Josef Frank
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a "Liljevalchs" sofa, Firma Svenskt Tenn, probably 1940s.
Upholstered sofa with button-tufted upholstery and loose cushions, the sofa upholstered in a grey-brown velvet fabric, loose cushions in contrasting fabric. Length 280 cm, height ca 65 cm, seat height ca 40 cm.
Reupholstered, wear, the fabric underneath with minor damage.
Provenance
Marianna Backlund, a good friend of Estrid Ericson's.
Thence by descent to the present owner.
Marianna Backlund was the first owner of the Josef Frank cabinet covered with Georges Peltier's 'Plan de Paris à vol d'oiseau' sold at Bukowskis auction in 2021 lot no 636:283.
More information
The model was among the first pieces of furniture that Josef Frank designed for Svenskt Tenn in 1934. It was first shown at the Liljevalch's gallery, hence the name "Liljevalchssoffan". In a letter to Estrid Ericson, Josef Frank wrote that he drew the large generous shape of the sofa in protest against the prevailing functionalism and the boredom of the Swedish Handicraft Association.
Designer
Josef Frank was born in Austria and studied architecture in Vienna. As an architect, he worked with private home areas, villas and apartment buildings. In 1925 he started his own interior design firm Haus und Garten together with two architect colleagues. In connection with the advance of the Nazis, he emigrated to Sweden and was employed in 1934 at Svenskt Tenn. After the outbreak of World War II, Josef Frank, who came from a Jewish family, was forced into exile in New York. At Svenskt Tenn, he made an impact on the product range for four decades; especially when it comes to furniture and fabric prints.
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