As the descendant of four generations of Swedish master cabinetmakers, Bruno Mathsson was born to design furniture. Mathsson was known as a methodical perfectionist who made usefulness the fundamental attribute of his iconic lounge chairs, tables, armchairs and other works, yet he was also a ceaseless experimenter, who constantly searched for improvements in form, materials and methods of design.
Like the Finnish designer Alvar Aalto, Mathsson was one of the first Scandinavians to embrace undulating, biomorphic forms in furniture. His early pieces such as the Eva and Pernilla series of chairs incorporate dramatically flowing bent beechwood frames, making them some of the most instantly recognizable works of 20th-century design.
Mathsson was also a pioneer of ergonomics — he is said to have based the contours of his chairs on the impression his body made when he sat in a snow bank — and used supple, accommodating woven webbing for seats. His concern for practicality is shown by pieces such as the Maria table. An elegant design with gate legs and hinged leaves, the table measures more than nine feet long when fully extended, but folds down to just nine inches in thickness.
From the mid-1940s through the 1950s, Mathsson focused on architecture, designing and building houses with insulated, triple-glazed window walls and heated floors — construction that flew in the face of traditional wood-clad Swedish residential design, and consequently met with some skepticism. He returned to furniture in the 1960s, employing an entirely new suite of materials: Stainless-steel framing and mesh seats feature in pieces like the Jetson chair; with the mathematician Piet Hein, Mathsson designed the Super-Elliptical table, which has a laminate top and four-part tubular steel legs that sprout like flower stems from a single base.
Bruno Mathsson’s stylistic flexibility as a designer made him a creator whose pieces meet all tastes and needs.
Find vintage Bruno Mathsson dining tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
$20,180
H 28.35 in W 35.44 in D 109.45 in
Mid-Century Modern Dining Table “Maria Flap” by Bruno Mathsson for Mathsson
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Dining table “Maria Flap” designed by Bruno Mathsson for Mathsson International, Sweden. 1960.
Teak
Folding table "Maria Flap" by Bruno Mathsson
By Firma Karl Mathsson, Bruno Mathsson
Located in Brescia, IT
Oak folding table model "Maria Flap" by Bruno Mathsson, 1969, with original mark. Folding table model "Maria Flap" designed by Bruno Mathsson and manufactured by Firma Karl Mathsson...
Oak
$7,600Sale Price|20% Off
H 28.5 in W 110.5 in D 35.5 in
1960s Maria Table by Bruno Matthson for Firma Karl Mathsson, Sweden
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1960 Bruno Mathsson Maria folding table by Firma Karl Mathsson, Sweden. Really neat mid century table that expands from easily storable to seating double digits comfortably. Can be...
Beech, Walnut
Maria Flap Dining Table by Bruno Mathsson, 1960´s
Located in PARIS, FR
Born in Värnamo in 1907 into the fifth generation of a Swedish cabinetmaking family, Bruno Mathsson taught himself architecture and design from books — and became Sweden's most inter...
Wood
Extending Dining Table by Kaare Klint for Rud Rasmussen
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A model 4229 dining table in solid mahogany with two extension leaves.
Mahogany
$17,640
H 28.55 in W 110.63 in D 35.44 in
Maria Dining Table by Bruno Mathsson, Teak & Beech, 1930s Sweden
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
First edition “Maria” dining table by Bruno Mathsson, made with a teak table top and beech legs. Beautiful brass locking mechanism that keeps the middle part from moving when folded....
Brass
Børge Mogensen Dining Table model "753", 1950s
By Børge Mogensen
Located in Stockholm, SE
The Model 753 dining table, designed by renowned Danish architect Børge Mogensen, exemplifies the timeless Scandinavian design ethos. Crafted with a combination of beech, brass, and ...
