Set of 8 Lasse Ollinkari Dining Chairs in Black Leather, Finland 1950s

A very rare set of 8 mid-century modern chairs by Lasse Ollinkari designed and made for the main restaurant at the Helsinki Central Station in the early 1950s. The chair model in itself is rare but as a set of 8, it's extremely rare. The design features a bent back rest with leather upholstery as also on the seat. The chairs have brass details on the legs and are stamped with the Railway company stamps and inventory number. Please see the archive photo for the original interior of the restaurant after it was reopened with these chairs as part of its interior.

Lasse Ollinkari (1921-1993) was a renowned Finnish interior architect known for his modern designs and custom furniture. He studied at the Institute of Art and Design and began his career at Aarne Ervi's architectural office, where he was possibly the first Finnish interior architect to be employed. In 1954, he established his own studio in Helsinki.

Ollinkari gained recognition for his work on bank offices, large hospitals, and university interiors, including the Porthania building at the University of Helsinki. He also designed some furniture for everyday consumers, making his work accessible to a broader audience.

Ollinkari was a founding member of the Finnish Association of Interior Architects (SIO) in 1956.