Axel Larsson Side table, 1960s

Ref.: GA020075

Tripod Side Table or ‘Gueridon’ by Axel Larsson for Svenska Möbelfabrikerna Bodafors, in Birch, Sweden circa 1940.

This model “1504” table was part of the “Fritiden” exhibition in 1936 in Ystad, Sweden. Besides its elegant, sinuous, and simple design, what stands out most about this piece is the extensive use of Karelian Birch wood, whose grain forms a pattern across the surface, serving as the table’s primary decorative element.

Condition:

Very good vintage condition. This table has been carefully restored but may show signs of use and aging.

Dimensions:

Height: 23.62 inches, Diameter: 31.50 inches

About the Designer:

The interior architect and furniture designer Axel Larsson was born in 1898 in Medelpad, Sweden. Educated at Högre Konstindustriell Skolan (1916-1920) and mentored by Carl Malmsten during the Stockholm City Hall project (1919-1920), Larsson spent the early 1920s honing his design sensibilities through European study trips before being hired by Svenska Möbelfabrikerna Bodafors (SMF) in 1925 in Stockholm. A precocious talent, Larsson’s importance within the company grew quickly, and within a few years, he was appointed Chief Designer of SMF, likely in response to his debut on the international design stage at the 1930 Stockholm Exhibition. There, representing Bodafors, Larsson presented a series of functionally inspired, remarkably simple, and timeless furniture, including a particularly well-received dark birch chair with braided hemp webbing.

Though overshadowed by the slightly flashier work of his contemporaries like Malmsten, Josef Frank, and Bruno Mathsson, Larsson maintained a steady and influential output mid-century. His post-1930 career at Bodafors was notably marked by interior design commissions for the Gothenburg Concert Hall and the Folksamhuset in Stockholm, along with approximately 500 furniture lines designed for mass production. These collections, which included refined high-quality cabinets, chairs, and other pieces, all made from signature light Scandinavian woods, essentially revolutionized how the Nordic region manufactured furniture in mass, introducing new methods and standards.

After over thirty years with the company, Larsson left Bodafors in 1956 to start his own firm but continued to collaborate with his former employer during the later stages of his career. In this twilight period, Larsson worked with various Sweden-based companies, including the Swedish Handicraft Association and Balzar Beskow AB, which continues to produce Larsson’s stackable S-312 chair.

 

Price on Demand