Mid-Century Ilmari Tapiovaara Teak Drawer Chest for Asko, 1950s

A very elegant and distinct teak drawer/sideboard designed by Ilmari Tapiovaara and manufactured by Asko in Finland in the 1950s. One of the most iconic designs by Ilmari Tapiovaara, who was one of the leading names in the golden age of Finnish design. The item is in very good original condition with a beautiful dark patina.

Ilmari Tapiovaara gave a lot of attention to simplicity, functionality with attention to detail, and his works had modernistic tendencies from the beginning of his career. He studied furniture design at the Central School for Applied Arts in Helsinki 1933-1937. Tapiovaara was brought to the forefront of Finnish designers in an exhibition (Home Exhibition ´39) in 1939, so right at the start of his career. Asko dislayed a number of furnitures by Tapiovaara that concentrated on the problems of small and medium sized homes. The exhibition was soon closed of course because of the war. Tapiovaara was then assigned to design and supervise the buildings and furniture needed by the army.

Tapiovaara considered a designer as a socially responsible actor, a ‘physician’ of our daily surroundings, whose talents should be used to help people with their day to day existence. In an article by Tapiovaara called ‘A chair is not just a seat’ it is the key to the interior decoration scheme. Tapiovaara stated that a piece of furniture must fit 2 schemes : it must satisfy the demands of a piece of furniture, and it must harmonize with the other objects around it.

It’s also stamped with a manufacturers stamp by Asko.