholm, SE
Alvar Aalto 'Tank' armchair. Produced in Finland, 1940s.
Category

1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Alvar Aalto Paimio Chair 41
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stunning Paimio armchair 41 by Alvar Alto for Artek, Finland, in natural birch wood with black bentwood seat with venting slots. The laminated birch...
Category

1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Alvar Aalto Pair of Sheepskin Paded Cantilever Armchairs Model 402, Artek 1950s
By Alvar Aalto, Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy, Artek
Located in Helsinki, FI
A beautiful pair of mid-century Alvar Aalto cantilever 'spring' chairs model 402, also known as Pikkupaimio (small paimio) associated with the legendary Paimio Sanatorium designed by...
Category

1950s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Metal

Alvar Aalto Cantilever Chair, Model 31
By Alvar Aalto
Located in San Francisco, CA
Alvar Aalto cantilever chair, model 31. A very rare 1st edition model 31 lounge chair by Alvar Aalto in birch plywood with a floating bac...
Category

1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Alvar Aalto Model 406 armchair for Artek, 1970s
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Gorgeous and elegant cantilever design armchairs designed by Alvar Aalto in 1939 and produced until today by Artek. This armchair consists of a cantilevered birchwood frame, thats m...
Category

1970s Finnish Bauhaus Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Birch

Rare Alvar Aalto Armchair No. 31, Early Example, circa 1934
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Stockholm, SE
Alvar Aalto armchair No. 31. Produced by Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Oy Turku, circa 1934-1935. Bent laminated birch frame, seat in laminated birch root veneer.
Category

1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Alvar Aalto Pair of Hallway Armchairs Model 403 in Honey Birch, Artek 1950s
By Artek, Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy, Alvar Aalto
Located in Helsinki, FI
A beautiful pair of mid-century Alvar Aalto hallway chairs model 402 designed for the legendary Paimio Sanatorium designed by Aalto. This beautiful pair is from the 1950s. Even tho...
Category

1950s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Alvar Aalto Rare Set of Early Armchairs, 1939
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Helsinki, Uusimaa
Exceptionally rare set of early Alvar Aalto armchairs for O.Y Wilhelm Schauman A.B Jyväskylä, Finland, 1939. Custom ordered for NY World's Fair Restau...
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch, Plywood

Alvar Aalto Armchair Model 36, Finmar/P.E. Gana, 1st Production 1933
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Uxbridge, GB
This Alvar Aalto Armchair Model 36 is a timeless piece of Finnish design, created in 1933 and showcasing the elegance and innovation that made Aalto a key figure in the modernist mov...
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Alpaca, Plywood

Rare Aino & Alvar Aalto Armchair for New York World Fair 1939, Schuman
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Helsinki, FI
A very rare piece of history from the late 1930s-early 1940s. The arm chair Alvar Aalto designed for the restaurant section in the New York World Fair of 1939. The chair was produced...
Category

1930s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Birch

Alvar Aalto Armchair Model 401 in Birch and Honey Sheepskin, Artek 1950s
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Helsinki, FI
A beautiful original Alvar Aalto armchair model 401, which was first designed in 1933. The 401 chair was part of the iconic Paimio Sanatorium that basically launched the Aalto name t...
Category

1950s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Birch

Early Alvar Aalto Spring Chair Model 42, Bent Plywood and Birch, Artek 1950s
By Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Helsinki, FI
One of the most iconic and finest furniture works from Alvar Aalto, the model 42 chair, also known as the spring chair, "Pikku Paimio" or Small Paimio in English. It is regarded as ...
Category

1950s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch, Plywood

Alvar Aalto Armchair 41 "Paimio" Produced by Artek, 1963
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Stockholm, SE
Produced 1963 by Artek, acquired new by previous owner. Designed by Alvar Aalto in 1932, Armchair 41 was created for the interior of a tuberculosis sanator...
Category

1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Rare Armchair 'Small Paimio' Model 42 Designed by Alvar Aalto, Finland, 1932
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Stockholm, SE
Rare armchair 'Small Paimio' model 42 designed by Alvar Aalto, Finland, 1932. Painted birch veneer and bent plywood. Stamped. H: 61.5 cm W: 60.5 cm D: 78 cm SH: 37 cm A...
Category

1930s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch, Plywood

Alvar Aalto 402 Series Armchair for Artek, circa 1960, lambskin
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Lounge chair designed by Alvar Aalto manufactured, circa 1960. New upholstered with lambskin Curved birch plywood and braided vegetable fiber. Measures: 74 x 61 x 69 cm.  
Category

