Mahogany Chest of Drawers by Axel Larsson, Sweden, 1950’s

Ref: GA010049

Chest of drawers in mahogany and beech wood, designed by Axel Larsson for Bodafors, Sweden, 1950s.

This chest of drawers features a functional design built around a solid wood frame, into which the drawers are flush-fitted. The only decorative element is the keyhole escutcheon on each drawer. The design is clean and restrained, characteristic of Axel Larsson’s mature work in the 1950s. This simplicity reflects the transition in Sweden between the 1950s and the 1960s, a period that moved away from modernism toward a more pared-down, industrial approach to design.

Condition:

Very good restored condition. May show signs of age and use.

Dimensions:

Height: 121 cm. Width: 80 cm. Depth: 46 cm.

About the designer:

Axel Larsson (1898–1975) was a Swedish furniture and interior designer who played a key role in the development of Swedish Modern design. Born in Medelpad, he trained at the Tekniska Skolan in Stockholm and began his career apprenticing with the renowned designer Carl Malmsten, before travelling across Europe in the 1920s to broaden his references. In 1925, he joined Svenska Möbelfabrikerna in Bodafors, where he later became head of design. His work combined functional simplicity with elegance, and he produced hundreds of pieces, chairs, credenzas, cabinets, and more, that helped define mid-century Scandinavian modern furniture and its serial production.