Nordic Modern Ilmari Tapiovaara Fanett Teak & Black Dining Table, Asko, 1950s

A very elegant nordic modern expandable dining table in teak and black stained birch. The table is designed by Ilmari Tapiovaara and manufactured by Asko in Finland in the 1950s. Among Tapiovaara’s most popular designs the fanett series was a very succesful and light line. Admired for their clean lines, balanced proportions and practicality with two expandable leafs on both sides that make the total length up to 200cm. The table is in very good condition with slight wear consistent with age and use. It still carries the Asko label to the bottom.

Ilmari Tapiovaara (1914–1999) was one of the key figures of Finnish modern design. He studied furniture design at the Central School of Applied Arts in Helsinki and gained early recognition in the 1939 Home Exhibition, where Asko presented his furniture that was created for small and medium-sized homes.

Throughout his career, Tapiovaara emphasized simplicity, functionality and attention to detail. He often described the designer as a socially responsible actor — a ‘physician’ of our daily surroundings — whose work should improve everyday life. In his writings, Tapiovaara noted that a piece of furniture must not only fulfil its function but also harmonize with the other objects around it, forming a coherent and humane whole.