Brass
$9,500
H 28.5 in W 110 in D 35.5 in
1950s Maria Flap Gateleg Dining Table by Bruno Mathsson in Sweden in Teak
By Bruno Mathsson, Firma Karl Mathsson
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a gateleg ‘Maria Flap’ folding dining table, initially designed by Bruno Mathsson in 1936. This example was produced by Karl Mathsson in Värnamo, Sweden in the 1950s. Th...
Beech, Teak, Satin
$6,400
H 29 in W 55 in D 40 in
Scandinavian Modern Flip Top Expanding Dining Table By Folke Ohlsson For DUX
By Dux of Sweden, Folke Ohlsson
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stylish and rare, Scandinavian modern extension dining table was designed by Folke Ohlsson for DUX of Sweden, circa 1960s. It's made of solid teak and features both practical an...
Teak
Dining Table by Børge Mogensen
By Børge Mogensen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Model 103 - 'Øresund' addition table in teak. Designed in 1961. Two leaves of 56 cm. Measure: L. 182 cm. Børge Mogensen / Karl Andersson & Son.
Teak
Dining table Superellips Designed by Bruno Mathsson 1960s
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
The ‘Superellipse’ dining table, designed by Bruno Mathsson in collaboration with Piet Hein during the 1960s, is an icon of Scandinavian modern design. Its distinctive superelliptica...
Metal
Occasional Table Annika Designed by Bruno Mathsson for Karl Mathsson, Sweden
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Occasional table Annika designed by Bruno Mathsson for Karl Mathsson, Sweden. 1973. Birch and Karelian birch. Dimensions: H: 42 cm / 1' 4" D: 65 cm / 2' 1''
Birch
'Annika' Table Designed by Bruno Mathsson for Karl Mathsson, Sweden, 1936
By Karl Mathsson, Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Table Annika designed by Bruno Mathsson for Karl Mathsson, Sweden. 1936. Elm top and birch legs. Measurements: H: 65 cm / 2' 2" D: 95 cm / 3' 1 7/8" This round “Annika” occasional table was manufactured in 1967 and designed in 1936; it is made of birch with a smooth Oregon pine top. Bruno Mathsson created various iterations of his “Annika” model — they come in three shapes with different wood combinations and various heights. They can be round with three legs, square with four legs, or rectangular with six legs, allowing exciting and contrasting combinations when grouped. While the design aesthetic is delicate, the table is very well-made because of the strong plywood. Bruno Mathsson’s love for nature pervades all his designs — he frequently slept outside in the forest or his garden on a specially designed foldable bed. His furniture shapes, particularly the legs, bring bull's horns or insects to mind. Mathsson was one of the most important Swedish designers of the 20th century. He was a contemporary of Alvar Aalto and Marcel Breuer, all of whom had already experimented with bent plywood during the 1930s. Karl Mathsson, Bruno Mathsson's father, was the fifth generation in a family of master cabinet makers. He owned a furniture manufacturing company that produced the earlier pieces; later, they founded "Mathsson International”. The stamp indicates the manufacturing date and, sometimes, the design date. Bruno Mathsson often gave his furniture Swedish woman...
Birch, Elm
Dining Table Designed by Mogens Kold, Denmark, 1960s
By Mogens Kold Møbelfabrik
Located in Stockholm, SE
Dining table, designed by Mogens Kold, Denmark. 1960’s. Brazilian rosewood. Measurements: Height: 73 cm/ 28 3/4'' Length when closed: 135 cm/ 53''. Two extension leaves at 45 cm/ 1...
Rosewood
Library Table Designed by Uno Åhrén for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1930
Located in Stockholm, SE
Library table designed by Uno Åhrén for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1930. Elm. Early maker's mark underneath the surface. H: 75 cm L: 180 cm W: 70 cm.
Elm
Occasional table Annika designed by Bruno Mathsson for Karl Mathsson
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Occasional table Annika designed by Bruno Mathsson for Karl Mathsson, Sweden, 1977. Karelian birch. Measurements: H: 35 cm/ 13 3/4" D: 55 cm/ 21 1/2"
Birch
