Pair of armchairs ‘Eva’ designed by Bruno Mathsson for Karl Mathsson,
Sweden. 1968.

Leather and birch.

With its characteristically curved legs and armrests, this iconic chair model "Eva" exemplifies Swedish functionalism. Our pair was manufactured in 1968 but the design is from 1941. The comfortable seat is composed of beautifully patinated plaited leather straps in cognac — "Eva" in leather was only introduced in the 1960s. While the design aesthetic is delicate, both chairs are very well-made and sturdy 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's names like "Eva", "Pernilla", or "Annika".

H: 86 cm / 2' 6"
W: 59 cm / 1' 11 1/4"
D: 60 cm / 1' 11 1/2"
SH: 39 cm / 1' 3 1/2"

* SOLD *

• Add to enquiry list