1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Sheepskin, Birch

Alvar Aalto, a Pair of Lounge Chairs, Model 'RB 511' for Artek, 1960s
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Odense, DK
A refined pair of lounge chairs, legs made in solid birch and fabric upholstered in a turquoise alcantara. Designed by Alvar Aalto for Artek in Finland. Model "RB 511". This rare col...
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Velvet, Birch

Pair of Alvar Aalto Armchair 45, Produced by Artek, 1970s
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Stockholm, SE
Produced during the 1970s by Artek, Finland. Good vintage condition with signs of patina and usage.
Category

1970s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch, Cane

Alvar Aalto, rare variation of the model 46 for Artek, circa 1960.
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Hägersten-Liljeholmen, Stockholms län
Rare variation of the model 46 designed by Alvar Aalto in the 40's and produced by Artek in Finland in the same era. The chairs is composed by two extremly rare armrest. It has been ...
Category

1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Birch

Pair of Alvar Aalto Commissioned Armchairs, Enso Gutzeit, Zebra and Brass, 1962
By Alvar Aalto, Valaistustyö
Located in Helsinki, FI
An imposing and not to mention rare pair of Alvar Aalto chairs designed for the Enso-Gutzeit headquarters in Helsinki in the early 1960s. Th...
Category

1960s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Brass

Rare Alvar Aalto Cantilever Armchair Model 26, Artek, Finland
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Espoo, FI
Very hard to find Model 26 armchair is designed by Alvar Aalto for Artek with frame in steel tube, painted matt black and with seat form pressed birch plywood, lacquered in black. Aalto designed Lounge Chair 26...
Category

Late 20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Metal

Model 46 Armchair with Floral Fabric, Alvar Aalto, 1930/1940s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Helsinki, Uusimaa
Model 46 armchair, designed by Alvar Aalto, 1930/1940s. Stained birch frame with kerni wrapped handles. Later reupholstered with quality fabric. Good vintage condition, minor patina ...
Category

1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Birch

Alvar Aalto 36 Chair
By O.Y.Huonekalu, Alvar Aalto
Located in Epperstone, Nottinghamshire
Early Alvar Aalto 36/401 chair designed in 1933 and made by O.y. Huonekalu – Ja Rakennustyotehdas AB, Turku, Finland. Beautiful example of this special chair...
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Fabric

Model 31 Armchair Alvar Aalto, Finland, 1930s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in London, GB
A model 31 armchair designed by one of Finland's most prestigious Modernist designers and architects, Alvar Aalto. The model 31 was designed by Aalto during the 1930s whilst he was working alongside his wife and partner, Aino Aalto, on the Paimio Sanitorium. Aalto won the commission for the tuberculosis hospital in 1929, and over 4 years built a gesamtkunstwerk, "total work of art", dedicated to physical and mental wellness in every capacity possible. Aalto described the sanatorium itself as a "medical instrument", prioritising ventilation and heliotherapy (sun exposure), with furniture functioning a core part of this finely tuned instrument. The low seat and gently reclining form of the model 31 is indicative of the environment of restfullness which Aino and Aalto sought to construct at Paimio. Much like the eponymous "Paimio Chair", the most recognised design from the project, the model 31 shares the scroll-like expression created by the continuous seat and back. However, unlike the "Paimio Chair" the model 31 has a cantilevered construction created by the sweeping curves of the laminated birch frame, inspired by the original "Freischwinger" by Mart Stam from 1926. This particular armchair was once owned by British artist and designer, Max Clendinning, and his partner Ralph Adron...
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Alvar Aalto Pair of Cantilever Armchairs M. 401 Green Buffalo Check, Artek 1950s
By Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy, Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Helsinki, FI
A beautiful pair of mid-century Alvar Aalto cantilever 'spring' chairs model 401. This chair is similar to the iconic one known as Pikkupaimio (small paimio) but with a higher back a...
Category

1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Metal

Early Alvar Aalto Armchair Model 401 in White Sheepskin, Artek 1940s
By Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy, Alvar Aalto
Located in Helsinki, FI
A beautiful and early version of the iconic Aalto arm chair model 401 that was first designed in 1933. The 401 chair was part of the iconic Paimio Sana...
Category

