Modern Art & Design presents Barbro Nilsson

The platinum jubilee of the ‘Tånga’ carpet

In 2025, one of Barbro Nilsson's most appreciated design 'Tånga' turns 70. Barbro Nilsson had been the artistic director of Aktiebolaget Märta Måås-Fjetterström since the death of Märta Måås-Fjetterström in 1941. Her first carpet designed for AB MMF was 'Snäckorna' and, like “Tånga”, it was influenced by the nature around Barbro Nilsson.

'Tånga' made its entrance in the summer of 1955, when Helsingborg hosted Sweden's largest exhibition of crafts and architecture since 1930. H-55 (as the exhibition came to be known) lasted for 80 days and was organized by the City of Helsingborg and the Swedish Crafts Association. Over 1000 exhibitors from 8 different countries were represented. King Gustaf VI Adolf and Queen Louise opened the exhibition followed by a speech by Prime Minister Tage Erlander. Placed at the restaurant on the parapet was the carpet 'Tånga' which today, 70 years later, is the most sought after item internationally that was launched at H-55. Barbro Nilsson, unlike Märta Måås-Fjetterström, wanted to make carpets in several color scales and at the auction we see several examples of this. See lots 420 'Tånga mellanblå', 420A 'Tånga gul' and 421 'Tånga brun och grön'.

View the catalogue