Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Although prolific Swedish architect and designer Mats Theselius moves freely between creating furniture, lighting, objects, installations, exhibitions, set designs, and more, he is perhaps best known for his innovative armchairs. Described by critics as “surprising and ingenious,” Theselius is responsible for some of the most noteworthy furniture designs of the 1980s and 1990s.
Born in 1956 in Stockholm, Theselius attended the city’s prestigious Konstfack (University of Arts, Crafts and Design), where he studied Interior Architecture. After graduating in 1984, he worked at various architecture firms in Stockholm.
In 1985, Theselius debuted a cylindrical club chair upholstered with elk leather. The chair’s unique, molded curved frame, which served as a backrest and armrests, became a signature design characteristic of many of Theselius’s seating pieces. He partnered with entrepreneur Sven Lundh, and Lundh’s company, Källemo, produced a limited-edition variation of this seat, the Älgskinnsfåtöljen chair, in 1991. The Iron/Suede lounge chair followed in 1994.
Another iconic Theselius piece is the National Geographic bookcase. Made of beech with glass doors and brass detailing, the bookcase features shelves sized to accommodate 25 years' worth of National Geographic magazines. For its debut in 1988, Theselius painted the bookcase the same recognizable yellow color that typically frames the cover of the publication.
While working on furniture design and other projects, Theselius served as a professor at the HDK – Academy of Design and Crafts at the University of Gothenburg from 1995 to 1996. He has also collaborated with several well-known Swedish and European manufacturers in addition to Källemo, including String, Marrakech Design, Minus-tio and David Design.
Throughout his career, Theselius’s works have garnered critical acclaim and won numerous awards. Among them are the Red Dot Design Award, the Torsten and Wanja Söderberg Prize, the Wallpaper Design Award and the King of Sweden’s Prince Eugen Medal (2018). Theselius also received the Bruno Mathsson Award in 1997, which is named for the revered Swedish master cabinetmaker. Theselius is said to have created his coveted Bruno armchair immediately afterward.
Today, Theselius’s pieces can be found in the permanent collections of the National Museum in Stockholm, the State Russian Museum in Moscow and the Danish Museum of Art and Design in Copenhagen.
Find vintage Mats Theselius seating, case pieces, storage cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.
1990s Swedish Post-Modern Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Steel
1990s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Metal
1990s Swedish Modern Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Brass
1990s Swedish Modern Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Brass
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Steel, Chrome
1990s Norwegian Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Fabric, Beech
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Wool, Wood
Late 19th Century Late Victorian Antique Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Upholstery
1990s American Modern Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Upholstery, Maple
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Metal
19th Century English Victorian Antique Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Leather
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary European Mid-Century Modern Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Rattan
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Bouclé, Upholstery
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Steel
1990s Italian Modern Mats Theselius Chaise Longues
Steel