1940s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch, Sheepskin

Armchair 42 “Little Paimio” Designed by Alvar Aalto, Finland, 1931
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Stockholm, SE
Armchair 42 “Small Paimio” designed by Alvar Aalto, Finland, 1931. Bent birch and lacquered plywood. Dimesnions: H: 63 cm/ 2' 1" W: 60 cm/ 1' 11 1/2" D: ...
Category

1930s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Alvar Aalto Hallway chairs model 403 from 1940s
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Espoo, FI
Artek 403 armchair, "Hallway chair", 2 pcs. Birch frame with original red fabric upholstery attached with nails. Upholstery intact. Wooden parts in good condition. Great patina on th...
Category

1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Vintage Model 401 Armchair by Alvar Aalto
By Alvar Aalto
Located in London, GB
An iconic and rare vintage model 401 armchair by Alvar Aalto. This was made in Finland by Artek, it dates from around the 1970’s. It is of exceptional ...
Category

1970s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Bouclé, Bentwood

Alvar Aalto 400 ‘Tank’ 1936 Armchair in Fabric and Lacquered Birch for Artek
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tilburg, NL
Alvar Aalto 400 ‘Tank’ Armchair for Artek. Designed in 1936. New, current production. This price is for a Tank chair in fabric upholstery and clear la...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Fabric, Wood

Set of 4 Alvar Aalto Chairs with Black Straps, Finland, 1960's
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Austin, TX
Set of 4 Model number 45 armchairs, designed in 1947 by Alvar Aalto and manufactured later (1960's?) by Artek. Beech frames and woven black nylon seat and back make a comfortable and...
Category

1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Nylon, Beech

1939 Aino & Alvar Aalto Chair for Finnish Pavilion at World's Fair by Wilhelm
By Aino Aalto, Alvar Aalto
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a very special chair. In 1939, Alvar Aalto was commissioned to create the Finnish pavilion for the World's Fair in New York. This chair was presented as part of his vision. T...
Category

1930s Finnish Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Birch

Alvar Aalto Armchairs with Black Straps, Finland, 1960's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Austin, TX
Model 45 armchairs, designed in 1947 by Alvar Aalto and manufactured later by Artek. Beech frames and woven black nylon seat and back make a comfortable and sought after combination ...
Category

1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Nylon, Beech

Early Model 402 Armchair by Alvar Aalto for Artek, Made in Finland, 1930s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Detroit, MI
The Model 402 lounge chair or ‘Atelje’ chair was designed by Alvar and Aino Aalto in 1933 for and is considered a masterpiece of modernist furniture design. The Classic, well-balance...
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch, Bentwood, Fabric

Alvar Aalto for Artek Model Y61 Stool Chair Black Leather 1 of 2
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Munich, Bavaria
Rare stool model Y61 from Alvar Aalto. Made of laminated birch wood and black aniline leather. Manufactured by Artek. The stools are comfortable and lightweighted. They are in bes...
Category

1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood, Birch, Lacquer

Alvar Aalto 31 Armchair
By Alvar Aalto
Located in London, England
Alvar Aalto 31 armchair.
Category

1930s Italian Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Bentwood

Alvar Aalto for Artek Model 45 Armchair Chair Black Leather 1 of 4
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Munich, Bavaria
Rare armchair Model 45 from Alvar Aalto.Made of laminated birch wood and black aniline leather. Manufactured by Artek. The chairs are very comfortable and lightweighted. They are in ...
Category

1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood, Birch, Lacquer

C. 1945 Set of Four Alvar and Aino Aalto Dining Hallway Arm Chairs Model 54/404
By Alvar Aalto, Aino Aalto, Artek
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a set of four Model 54/404 Stackable Hallway Armchairs, designed by Aino and Alvar Aalto in Finland in 1932. This design was a padded variant of hallway chair 403, initially ...
Category

1940s Finnish Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Steel

Alvar Aalto Early ‘Mod. 31′ Armchair, Finland 1930s
By Wohnbedarf, Alvar Aalto
Located in Rotterdam, ZH
Alvar Aalto ‘Mod. 31' Armchair, Finland 1930s. Early edition manufactured by O.y. Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas A.b. Turku and Supplied by the famous Wohnbedarf, Zürich; marked with...
Category

1930s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Plywood

Alvar Aalto Armchair 401 by Artek 1950s
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Espoo, FI
Artek 401 armchair with original green suede upholstery. Design by Alvar Aalto. The chair is from the 1950s and is in really good condition for its age. Beautiful patina on the wood.
Category

