Two-Seater Sofa by Otto Schulz (Attr.) for Boet, Sweden 1940s

This spectacular two-seater sofa by Swedish designer, Otto Schulz, is a beautiful example of the furniture designer’s repertoire of cleverly constructed pieces. With a creative and masterfully crafted wooden structure and fully upholstered body, this model truly deserves its place in Swedish design history.

The design of this 1940s sofa combines function and aesthetics, keeping the form in service of the user while keeping it elegant and modern. The curved back immediately stands out, attached to the seat solely by the elongated back legs. This is a signature technique of Schulz’s, resulting in a floating look that is especially stunning from the back and the sides. The wooden frame contrasts beautifully with the textured fabric’s light colour. The exposed wood features visible joinery with decorative wooden screw caps, which showcases the Swedish “honest design” ideal. In Sweden, “svensk design” (Swedish design) in particular operates as a set of relations linking the everyday world - composed of objects, spaces, people - to the cultural ideologies that motivate the persistence of a social democratically infused “way of life.” Thanks to this sentiment, cabinetmakers, like at Boet, put an emphasis on soft elegance and functionality, making this sofa model timeless in every sense of the word. Schulz founded the Swedish company Boet and an eponymous magazine that became an extremely influential design publication during the 1930s and 40s.

As this sofa shows, Schulz was not only a brilliant designer and architect, but also excelled in producing his designs that came to be part of Swedish design history. The artisanal production quality shows throughout this sofa and takes the Swedish idea of furniture that last for generations seriously.

Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. The sofa has been reupholstered recently in a premium fabric. Each of our items can be re-upholstered by our in-house atelier in a fabric of choice. Please reach out for more information.

Dimensions:
57.08 in W x 26.77 in D x 31.49 in H; Seat height 16.53 in
145 cm W x 68 cm D x 80 cm H; Seat height 42 cm

About the Designer:
Otto Schulz (1882-1970) was a Swedish interior designer, furniture designer, publisher, and founder of the furniture company BOET in Gothenburg.

Schulz was born in Germany and moved to Sweden in 1907. He mainly produced opulent upholstered furniture, as well as lavishly inlaid, decorative box furniture style-wise between functionalism and traditionalism. He has some of his own invented techniques patented, including the use of decorative nails as part of the design, called Bopoint. After establishing his own furniture company, BOET, he used it as a showroom to exhibit his designs as well.

In the 1920s he started publishing the eponymous magazine BOET, which was also a platform for his own collection. The magazine was at the time the most influential, appearing in regular editions in Sweden and often included interviews with well-known designers and architects. ~H.

Shipping:
This sofa will be packaged and shipped with the greatest care and attention to make sure you will receive the item in gallery condition. Complimentary shipping within the Netherlands.

IMPORTANT!
VAT normally applies and will be added to items when purchased by a European buyer or transported to a location within the EU.