Estrid Ericson and Firma Svenskt Tenn
The story of how a young Estrid Ericson from Hjo in 1924 was inspired to open an interior shop, today known as Svenskt Tenn, with the support of Nils Fougstedt is well known by many.
The company initially created different objects and models of pewter, a material that was almost forgotten at the time. They started collaborations with many of today's most interesting designers such as Uno Åhrén, Björn Trägårdh, Anna Petrus and Tyra Lundgren. With time the company expanded to include furniture as well. The furniture was made in a distinctly modernist, or functionalist, austere style in blackened wood and details in pewter, often engraved.
Estrid Ericson had a unique eye for putting together and composing interiors and furnishings in a way that few others. During trips around the world, she brought everything from shells and fossils to Chinese stoneware and many other things. These items later became the inspiration for details and decorative items made in pewter. These more or less unique items are highly sought after by collectors and are usually sold expensively at auction.
Josef Frank fled to Sweden from Austria in 1934 with his Swedish wife Anna Sibenius. When Estrid Ericson and Josef Frank began their collaboration, Firma Svenskt Tenn left the previous style with blackened furniture and Estrid embraced the softer modernist decor that Frank advocated. A lot of the furniture that is still today produced for Swedish Tenn are models Frank designed in the 1940s-50s, models that are as sought after now as they were then.
Below are some examples of what Bukowski's sold by what we call vintage Swedish Tenn. Now is the time for submission to the spring auctions.
When is the viewing and auction?
Bukowskis Modern Art + Design
Viewing June 11–15 at Bukowskis, Berzelii Park 1, Stockholm.
Auction June 16 at Arsenalsgatan 2, Stockholm.
Time for consignments – Become a part of this spring's fantastic auctions. Contact us:
