Pair of Carl-Johan Boman Lounge Chairs in Jade Green Velvet, Finland, 1950s

This rare pair of easy chairs was designed by Carl-Johan Boman and produced by his company, Oy N. Boman AB, in Finland in the early 1950s.

The design is characterized by the curved lines of the backrest and the rounded seat. The scallop-shaped backrest features vertically placed cord details, adding depth and elegance to the design. The tapered front legs and slightly outward-bending back legs are crafted from solid beech wood.

The chairs have been fully restored and newly upholstered in a refined leaf/jade green velvet fabric by Colefax and Fowler. The fabric, named Cosima, is a luxurious plain velvet with a fine viscose pile, an understated patina, and a subtle sheen. A fabric sample is available upon request.

Biography: Carl-Johan Boman (Finnish, 1883–1969) studied interior design at the Royal College of Art and Design in Berlin. In 1906, he joined the Boman Furniture Factory—founded in 1871 in Turku by his father, carpenter and manufacturer Nikolai Boman—first as artistic director and later, in 1919, as managing director. The company was Finland’s leading manufacturer of high-quality furniture at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and was a favored decorator of upper-class and bourgeois homes in Finland.

After his father’s passing, Carl-Johan sought to modernize the factory’s production, shifting from traditional bourgeois furniture to functionalism. In 1927, Oy N. Boman AB was awarded the title of Royal Swedish Court Procurer. The company gained international recognition, earning awards as early as the 19th century and later participating in the Milan Triennial (1951, 1954) and the Design in Scandinavia exhibition tour in North America (1954–1957).