Pair of Red Ilmari Tapiovaara Caribe Bar Stools For ICF New York, Finland 1960s

A rare pair of gorgeously patinated bar / high stools in red faux leather from the 1960s for the ICF in New York. One chair still has the label to the bottom. The high stools are naturally designed for bars or high counter and kitchen tables and were used in the iconic Marski Hotel in Helsinki. The legs have a gorgeous patina that can only come with age and use.

The combination of oxidation on the copper and rust surface is stunning. The chairs also retain their original upholstery which is intact and has wear consistent with age and use with one slight rough spot on the back and some slight inconsistency in colour.

Ilmari Tapiovaara devoted his career to simplicity and functionality, always with an eye for detail. Educated at the Central School for Applied Arts in Helsinki between 1933 and 1937, he was brought to prominence early on at the Home Exhibition of 1939, where Asko presented his designs focused on the challenges of small and medium-sized homes. The exhibition closed shortly after due to the war, and Tapiovaara went on to design and oversee furniture and buildings for the Finnish army.

He saw the designer as a socially responsible figure — a “physician” of everyday surroundings whose work should improve daily life. In his article A Chair is Not Just a Seat, Tapiovaara wrote that furniture must fulfil its function while also harmonizing with the space and objects around it.