Alvar Aalto Wall Shelf Model 114, 1950s for Artek
About the Item
- Creator:
- Dimensions:Height: 13 in (33 cm)Width: 31.5 in (80 cm)Depth: 12.6 in (32 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor structural damages. The overall impression is good. A few scratches here and there on the teak side (upper part) of the shelve, but absolutely nothing to fuss about. The scartches even add to the authentic vintage look in a positive manner.
- Seller Location:Helsinki, FI
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU6346237261662
Alvar Aalto
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Helsinki, Finland
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Alvar Aalto Wall Shelf Model B 114, 1950s for ArtekBy Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, Artek, Alvar AaltoLocated in Helsinki, FIThis type wall shelf by Alvar Aalto is very sought after. There is just not enough of them to go around. As one can see from the archive picture the shelf can be joined with a mirro...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch, Oak
- Alvar Aalto, Double Shelf, Model 112-2, ArtekBy Artek, Alvar AaltoLocated in Helsinki, FIThe 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 pre mid 1950s and is...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch, Plywood
- Alvar Aalto Pair of Shelves Model 112-2, ArtekBy Artek, Alvar AaltoLocated in Helsinki, FIA pair of shelves designed by Alvar Aalto for Artek in the 1930s. They are made from bent laminated birch, solid birch, and plywood birch. The items ca...Category
Vintage 1930s Finnish Shelves
MaterialsBirch
- Alvar Aalto Side Table Model A 86 for Artek, 1930sBy Artek, Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, Alvar AaltoLocated in Helsinki, FIThis small size side table can be used in any room, and for a variety of purposes. The shelf feature makes it perfect as an arm chair or reading space side table. The vintage honey l...Category
Vintage 1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Side Tables
MaterialsBirch
- Alvar Aalto Artek Coat Hanger Model 113, 1950sBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Helsinki, FIThis early 1940s single wall shelf model 112 is designed by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto for artek. This versatile shelf is in stained birch. The 2 triangular panels are joined ...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Coat Racks and Stands
MaterialsMetal
- Early Alvar Aalto Spring Chair Model 42 For Artek 1940sBy Alvar Aalto, Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, ArtekLocated in Helsinki, FIOne 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
Vintage 1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBirch, Plywood
- Artek Wall Shelf by Alvar Aalto, 1960sBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Turku, FIArtek's wall shelf 112B is an elegant and practical shelf that can be used for books, decorative lamps or small items. Alvar Aalto designed the wall shelf 112 in 1936. This one was ...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch
- Artek Wall Shelf by Alvar Aalto, 1980'sBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Turku, FIArtek's wall shelf 112B is an elegant and practical shelf that can be used for books, decorative lamps or small items. Alvar Aalto designed the wall shelf 112 in 1936. This one was ...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch
- Birch Mid-Century Modern 112B Wall Shelf by Alvar Aalto for Artek, 1950sBy Artek, Alvar AaltoLocated in Amsterdam, NLStunning and elegant Mid-Century Modern wall shelf 112B. Design by Alvar Aalto for Artek Finland. Striking Finnish design from the 1950s. Original bi...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch
- Wall shelf in birch by Alvar Aalto, Artek Hedemora, Sweden 1946-1956By Artek, Alvar AaltoLocated in Hägersten, SEWall shelf designed by Alvar Aalto. Produced by Svenska Artek in Hedemora, Sweden. Made between 1946-1956. Mad from solid and laminated birch throughout. Beautiful honey toned color ...Category
Vintage 1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch
- Alvar Aalto Shelve Model 112B-2 from the 1950sBy Artek, Alvar AaltoLocated in Helsinki, FIAlvar Aalto Shelve Model 112B-2 from the 1950s, manufactured by Artek. Birch. Good vintage condition, minor wear consistent with age and use. Iconic Alvar Aalto design. There are two...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch
- Alvar Aalto Wall Shelf Produced by Artek in FinlandBy Alvar AaltoLocated in Limhamn, Skåne länRare wall shelf designed by Alvar Aalto. Produced by Artek in Finland.Category
Vintage 1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The Very Modern Love Story of Mid-Century Design Duo Alvar and Aino Aalto
A power couple before the term existed, the influential pair made work that still resonates today.
What Makes Scandinavian Modernism and Nordic Design So Irresistible?
Andrew Duncanson, founder of the Stockholm- and London-based gallery Modernity, weighs in on the masters of mid-century furniture and decorative arts.