Yngve Ekstrom For Swedese
20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Sheepskin, Linen, Beech
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Suede, Teak
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Formica, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Living Room Sets
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Teak
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Beech
Vintage 1970s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Wool, Foam, Pine
Vintage 1970s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Wool, Foam, Pine
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Oak, Teak
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Sheepskin, Bentwood
20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Beech
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Lambskin, Oak, Teak
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Suede, Wood, Leather
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Wood, Beech
Vintage 1960s Swedish Armchairs
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Teak
Vintage 1970s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Pine
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Canvas, Beech
20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Loveseats
Beech, Wool
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Sheepskin
Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Sheepskin, Teak, Plywood
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
Wool, Teak
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
Upholstery, Teak
Vintage 1970s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Glass, Pine
Vintage 1970s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Glass, Pine
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Oak
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Oak
Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Teak, Cowhide, Fabric, Bentwood
Vintage 1970s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
Pine
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Fabric, Wood
20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Oak
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Side Tables
Pine
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Leather, Teak
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Sheepskin, Wood
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Sheepskin, Teak
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Oak
Vintage 1970s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Glass, Pine
Vintage 1980s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Beech, Sheepskin
Vintage 1980s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Beech, Sheepskin
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Yngve Ekstrom For Swedese For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Yngve Ekstrom For Swedese?
Yngve Ekström for sale on 1stDibs
Vintage Yngve Ekström furniture embodies the beauty and simplicity of the Scandinavian modern style. The Swedish designer, architect and woodworker created clean-lined hardwood pieces with sophisticated details and flourishes. He was known for his comfortable lounge chair designs as well as chic cocktail tables and handsome highboard cabinets.
Ekström was born in 1913 in Småland, home to Sweden’s oldest furniture factory, Hagafors Stolfabrik. After his father died, he began working at the factory. In 1945, Ekström and his older brother, Jerker Ekström, opened ESE Möbler, a furniture company headquartered in their hometown. In 1952, they received acclaim for their innovative Thema chair. The laminated veneer chair was packed flat for easy shipping so customers could assemble it at home. Ekström followed it with the 1955 Arka chair for the furniture manufacturer Stolab. A spindle backrest and spacious curved seat gave the chair comfort and style.
Ekström’s most popular design was the 1956 Lamino chair. Still in production, the minimalist wooden-frame chair features a sinuous and inviting profile with a high backrest. Looking back at his well-loved design, Ekström said: “To have designed one good chair might not be a bad life’s work.”
After Ekström’s brother left the company, he changed the name to Swedese. Ekström sold Swedese in 1974, but continued to design for it until he died in 1988. His furniture is in museum collections around the world, including the National Museum in Stockholm, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Victoria Albert museum in London. In 1999, Swedish design magazine Sköna Hems named the Lamino chair the “20th-Century’s Best Swedish Furniture Design.”
Swedese, which still occupies its original building in Småland, partnered with artist Kustaa Saksi in 2017 to update the iconic Lamino chair.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Yngve Ekström seating, tables, storage cabinets and more.
Finding the Right Seating for You
With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.
Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.
Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.
The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.
Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.
With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.
Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.
No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.