1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Birch

Paimio Sanatorium Armchair "Hallway Chair" Model 403 by Alvar Aalto
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Reichenschwand, DE
In the early 1930s, Finnish architect Alvar Aalto achieved a milestone in architectural history with the creation of the Paimio Sanatorium, a visionary project that combined art, des...
Category

1930s Finnish Bauhaus Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch, Maple

Model 45 Armchair by Alvar Aalto, Artek Finland, circa 1970
By Alvar Aalto
Located in VILLEURBANNE, FR
Vintage armchair model 45 designed by Alvar Aalto in 1947, produced in the 1970s by Artek in Finland. This chair, a true icon of Scandinavian design, combines functional simplicity w...
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Linen, Wood

Alvar Aalto for Artek Model 45 Armchair Chair Black Leather 1 of 6
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Munich, Bavaria
Rare armchair model 45 from Alvar Aalto made of laminated birch wood and black aniline leather. Manufactured by Artek. The chairs are very comfortable and lightweighted. They are ...
Category

1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood, Birch, Lacquer

Model #43 Armchair, Maija Heikinheimo w. Alvar Aalto, Finland, 1960s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in London, GB
A substantial carver armchair designed by Maija Heikinheimo with Alvar Aalto for Artek circa 1950. Visually, the frame of the chair is most informed by the legs. To create the legs ...
Category

Late 20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Upholstery, Birch

A Pair of Alvar Aalto Hallway Chairs, Model 403 by Finmar
By Finmar, Alvar Aalto
Located in London, GB
Pair of rare Hallway Chairs Model No.403 by Finmar, designed by Alvar Aalto. An early production of one of Aalto’s classic designs. A classic piece of Scandinavian modernism, the Ha...
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Plywood

Pair of Model 401 Alvar Aalto Wing Chairs
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Stamford, CT
A pair of laminated birch wood wingback armchairs designed by Alvar Aalto. Unmarked but presumed to be produced by Arte in the 1970s. Newly upholstered i...
Category

1970s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Arm Chair in Black Linen by Alvar Aalto for Artek, 1947
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A laminated birch armchair with a black linen webbed seat and cane wrapped arms.
Category

1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch

30's alvar aalto 403 hallway chair painted white
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tomi, Nagano
The early 403 was characterized by making the best use of the flexibility of the pre-wood, without the bearing surface on the cross. This is an individual that has been painted in...
Category

1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Alvar Aalto Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Alvar Aalto armchairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Alvar Aalto armchairs are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Alvar Aalto armchairs, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 51 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 2 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original armchairs by Alvar Aalto were created in the Scandinavian Modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider armchairs by Carl Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs, Yrjö Kukkapuro, and Ilmari Tapiovaara. Prices for Alvar Aalto armchairs can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,388 and can go as high as $71,172, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $6,552.
Questions About Alvar Aalto Armchairs
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 1, 2024
    Alvar Aalto is known for bringing Scandinavian modernism and Nordic design to global prominence. In his designs for buildings and furniture, Aalto's sensitivity to the natural world and to organic forms and materials tempered the hardness of rationalist design. One of his most famous pieces is the Paimio armchair, which he designed in 1930 for a Finnish tuberculosis sanatorium. Comfortable yet light enough to be easily moved by patients, the Paimio chair's frame is made 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 pillow effect. Aalto's use of plywood had an enormous influence on Charles and Ray Eames, Arne Jacobsen, Marcel Breuer and many others. On 1stDibs, shop an assortment of Alvar Aalto furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024
    The style most commonly associated with Alvar Aalto is Scandinavian modern. As an architect and designer, 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, Aalto's sensitivity to the natural world and organic forms and materials tempered the hardness of rationalist design, as is indicative of Scandinavian modern pieces. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Alvar Aalto furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2024
    The Paimio chair, designed by Alvar Aalto, is a type of armchair created in 1932. Also called the Armchair 41, it was intended to help people breathe easier and was designed for a tuberculosis sanatorium in the Finnish city of Paimio. For the chair's frame, Aalto and his wife, Aino, opted to use Finland's native birchwood, which is strong and inexpensive and felt warmer and more organic than the tubular steel found in similarly shaped pieces. Laminated wood loops form the arms, legs and a pair of flat skids, while its sculptural seat and back are built from a single piece of thin plywood. Shop a variety of Alvar Aalto Paimio chairs on 1stDibs.

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