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.
Alvar Aalto Model 66 Chair from the 1960s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Model 66 chair designed by Alvar Aalto in the 1960s for Artek. Thermoformed wood frame. The simple, clean lines of this model are highly representative of Scandinavian design and Alv...
Wood
Vintage Chair 65 by Alvar Aalto for Artek, Finsven, 1940-50s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Centreville, VA
Clean lines and a simple structure define the design of Chair 65. A low, rectangular backrest is formed from a single piece of birch plywood and has a slight curve that forms natur...
Bentwood
Alvar Aalto 68 style bentwood chair from the 1960s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
1960s chair in the style of Alvar Aalto's Model 66. Thermoformed wood frame. Advanced vintage condition, with numerous signs of age and use: chips, dents in the wood, scratches (see ...
Wood
$940
H 23.63 in W 13.78 in D 14.57 in
Original Alvar Aalto N65 childrens chair from the mid 20th century in birch wood
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Ebberup, DK
Bring iconic Scandinavian design into your child’s world with this original Chair N65 by Alvar Aalto. Designed in 1935, the N65 is a perfect example of Aalto’s innovative approach to...
Wood, Birch, Bentwood
$945
H 23.82 in W 13.98 in D 16.34 in
Mid-Century Modern Early N65 Children Chair Alvar Aalto Artek Finland 1960s
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Hamburg, DE
An early version of the N65 children's chair by Finnish manufacturer Artek, based on a design by Alvar Aalto from the 1930s. This version of the seat was only available until around ...
Wood
Alvar Aalto Chair 69 by Artek 1940s-1950s
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Espoo, FI
Artek 69 chair, birch with red upholstery. The chair is from around 1940-1950. Old Artek stamp on the base. Gorgeous patina on the wooden parts. Later upholstery. Designer Alvar Aalto.
Fabric, Birch
Side Chair, Alvar Aalto for Artek, Finland, 1950s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tokyo, Tokyo
This side chair, designed by Alvar Aalto and produced in Finland, reflects the designer’s distinctive approach to combining organic forms with practical function. Its softly curved s...
Wood
E65 chair by Alvar Aalto for Artek, Finland, 1950s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Bastia Umbra, IT
E65 chair by Alvar Aalto for Artek, Finland, 1950s A Scandinavian (Finland) chair by Alvar Aalto model E65 designed in the 1930s. This chair dates from the 1950s and is in ORIGINAL ...
Birch, Plywood
$4,134
H 27.76 in W 18.9 in D 21.26 in
Model 2 Chair, Alvar Aalto, Oy Huonekalu- ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, 1930s
By Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, Alvar Aalto
Located in Helsinki, Uusimaa
Model 2 chair, design Alvar Aalto, manufactured by Oy Huonekalu- ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, 1930s. Birch frame, later fabric upholstery. Marked. Good vintage condition, minor patina co...
Fabric, Birch
Alvar Aalto Birch & Leather Chair 611
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Norwich, England
Alvar Aalto chair 611 in birch and leather hide by Finnish manufacturer: Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy. Dated in pencil 20th June 1950, along with cabinet maker's signature. A va...
Leather, Birch
alvar aalto chair611 50's natural
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tomi, Nagano
designed by alvar aalto . Manufactured in the 1950s. Paint is in original condition. The paint film is thin.
Birch
alvar aalto stool60 natural hedemora 1940's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tomi, Nagano
Designed by Alvar Aalto. This stool60 was manufactured in the 1940s. It is from the era when it was manufactured in Hedemora, Sweden.
Birch
Alvar Aalto 40s 403 Hallway Chair
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tomi, Nagano
40s 403 hallway chair. Upholstery by Kvadrat canvas.
Fabric, Birch
alvar aalto chair69 Painted Deep blue 1930's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tomi, Nagano
Designed by Alvar Aalto. This is chair 69 . Deep blue paint is applied all over. This chair was manufactured in the 1930s.
Birch
Alvar Aalto Stool 60 Elm Top, manufactured 1950's vintage
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Tomi, Nagano
Stool 60 designed by Alvar Aalto in 1932. This item is manufactured in the 1950s. This seat top is elm.It is a rare individual. Elm wood is characterized by its beautiful grain and i...
Birch, Elm
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...
Birch
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