“Lata Greven” Pair of Armchairs by Carl Malmsten, Sweden 1953

Lata Greven, Swedish for Lazy Count, is Carl Malmsten’s most successful “count chair”. With a klismos-style curved back, this armchair is the result of the joinery workshop suited to artisanal production that Malmsten worked with.

This model was designed for a count who desired a highly comfortable desk chair and like all “counts”, it is a simplified version of the armchair “Jonas Love”, which Carl Malmsten designed for the New York World Fair 1939. “Break all edges thoroughly”, was a frequent instruction on Carl Malmsten’s drawings and nature was his great source of inspiration, therefore sharp edges or corners can rarely be found on his designs, including these lazy counts. With a tremendous sense of proportion, these armchairs are very comfortable and fulfil their task to “serve well” and last for lifetimes. These counts stand out for the way in which the upholstered seats are tightly grabbed by the tapered legs that transcend into the back.

Carl Malmsten was -and still is- one of the most famous furniture designers of Sweden, who was also active in the cultural and political sphere of the country. He designed a number of so called “grevar” (Counts) between the 1930s and 1950s and they were often commissioned for special people or projects. The chairs’ manufacturer, O.H. Sjögren is a furniture factory in Tranås in Småland, and has been active for over 110 years and is thus one of the oldest active furniture manufacturing companies in Sweden. Since the 1950s, O.H. Sjögren manufactured furniture designed by Carl Malmsten, where in the 1950s and 60s, he spent a lot of time to develop his furniture designs.

Condition:
In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. The chairs have been recently reupholstered in a premium fabric.

Dimensions:
24.8 in W x 24.4 in D x 34.25 in H; Seat height 17.32 in
63 cm W x 62 cm D x 87 cm H; Seat height 44 cm

?About the Designer:
Carl Malmsten (December 7, 1888 – August 13, 1972) was a Swedish furniture designer, architect, and educator. Malmsten was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Malmsten's career took off when he won a competition in 1916 to design furniture for the Stockholm City Hall and shortly after in 1917, he exhibited alongside well-known Swedish architects such as Gunnar Asplund and Uno Åhrén.

In the 1920s he was invited to furnish a room for the crown prince, Gustaf VI Adolf, and his wife Louise in Ulriksdal Palace. He was honoured with an inaugural Prince Eugen Medal for design in 1945. Already as a young designer in the early 20th century, Carl Malmsten advocated an artisanal furniture design based on local ingredients and traditions, available to a wide audience at a reasonable price.

Nature was Carl Malmsten's foremost teacher and source of inspiration. He conveyed his love of craftsmanship as a teacher in his own schools, at Olofskolan in Stockholm, Capellagården on Öland and the Carl Malmsten school on Lidingö, today a branch of Linköping University and one of the country's leading design colleges. As a debater, Malmsten stormed against functionalism, but in retrospect it can be seen that his ideas often coincided with the rational and frugal style ideals of function.

Malmsten has had a lasting influence on Swedish furniture design through the two schools he founded—the Carl Malmsten Furniture Studies (Carl Malmstensskolan), which has been a part of Linköping University since 2000, is situated on the island of Lidingö on the outskirts of Stockholm. Carl Malmsten spoke about the importance of tradition, craftsmanship and the nation. His furniture was in many ways a product of the thoughts and ideals of the time, they have a timeless quality that makes them just as relevant and loved today. ~H.