Carl Malmsten, for O.H. Sjögren

CARL MALMSTEN (Stockholm, 1888–Stockholm, 1972) for O.H. Sjögren, Tranås, Sweden.
Pair of “Farmor” armchairs, designed in 1956.
Pine frame, oak legs, gray lambswool upholstery, and leather straps.
Features a plaque by O.H. Sjögren and Carl Malmsten.
In good condition, with slight signs of wear. Upholstery has been renewed.
Measurements per armchair: 103 x 76 x 85 cm; seat height: 43 cm.

Designed in 1956, “Farmor” holds a prominent place in Carl Malmsten’s body of work. The model was among the first designs that the designer entrusted to small Swedish manufacturers for mass production in the mid-1950s and soon became one of his most prized armchairs. Its production was linked to O.H. Sjögren, a Tranås-based firm with which Malmsten developed the model. The name itself, “Farmor”—Swedish for “grandmother”—reflects the designer’s desire to endow his furniture with a recognizable personality; it belongs to a family of chairs named “Farfar,” “Husmor,” and “Lilla Syster.”

The tall, enveloping backrest, the gently curved arms, and the generous proportions of the seat reflect a concept of comfort far removed from the austerity of functionalism. Malmsten placed special importance on gentle forms and the elimination of sharp edges, drawing inspiration from the curves of nature; this principle is clearly evident in the continuous, rounded profile of “Farmor.” The small headrest cushion, secured with leather straps, completes a silhouette with a strong identity, while the current gray lambswool upholstery accentuates its warm and enveloping character.

The combination of upholstered volume, slightly tapered legs, and balanced proportions encapsulates a defining aspect of postwar Swedish design: the pursuit of domestic comfort, artisanal quality, and enduring forms in contrast to a modernity understood exclusively in industrial terms.

Carl Malmsten was one of the key figures in 20th-century Swedish design and material culture. His career took off in 1916 when he won first and second prizes in the furniture competition for the Stockholm City Hall, whose interiors he later furnished. A designer, interior designer, and educator, he founded several schools dedicated to the arts and crafts and championed the continuity between traditional craftsmanship, nature, and everyday life throughout his career. His work is represented, among other institutions, at the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.