Authentic Tea Trolley 901 in Birch by Alvar Aalto & Artek

Authentic tea trolley 901 in birch by Alvar Aalto & Artek. Alvar Aalto's tea trolleys serve as highly functional and distinctive additions to a dining room or hospitality area. Introduced at the 1937 Paris world's fair, they are in the permanent collection of the museum of modern art. The tea trolley was inspired by British tea culture, which Aino and Alvar Aalto had become acquainted with though their many travels, as well as by the Japanese woodwork and architecture they admired. With a frame composed of two birch lamella loops, tea trolley 901 features two shelves and a solid birch handle. Twin wheels, in combination with the lightweight quality of birch, mean the trolley can be easily maneuvered and parked at will. Over the years, numerous variations of the Tea Trolley have been produced. Dutch designer and colour expert Hella Jongerius delved into Artek’s archives to offer her own take on one of Alvar Aalto’s most cherished products. Her subtle interventions resulted in a light and a dark version of the trolley, which play with the shifting light on the product’s upper and lower trays.

Recognised today as one of the great masters of modern architecture, Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) was born in Kuortane, Finland. During a long and prolific career, Aalto designed buildings for almost all key public institutions, as well as standardised housing and private homes. One of the co-founders of Artek, Aalto left a legacy with lasting resonance.

Aalto’s architecture is distinctively finnish, strongly individual, and marked by a warm humanity. His buildings derive their aesthetic character from their dynamic relationship with their natural surroundings, their human scale, superbly executed details, unique treatment of materials, and ingenious use of lighting.

Aalto began designing furnishings as a natural extension of his architectural thinking. His first modern piece of furniture was created in 1931-1932 for the tuberculosis sanatorium in Paimio, Finland. Artek was set up in 1935 to market and sell his and his wife Aino’s furniture, lighting, and textiles, particularly on international markets.

Through his innovations in form and line, Alvar Aalto’s name has also become important in the history of design. In fact, Aalto first achieved fame in Continental Europe as a furniture designer, and only later as an architect. His contribution to furniture design was among his foremost achievements in its own right. Aalto’s furniture and lighting form the heart of the Artek range.

Price is per item. Handmade to order in Finland. Current configuration shown is in birch with white laminate. The tea trolley is also available in natural birch with black linoleum and black lacquered birch with linoleum. Please specify when ordering.

In-stock lead time 2-3 weeks. Out of stock lead time up to an additional 8 weeks or more. Please note that inventory can change at any time. For time sensitive orders, please inquire prior to purchasing.