Axel Einar Hjorth

The 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, officially in Spanish: Exposición Internacional de Barcelona 1929, it took place from 20 May 1929 to 15 January 1930 in Barcelona, Spain.
The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc, designed by Carles Buïgas was built ahead of the exhibition and is still today a landmark for Barcelona.
The Swedish Pavillion was designed by Peder Clason and most remarkable was probably the tower, symbolizing a lighthouse, "Funkis" standing outside the Pavillion.

The Barcelona Exhibition was the first major exhibition for Axel Einar Hjorth as the head of the Nordiska Kompaniet furniture department. The Nordiska Kompaniet's exhibition area, also designed by Hjorth seems to have been remarkable with its deep blueish grey walls, black floorings where the spectacular pieces of furniture in black, grey, red and gold created impressive effects. The cabinet 'Louis' was included in the Swedish Pavillion in Barcelona. Louis was sold by Bukowski's in April 2002 for 1,150,000 sek a record price for a 20thC Swedish piece of furniture that it took almost 20 years to beat.

The present pieces disappeared from the public eye post the exhibition. The magnificent tabouret which is to be seen in the blurred photographs from the exhibition was rediscovered not too long ago at a smaller market in Barcelona.
The tabouret has few similarities to other pieces by Hjorth. He managed to blend the Swedish classicism with French Art Déco and turn it into a unique solitary piece of furniture.

This applies also to the macassar-ebony veneered chest of drawers, it has a solemn appearance highlighted with the discreet wood carvings and its silver plated handles. The chest of drawers has only been seen in a black and white photograph and as a pencil drawing from the archives. How it came to the Myrdal family is yet to be discovered.

Family anecdote:
"The black chest of drawers is primarily remembered from standing in Alva's bedroom. On top of it Alva used to keep a pewter bowl with dried rose petals, as a pot-pourri. In the upper drawer Alva kept her gloves, her purses with the different currencies neatly organised, in the second drawer she kept her handbags and evening bags ( for instance the ones included in this auction). In the bottom drawer she kept 'give-aways' often something from her frequent trips, such as handkerchiefs, little brooches, poetry books etc".